Maybe the nicest thing about the coming of the new year is that the great limiter of creativity and fun, common sense, takes a day or two off. A whole bunch of folks will observe this by staying up late, drinking alcoholic beverages and watching things on TV that they’d ordinarily criticize others for watching. Many will take stock of the year past. Even more will reveal glimpses of their hopes, dreams, fears and fantasies for the year to come. Here are mine:
In the year to come I’d like
- to shut up more.
- to stand back.
- to take off my cape and my skin-tight blue shirt with the big red “S” on the chest, to stop playing lawyer and Red Cross representative.
- to spend more time outdoors.
- to stop thinking about those folks I thought I’d always be friends with and no longer am.
- similarly, to give up old angers.
- to stop thinking that I’m actually much younger than I am or more sought after than I am (or less, for that matter.)
- to sleep better.
- to spend more time in motion.
- to write more fiction. Recently I’ve put up some short stories. I’ve enjoyed writing them and no one has told me to stop. Of course no one’s told me how unbelievably wonderful they are either. Whatever, I can live with that mystery.
- I want to submit some fiction for publication. A member of one of my writing groups says she has a list of 225 small magazines which publish unsolicited fiction. A lot of opportunities there.
- To spend more time among men. I like having buddies. It gives me the opportunity to just relax into being me, not half of a couple or someone–willingly or not, consciously or not–being influenced by sexual desires. [Ordinarily I’d now go into a three paragraph defense of my heterosexuality complete with historical references, jokes and innuendos–just the thing I’m trying to avoid.]
- I’d like to increase the readership of this blog.
- Even more than that, I’d like to see an increase in the Comments you all submit in response to what I post. Since I’d like to be more open and less reactive generally, some well-worded criticisms would really help with that. Dealing with praise, of course, would help me to challenge my ego’s need for inflation.
- I’d like some suggestions on what you’d like to see in this space. I’d particularly like–See!? There I go trying to tell you what to tell me. Just comment as you’d like to.
- At this point I’d just like to thank you for reading the words and looking at the snaps and wish you a splendid 2014.
Be well.
Goldberg
Welcome! 