In Pursuit of Living Dreams

Today is New Year's Eve.  We're leaving 2013 behind and moving forward into 2014.  I went to the movies to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and was thrilled by it.  The film is a perfect end-of-the-year feature to enjoy and propel oneself into the resolution-making joys of the new year.  The story is uplifting, thoughtful without being overly-philosophical, and possesses a soundtrack selection that makes one smile while watching.  Just listen to Arcade Fire's "Wake Up."

I'm not here to review the film.  I am thinking about resolutions and how we come to create that list each year and at some point discover we've lapsed in obtaining each goal, or at least I do.  So this year I am writing a Walter Mitty inspired list:

"Resolutions for Stop Dreaming, Start Living"

1.  Pursue artistic outlets. 
Try out some acrylic painting and see how I like it.  Make some MS designed journals and tapestries to sell in MS.  Learn more embroidery stitches.

2. Pursue publication of Rise When the Rooster Crows
Do not self-publish this book.  Send individual poems to lit journals.  Send entire manuscript to potential presses. Hope.

3.  Stop saying "my writing is stagnant" and start writing.
I've hardly written anything new the whole 5 years I lived in Oklahoma and I blamed it on claiming I was uninspired, unmotivated, and out of place. Whether any of that is true or not, it is not an excuse for not attempting to write regularly, nor trying to self-motivate through meeting often with writer friends and going to readings.  I have ideas of new projects; I think I've just not started them for fear of not making something I deem good.  It won't become good if I don't start somewhere.  And like a fellow friend's dad told him: "You can't call yourself something you're not actively doing."  I call myself a poet and I'm not actively writing poetry?  That's not right.

4. Don't be afraid to try.
I'm looking at job opportunities which describe duties and tasks for which I have some experience -- and feel I am capable of managing, learning, succeeding if given a chance -- although I do not have as much experience in that area as others.  It cannot hurt to apply; An interview might still happen.  An offer might happen. There might be a co-worker I can learn from, a plan or routine already in place, and room to grow.  Or I might not get the interview, but nonetheless, I won't know if I don't try.

5. Pursue the big dream, the big project, the big idea.
Get started on writing up the overall project plan for the big idea. Once I have envisioned and mapped out the whole thing, other proponents will come into place.  I'll be able to use all or chunks of it for grant proposals, synopsis, reports, and it will guide the overall action of the project.  It might change, but it will motivate and keep the project from seeming overwhelmingly large and impossible for one person to bring it to fruition.  And all these "oh, and this can be done in the project too!" ideas have got to get down on paper!  It can and will be done.

6. Stop drinking soda/coke/pop/soft drinks
It is bad for you.