End-Year Cadence, New Year’s Resolution

Technically, in a musical sense that would work better as an end-year suspension, but somehow that just sounds like someone sitting on the pot or changing his underwear when the clock strikes twelve.

New year resolutions have this uncanny ability of magnetically attracting procrastination. The year ahead always seems full of possibility, which somehow also means that there’s enough time to leave it for tomorrow.

So this year I’m doing two things. I’m going on month-by-month goals, or if you will, resolutions. January’s is to get my university applications all in order, read a Mozart biography given to me by Orshi and Gergely, and – possibly a February goal, as you can see, I’m already ahead of myself in my procrastination – taking a couple of lessons on adjusting a soundpost. Wonder if I can recruit some people in the endeavour. Hmm.

On a “big-picture” scale though, I have a new year’s attitude. Or a new-year’s motto. It’s come in several forms, I haven’t yet settled on one yet. So far I’ve been inclined to “There’s nothing to lose in trying.”

Another, however, is “Why the heck not?”

It could very well be: “Crap, here goes nothing.”

The only thing against it would be the little Yoda in my head saying, “Try? Do. Or do not. There is no try.” But then I’ve really been more of a Star Trek sort of guy, final frontier, going where no one has gone before, that sort of thing.

Basically it’s about not discounting possibilities, and to leave all my options open. A resolution for 2009 is not just discarding the old year, it’s about learning from it, and that’s what I’ve learned best from two-oh-oh-eight. It’s everything from looking at shoes (“that’d never fit me”) to university applications and even – or perhaps especially – personal relationships. But part of having nothing to lose in trying also involves keeping expectations in check, be wary of trusting to investing too much in something or someone which or who may not turn out to be worthwhile in the end. There’s a lot to lose otherwise. That, along with a necessary optimism needed in leaving all options open and trying everything out without prejudice – will be a tightrope more challenging than any of my previous resolutions. It may indeed be a tough line to walk.

But what the heck. It’s worth a shot. I like how that sounds.

Happy new year, everyone.