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New Year's Resolutions


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I'm making a concerted effort to get myself into better physical shape in 2009. I've even signed up for some professional help.

 

I also hope to reorganize the basement, set up my drums, and become less of a bastard.

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become more of an optimist , and stop being a lazy slob.............

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2009 is the year I'm finally gonna hunker down and start listening to more Grateful Dead. Wish me luck in this endeavor, kids!

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I have decided to snag my own beautiful massage office and stop renting a crap hole to save $$ and feel safer. I curently share an office with 3 people and it blows loser chunks. This loner is moving on. A client offered me a beautiful space that's move-in ready & $200 of the rent is in trade for monthly massage sessions.

 

I can also hold out till my pal closes his skate shop and move in there (ground level). Both locations are cool & in our downtown area. Not sure what to do but I know 2009 I go it alone! Since quiting the spa's I have increased my income greatly on my own. Wear what I want, and work when I want. Novemember was the most profitable month of my life. December even turned out to be pretty good despite the economy. I live in small University/military town so we seem to ride this recession better than some. I'm taking the chance on a sweet office all alone. Things are going to be done my way!

 

 

I also want to continue to drink good beer and see more Wilco. Can't wait to see JT January 31st!

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Write then mail birthday/thank you cards on time

Love my loved ones even more

 

and the gross one -- stop picking the callouses on my feet (karate builds some fierce ones)

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I'm going to try to stay in better touch with everyone....that's such a hard one for me! And also, I'm going to try harder to let the little stuff go, with my kiddos, and just spend more time loving them.

 

Also I plan to finally win the lottery. :thumbup

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Besides better exercise and nutrition, I'm resolved to acquire fewer books and movies--and aggressively purge the home library. The collection is embarrassingly large, and I'm running out of space. To start, I'm making a trip to a resale shop this morning, and I'm taking with me about 200 DVDs and 200 books.

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Lose weight and keep it off (at least until August).

 

I'm in my best friend's wedding and she's having us wear pistachio colored dresses. Yes, that's what I said pistachio :stunned

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10 music resolutions you can make for 2009

 

by David Isaacson, Indie Rock Examiner

 

My #1 New Year's resolution this year is to follow my New Year's resolutions. I think that's where things have gone south in the past, so I'm hoping to fix that this time around. If you haven't finished your list yet, or forgot to add a music related resolution, I thought I'd lend you a hand. Let me know how it goes!

 

 

1) Go to at least one concert a month.

 

I don't know what I would do without live music--in my opinion, it's one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. A lot of people pass up seeing their favorite bands out of laziness, or say that they don't want to cough up the cash. If you can't afford to spend $20 a month on a concert ticket, you may have money management issues that you need to address :)

 

2) Listen to a new album every day (or week)

 

Think how knowledgeable you'd be if you listened to 365 albums in the span of a year. Or, even 52. Still impressive, and totally manageable. The above album is Animal Collective's upcoming release, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Make it one of your albums.

 

3) Learn a musical instrument

 

2009 is the year to pick up that instrument that's been collecting dust in the attic. Or buy the one that you've always wanted to learn how to play. It's not too late! With technology being what it is today, there are now great free tutorials online for many instruments, and online tablature makes it easier than ever to learn how to play your favorite songs with a little bit of dedication.

 

4) Visit a music blog each day, and find a new one every week

 

Impress yourself (and all your friends) with how informed you are by staying up to date with the music scene. Stereogum & Brooklyn Vegan are good sites to start out with.

 

 

5) Support your favorite artists

 

If you bittorrent, consider buying the vinyls of your favorite albums. Not only is the sound crisper on a record player than CD or MP3, but having the album art memorabilia is great. I framed some of mine a few years ago and hung them. Some record labels are on the cheaper end of distribution, but some others put out hidden gems. For example, Andrew Bird's Mysterious Production of Eggs Vinyl is beautifully packaged. The cover flips open, and on the inside it shows pictures of prints that Chicago screenprinter Jay Ryan made for each song on the album with the lyrics beneath. Even better, the vinyl is not your typical black vinyl, but an attractive silverish hue. Many record labels now offer free MP3 downloads with a vinyl purchase as an added bonus.

 

 

6) Make a new music mix every week

 

It's really fun to make mixes for different occasions. Put your research skills & creativeness to work, and try to make the best mixes you possibly can. Also, give them away liberally... people love receiving them, and it's also a thoughtful personal gift. If you're up for an adventure, make a mix and place it in a random place for a stranger to find.

 

7) Save up for noise canceling headphones

 

Yes, they are really worth it...and you don't even have to buy the expensive Bose to hear the difference. I have the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7, which are now priced under $100, and they are worth every penny. There are some newer models that are a little more compact, but these ones work just fine for me. Once you have noise canceling headphones, you will experience music like never before, and it also makes the crying baby sitting behind you on the airplane bearable.

 

8) Learn about your favorite bands

 

I guarantee you that at least one of the bands that you really like has a documentary/book published about them. For example, I am a big Wilco fan, and there is a documentary out that shows the behind the scenes of their 2004 release, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (an everyday Wilco fan might not know that their record label Reprise, a subsidiary of Warner Music, thought the album was garbage, and dropped the band. It went on to sell over half a million copies). Greg Kot, a music journalist for the Chicago Tribune, also wrote a book on the band called Wilco: Learning How To Die. Why not take the time to learn more about your favorite musicians this year?

 

 

9) Use music social networking sites

 

There are a lot of music social networking websites out there that help you connect with like-minded music lovers and discover new music. Two sites I recommend to start out with are Last.FM, which lets you keep tabs on what your friends are listening to, and Pandora, which is a free personalized online radio station.

 

10) Start a music blog

 

This isn't for everyone, but if you like to write, and find yourself talking about music every chance you get, consider starting a music blog. A lot of people look at top music websites and get discouraged-- don't set the expectations too high on yourself. As long as you find it enjoyable, and update a few times a week (which shouldn't be a problem if you enjoy doing it), then it's worth giving it a shot!

 

 

 

Good Luck!

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I'm going to adopt a Kaizen philosophy of small, continuous improvements this year - e.g., use my own coffee mug, water bottle, grocery bag, etc. at least once every week to ease into better habits. I figure if I set a really easy short-term goal instead of something ambitious, there's a better chance this will lead to a lasting change in the long-run.

 

I also like Eric's idea of getting rid of stuff I don't need.

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To start, I'm making a trip to a resale shop this morning, and I'm taking with me about 200 DVDs and 200 books.

 

Location on this? ;)

 

I'm hoping to rebuild my cardiovascular health and run multiple 10Ks in 2009.

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I need to develop better study habits. I make great grades but do so on procrastination and half-assed skimming of books. Seems like an unnecessary source of stress.

 

I'd also like to get music-making back into my life, either by joining a community orchestra (flute) or learning guitar.

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