Resolution Review

In January, I posted what amounted to 9 New Year's resolutions.

They were:

1. Learn to play the sax
2. Learn to speak Italian again
3. Watch more films
4. Try to get less injuries
5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk
6. Do as much travelling as possible
7. Get more sleep
8. Spend more time exploring London
9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Although it'’s not half way through the year yet, which would be the logical time to do this (but hey, I can'’t be logical in all aspects of my life!), it has occurred to me to review how I'm getting on with them. So, as at Saturday 20 May, roughly a bit more than a third of the way through the year, here is my progress report on each resolution so far:

1. Learn to play the sax

No action at all. Rubbish. Need to hire one to give it a try

2.Learn to speak Italian again

Also no action at all. Maybe I need to do what The Stig does when tearing cars round the Top Gear race track and listen to language tapes in the car

3. Watch more films

This one is actually going ok - see the list on the right hand side. The long plane journeys to Vegas, Marty and Richelle's crusade to improve my film knowledge, and the Naomi-originated film nights have helped!

4. Try to get less injuries

This one has actually been successful too - touch all the wood in the world! So far this year I've not had any major injuries, so far as I can remember, but do comment and correct me if you think I'm wrong! My knee is still playing up from the stupid frisbee injury (see a post about the beginning of September), especially today (see below) so that'll keep me in the feeb club for a while!

5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk

Well. There has been training going on, so that's got to be a good start! At the moment I'’m thinking that a realistic target for my '‘good attempt'’ would be halfway - 24 miles. That would still be a major achievement, so I'’d be happy with that. It's only 5 weeks away now!! Today Helen, Pete and I completed 17 miles (in just under 6 hours) and, apart from my stupid knee, not much hurts at the moment, so that's all good. Tomorrow I'll no doubt be suffering, but at the moment I feel ok, and that gives me confidence that I'll be able to make a decent attempt at the ITEX... might need a bit more training first though, and not sure where that's going to fit in!

6. Do as much traveling as possible

This one is panning out ok too. I've been to Edinburgh/ Glasgow, Las Vegas, and Aberdeen so far. I'’ve got 5 trips to Jersey, a trip to Edinburgh, a trip to Singapore, Bali and Lombok, and a trip to Canada booked. Plus a potential trip to New York and a possible trip to somewhere in Eastern Europe. And New Zealand, Fiji and San Francisco for Christmas and New Year. So I reckon I'll be able to give this one a great big tick at the end of the year!

7. Get more sleep

Hmpf. Might be better to skip this one. Given I'’ve had only 1 night where I've had more than 7 hours sleep since I got back from Vegas, I'm clearly failing miserably. If only the body and mind could actually function perfectly on four hours of sleep a night, I'’d be a happy bunny.

8. Spend more time exploring London

Really need to pay more attention to this one. I've managed to visit more restaurants and bars, but that isn't really what I had in mind when I made the resolution. I've got some exploring planned for the forthcoming bank holiday, so that will be a good start.

9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Ho hum. So this one isn't going too well either - I've not got my up to date list here, so I'm not sure what the actual numbers are, but I have a feeling that I'm up to 52 - so not much of an increase since January! I have lots of books ready to be read, but am seriously lacking in the time to read them.

Not too bad. A further review will follow some time in the next couple of months when I get a similar sort of urge to do it - but an update on the Itex walk will follow in advance of that, as it's on 23 June.

In the meantime, I'm very much enjoying being at home on a Saturday night. I can't remember the last time I was - and I've not woken up in my own bed on a Sunday morning for 8 weeks... that sounds deliberately debauched, just for my mum! I just hope I can sleep for a substantial period of time... I'm all set, clean sheets, clean pj's, just had a bath, nice dinner and a glass of wine, plenty of exercise today... let's see what happens!

I love having the occasional night like this where I can potter round the house and not do much - and I've just had a lovely dinner (tuna, Jersey potatoes (Yay!) and roast tomatoes). Such nights remind me of Saturday nights at Uni, when everyone used to go home and leave me to my own devices. It could have been lonely, but it wasn't, because I relished having the time completely to myself, being able to do exactly what I wanted to do, and having some peace to catch up with myself.

That's exactly what I'm doing tonight - it's 'Kate time' - and it's important. I'm alone, but I'm not lonely. Such nights add balance (and much needed rest!) and I can't help but think that I need to have them more often. The trouble with that is that it would mean compromising on other things, which I don't want to do. Ho hum. Time for some dessert to help me solve that conundrum...