2014 New Year Resolutions!

I don't make New Years resolutions... ever, but I want to get my ass working on here again, so here it goes.

I'm going to mod-review (or just review, if it comes down to it) five WIP tracks a week, and I'll list them somewhere to make damn sure that I've done it. If the WIP forum got 260 reviews from at least one workshop mod next year (and probably more - I'm not the only one here ) then I feel that forum will improve significantly.

*Deep breaths* ALRIGHT, let's do this!

You could probably just pick someone to be your accountability partner, and message them every Friday what tracks you've done since last Friday.

2013 was easily the worst year of my entire life. 2012 was the second worst. I can't wait to see how bad 2014 will be.

So I guess my resolution is for at least something to go good.

I don't normally do these, but:

- Get of my bony butt and finish my projects

- Actually meet deadlines

- Actually maybe plan ahead this year

I had that under control in 2012; sorta lost it a bit in 2013.

OK, just thought of another goal I'd like to achieve in the next year: Make a music video of my original music and have it up on YouTube.

So my list is:

- Overcome PTSD, don't be nomad

- Make music video

I'm making good progress on my resolutions!

I made a huge leap in overcoming my PTSD. Without going into too much detail about it, I moved out and am living in my own place now, which was something that I was previously unable to do, due to PTSD. That was basically the goal I had set out to do, be able to live alone, and I'm doing it. That is not to say that there isn't more progress to be made, but the essence of this goal has been accomplished.

I also added a 3rd resolution, though I maybe didn't say it here: No Bullshit Tolerance Policy. I've been a lot more forthcoming and assertive, and I have noticed that it has made an impact on my personal relationships and brought me closer to people. Also, I don't put up with bullshit, which is of course awesome.

Last, I'm still working on the single for which I want to make a music video. I have already envisioned how the music video will go, and have a vague plan for it, but I really need to get moving on actually making it happen. I have asked Stevo/Level 99 to help me direct it, Stevo and Tom (drummer from OCU) to appear in music video and lay down some drum tracks for the single, and my boyfriend to record bass for it and help with production. The song is entirely written and arranged, I just need to finish recording and editing the live parts, then finish up with mixing/mastering. So it's moving along.

How are your resolutions going? Consider this post a BUMP to the thread, and a reminder to get motivated and make progress!

* Get more musically active (something new every 3 months)

Completed a bonus track for the SZRC 2014, plus a second unreleased OutRun track. Not bad progress so far, plus there's a couple more projects to go!

* Do whatever I can on that aforementioned PlayStation EP

No dice. In relation to one of the points further down.

* Arrange a remix and perform it at either the London Gaming Con / Alcon 2014 that DOESN'T cover Sonic or Mega Man.

At LCG 2014, I performed the aforementioned unreleased OutRun remix, covering Splash Wave. Not a brilliant reception though, but I bet it's down to the fact that i'm better off rocking a keytar. I might perform "Pizza Time" off Shell-Shocked for a future convention this year - who knows?

* Get back into work or education

One step at a time. Look at the next bullet point.

* Find help regarding my mood swings

I'm on a sick note from my doctor regarding my mood. I'm slowly on the mend, with only a few instances of feeling emotionally distraught - and luckily no IRC ragequits at this point! Some things can still be improved in regards to how I take certain comments, but otherwise I'll keep plowing ahead.

* complete a cosplay for PlayExpo 2014

Got a couple of ideas. Haven't started yet, but I know one thing the costume requires is a printed t-shirt and I found a great place down town that does them on different types of tee. It'll be full steam ahead come the summer!

- Actually meet deadlines

yep. I suck.

To be so jacked Dwayne Johnson asks me to be his PT.

Definitely more muscular now than I was last year. Plan to continue. Yo Rock, where you at?!

Definitely more muscular now than I was last year. Plan to continue. Yo Rock, where you at?!

finish more remixes.

So far, no. I still have so many unfinished remixes. I'll start something, then get sick of it before I can finish. I still only seem to be able to finish remixes in competitions, and I've joined less of those this year.

I really should start doing the PRC. Whenever I think about doing a remix for PRC, the deadline is so close. I need to pay more attention to when they start!

submit a remix to the judges panel.

Not yet, but there's plenty of time left in 2014.

Not yet, but there's plenty of time left in 2014.

Yeah what's the deal guys? It's still basically the beginning of 2014 so why are people checking their lists now? Give it another 8 months

Yeah what's the deal guys? It's still basically the beginning of 2014 so why are people checking their lists now? Give it another 8 months

When you're working on a big project, you don't just check at the end to see if it was completed. You divide the project into smaller tasks, and keep tabs on the progress of the project at various stages. The same thing with New Years resolutions, check in periodically on your progress, motivate yourself. That's why I'm checking my list now, and I think others will agree.

You found him!

And two other random dudes standing really close to him...I mean his arms.

You found him!

And two other random dudes standing really close to him...I mean his arms.

He's got more muscle mass in his forearm than I have in my whole body

When you're working on a big project, you don't just check at the end to see if it was completed. You divide the project into smaller tasks, and keep tabs on the progress of the project at various stages. The same thing with New Years resolutions, check in periodically on your progress, motivate yourself. That's why I'm checking my list now, and I think others will agree.

^

So much this.

