The Stannex

Okay! Here we are … 2011! Everything is shiny and new!

Well … just as shiny and new as things are EVERY morning. That’s really the lesson I like to take from New Year’s Day … because I’ve always found it a little silly to mark this one calendar day as a “new start” when we really can associate the same power to any day we like … or every day we like. So I’m not really denying the power of renewal and limitless potential that other people hang on January 1st, I’m saying that the very same power and potential are found in each new dawn of the year. If I have a resolution for 2011, it is to bear that fact in mind … and to take better advantage of the opportunities to “start fresh” that come my way on a day-to-day basis.

As I’ve mentioned in years past, I’m against “New Year’s Resolutions” … but I’m all for making improvements in my life. To that end, this morning I HAVE taken stock of and made a conscious decision to renew and focus on some of my previous goals.

* I want to be a little more focused in my work. I’m going to try to increase my daily writing output by about 10% without increasing the number of hours I’m doing that work. It seems a reasonable goal. I’ve noticed recently how much of my time at the computer I’m spending do things OTHER than actually writing. If I can decrease that, I’ll be able to hit my goals and walk away from the computer earlier … leaving time for more of the other things I want to do.

* Speaking of other things I want to do. At a minimum I want to hit all of my weekly updates for 10x10Toon.com … 52 weeks, 52 updates on time. More than that, I’d like to be ahead of schedule. Indeed, in the first few months of they year I’m aiming to do two comics each week and get myself significantly ahead of schedule, then use the buffer that creates to either take the webcomic to twice weekly OR to finish two other medium-sized cartooning projects while still keeping the comic on schedule.

* I didn’t get back east to visit my family and friends in 2010. I need to do that at least once this year … and I’d like to do it twice. But I suppose I’d better be careful what I ask for. It’s looking like family health issues may FORCE progress on this goal … but I’d MUCH rather be able to meet it through my own efforts than through pressing necessity.

* Job hunting remains a big pit of uncertainty for me in 2011. I’ve been dancing on the edge of financial sufficiency with freelancing since being laid off in 2007, and I really could use the stability that a regular paycheck brings … and benefits like affordable insurance would, I must be admit, be a BIG relief. That having been said, I’ve come to realize that I’d be HAPPIEST finding a way to get my freelancing to a sustainable “next level.” I like the lifestyle and I’d gladly jump at the chance to keep it … IF it could provide a more steady stream of income. So I guess my real GOAL in this area is to sort all that out. Unfortunately, whether I get a job or whether clients decide to give me more work is NOT in my control … so my resolution must be in the “doing as much as I can” end.

* I’m back in Seattle, and I’m very happy about that. In the past seven weeks, I’ve seen many old friends and done a bunch of familiar things. Rolling into 2011, I want to make a concerted effort to broaden the number of friends I’m seeing and step out to do more of the things I rarely made time for when I lived here last. Going downtown for events, exhibits, and socializing … seeing more of the surrounding area (I still haven’t been over the the peninsula for anything other than quick one-day visits at friends’ houses … I only went down to Portland or up to Vancouver once each … I never visited the Central WA wine country). I want to take better advantage of all the wonders around me.

That about covers my goals in a broad sense. Certainly I also want to make good decisions on the day-to-day aspects of life … eating better, exercising more, being wise in my dealings with money and kind in my dealings with people. There are a lot of things that go into a year, and I really DON’T believe in spelling them all out in a detailed list of specific targets. I’d rather set a broad spectrum of positive forward motion … and make little decisions on each new day about ways to keep on that path.

Happy New Year to anyone who’s reading this. I am very mindful and thankful for the support, comradeship, and love that I receive … and I hope that throughout 2011 I remember to say thank you for those things more frequently.

Now get out there and get that year rolling!