New Year’s resolutions 2020

“What’s your resolution?” Facebook once asked me. And I thought “Umm, just 1024 x 768, why?” . Oops. But of course, I do have many wishes and dreams for 2020! Below, I’ve posted a selection of my goals and I hope that this blogpost will inspire others to write down their New Year’s resolutions as well. Oh and some tips – grounded in neuropsychology – for sticking to them can be found here. Happy New Year! 🙂

Music

In 2020, I wish to…

* …continue to grow as a chorister in our Domcantorij, by improving my sight-reading, the steadiness of my voice, my blending, intonation, diction and balance within our choir, and learn to anticipate the rhythm/tempo of the conductor better

* …play more tubular-ducted flutes, the “fipples”, such as the recorder, the tin whistle, the bansuri and the shvi (421.2 in the Hornbostel–Sachs) and upload my playing to YouTube to inspire other (self-taught) players, just like Sarah and Stephanie inspire me

* …compose, record & mix more tracks like this one, in which the ‘cello gives voice to various myth(olog)ical water women. (Maybe one on this theme as well?) My ultimate goal would be to bring out a “real” album with them, including a nice booklet with artwork and lyrics/poems etc.

* …learn how to play the Scottish bagpipe, as I really love this instrument! ^_^

* …do more improvisations to support my research, such as this one for AtariWomen and this one about Tarkovsky’s movie Stalker

* …create more sheet music, and make it downloadable from this website

*  …research Anglo-Saxon music!


Writing

In 2020, I wish to…

*  …continue publishing academic articles about imaginary creatures, to go beyond where my thesis ends.

*  …write more auti-ethnographies, not only as academic articles, but also in the forms of poems, essays and blogs (like museummuis)

*  …start with my book about Alfred! ^_^ 

*  …try to make a little money by writing for more popular magazines and websites

Sports

In 2020, I wish to…

* …continue to grow as an all-round budoka. I want to learn all 12 iaido kata, visit different dojo, perform in (national) kata competitions for iaido and karate and improve my grappling, joint locks and throws by taking lessons in jiujutsu as well ^_^

* …help in organizing the next Martial Arts Festival in Utrecht

* …make more dives in different places and – if possible – take an exam to get my diving certificate

* …become more flexible by combining my strength trainings with some more dance/pilates and by stretching more often

Art

In 2020, I wish to…

* …be creative once a week, by setting apart a day (most likely Friday) to craft for a few hours

* …make more drawings to support my auti-ethnographies

* …create a ‘portfolio’-section for my website and ATC’s to promote my work

* …try my luck in the graphic design world, by following an education and working as a freelancer

* …engage in some interesting collaborations, for example for my ideas about a mermaid dance

Languages

In 2020, I wish to…

* …plan and structure my learning better, for example by following this great example by Lindie

* …finish my Polish course book (a lesson a week) and publish one translated story of The Witcher on my blog every month, try to a Duolingo lesson in Polish each day.

* …try to do a Duolingo lesson in Japanese each week and one lesson from my book every month

* …learn some Scottish Gaelic! ^_^ One  Duolingo “level” a week should do

Work

In 2020, I wish to…

* …make a weekly planning  regarding to the work that has to be done

* …update my LinkedIn and be more active there

* …sign up for different websites to get more freelance work