Continue from last year and adding a few more.

1. Learn guitar so I can play songs I like

1b. Sing and play a song I like, record it, and post it on the internet

2. Learn coding to a point I can code things on my own without following directions/hints

3. Learn FL Studio so I can...eventually remix?

4. Learn music theory so I can write all these musical ideas in my head onto paper

5. Continue exercising

6. Eat healthier

7. Work on/continue being more open and moderate with my emotions, e.g. not getting frustrated at video games, being supportive of friends and even strangers

8. Continue writing in my journal every day

9. Cosplay Tibbers with someone else being Annie

1. Taking a guitar class now. We'll see how much I learn.

1b. In just two voice classes I think I've improved my singing immensely. I'm learning to sing a song I like in the class and I'm working on my own to learn how to play it on guitar...slowly.

2. I can code very rudimentary things but I have moved on from Ruby to Ruby on Rails.

3. No real progress.

4. Very little progress.

5. I am exercising every 2-3 days.

6. I've cut a lot calories out and eat smaller portions. I also eat less processed food snacks and eat things like fruit or hummus+carrots as a snack.

7. Perhaps my biggest success. I've been constantly working on being open and haven't gotten frustrated with video games in several months. I've also reached out to many people, mostly strangers on the internet.

8. I've been writing every day with just a few days skipped.

9. No progress whatsoever.

For most of these goals, and some other ones I haven't listed, I have a Google Spreadsheet where I check off days where I've worked. I have it set up where I can just type in an "x" in the cell and it turns the cell green. I've also got it set up to tally up the total days that I've worked on that goal so I can see the results both visually (green cells) and with just plain old numbers. This helps me know what I've been spending my time on and if I'm slacking on a particular goal. It's worked very well for me.

1. GENERAL: Be an awesome father, an awesome husband, and an awesome site admin, in that order!!
   
2. FINALLY modernize the site's look & feel and functionality AND update/migrate the forums (aka "V6")
   
3. Finish 5 ReMixes, aka "get back on the musical horse". Just upgraded to Cubase 7.5 after my brief experiment with Reaper; going to focus on learning it and Sylenth1 and putting together some templates so I can be 5X more productive. Been wanting to do this for years, just needed to double-down on DAW choice after playing the field a bit...
   
4. Lose 10 more pounds (lost ~10 this year)
   
5. Fix/update landscaping around the house
   

Still thinking about 2-3 good additions to the list, but these would be great!

1. Hope I've done this, but I can't be the judge
   
2. Not yet, but soon...
   
3. Well, uh... one out of five ain't... bad? Ah crap, yes it is...
   
4. Funny story, here. As of last week, there was no hope in hell of this happening. Then, day after xmas, norovirus hits. Can't eat anything except toast and cereal and bananas and apple sauce. Checked weight THIS MORNING... mission accomplished! Gastrointestinal crisis to the rescue!
   
5. Kinda.
   

edit: wrong thread

OK, let's see:

1. Get another mix posted (maybe done within the month, I have one confirmed direct post).

2. Get admission for my second year in Master's degree, and keep working for it. Work harder and dedicate myself for my professional future.

3. Lose weigth, duh.

4. Get better at remixing in generaL.

5. Join a new video association or a music band.

6. Start a solo album or a Kickstarter campagn.

1. Yes! It took ore than a year, but I'm posted!

2. Nope, rejected. Working for it AGAIN. :/

3. Kinda. 1 or 2 kgs in general. Okay, it's no.

4. Yes!

5. Nope. Didn't find any.

6. Nope. No time.

Not that bad, but not too good either. :/

My resolutions:

- Talk more

- Finish as many remix WIPs as I can

- Survive college

- Work on four currently-WIP things: first novel, general-purpose sound synthesis tutorial for OCR, Music Production and Composition textbook-length guide, and music album

- Yes-ish

- Got six done, all previously unfinished but not recently started, as well as five others that were started and finished in a few months. Aw yeah!

- I'd count getting an A- on the Physical Chemistry final as surviving college. If I can survive that, I can probably survive anything (well, maybe not a full-metal-jacketed bullet, but...). #Mythbusters

- I did work on these things, so... yes.

Ok, here go my resolutions...

• Pass JLPT N1 in December 2014 (which involves a lot of studying before then)
  
• Finish updating all the remaining content sections of LunarNET
  
• Translate 2 of the Lunar Drama CDs
  
• Complete the rest of my gaming backlog, excluding anything I buy this year
  
• Continue regularly posting on the OCR forums
  

I actually added a few on a separate forum after this. But I'll stick to how I did on these resolutions...

• Well I reviewed all the material I'd meant to by the end of the year, and took the JLPT N1 in December. I'm really not confident about having passed it, though... I'll find out in February, but I'm planning already on taking it again this year. I'll give this a 75%.
  
• Welp, this did not happen at all. This gets a 0%.
  
• And neither did this. Man, I forgot I even made that resolution. This gets another 0% (or -25% for plumb forgetting).
  
• I cut down my backlog by more than half, including 2-3 games that I did get this year. I only have <10 games left, so I'm going to give this a 100%.
  
• And I failed at regularly posting on the OCR forums... but I did pick back up involvement in other forums. ...I'll give me a 50% here, too.
  

Hey 2½/5 ain't bad! KF