Behind 2022's veil of gentleness and peace, 2023 was charging, and burst upon us, (pop!), like that. Just when we least expected it. That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.

Although everyone finds 'resolutions' to be a bit paseé, sometimes they're useful as a way of goal setting and reflecting on what I would like to come to pass in the coming year.

Firstly, I want to take care of my corporeal self a little better. The last few years have turned me into a sedentary, hartkäse-based lifeform. The feeling of physical decline is saddening, sharpened by me thundering into my 30s and realising that I'm not going to get any younger any time soon. Getting back to bouldering, again, would be a good start. Cycling in the spring and summer, too. Finally getting round to seeing a dentist, to see if they can do anything about the effects of being very unkind to my teeth through most of my Sad Twenties period.

Secondly, making things again. Throwing myself back into pottery (in a more sustainable way). Open source programming, especially contributing meaningfully to some rust or nix (or both!) projects. Picking up my woodworking tools again, with a vague plan to make a replica-ish anglo-saxon round shield.

Thirdly, exercising some sort of control over myself again. Bullet journaling, proper time planning, that sort of thing. Rereading Aurelius' Meditations and trying to put some of it into practice once again. I found it very useful after my mum passed away in 2020. Cutting meat further out of my diet. Taking time off of the Despair Pipelines that twitter and other social media tend to be, and reading things more carefully and considerately. Telling no lies. Claiming no easy victories.

It feels like this coming year, a lot of my resolutions are to try and pick up past habits and practices again that were useful and fell to the wayside for one reason or another. Not so much an excuse to keep going on as I have been, but more as I should have been, if I kept up those useful habits and practices.