First of all, Is this a new years resolution? Maybe. More honestly this is the fact that my company graciously provides ample time off around the holidays which has given me a chance to refocus on things I always wanted to do.
Though, this hardly matters because I’m going to use this like a new year’s resolution list and many of the things I want to do this year and give some context on why I think its important and why I want to make an effort this year.
Ideas for the year
Maintain this website
I’ve always been a huge proponent of learning in public. Lately I’ve been writing a ton of documentation for work and my style of document seems to work well for people. My job also has me bouncing between many different fields of knowledge and its so hard to retain that information. I also have been taking part in a couple of communities recently such as the quartz (what publishes this site) and Bazzite (an atomic linux distro focused on gaming) communities. I want to have a place for things I learn and questions I help answer in those communities to reference back to.
Play the flute
I was a music major in college and I actually have a degree in Oboe performance. I love the oboe but as I’ve gotten older, my patience for practice has lowered. The oboe is particularly difficult in that its mass produced reeds are not great and it has a pretty tight embouchure(way you hold your mouth and lips) that needs pretty frequent practice so that you can get more than a few minutes of play time. I don’t have a desire to re-climb that wall but I do have a desire to play music. I started with the flute in middle school and played the piccolo all through high school and college for marching band so it shouldn’t be a huge wall to getting back to playing music.
Play some Table Top RPGs
I’ve been a forever GM for the last many years swapping back and forth with a friend in running primarily Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition campaigns and then Pathfinder 2nd Edition campaigns in the last couple years. I’m SO tired of those systems and want to focus on some of the more narrative TTRPGs and ones that spread the burden more evenly between the Game Master and Players. I’ve read a lot of systems and have ideas on what I love and don’t love about systems and want to put that down in writing. So I want to use writing as a way to crystalize some of my thoughts around the hobby and get some enjoyment out of it even if I don’t have an active game.
So far, that’s it! Its a rough outline of thing’s id like to do but ultimately I just wanted to get in the practice of writing. It’s hard to get better at things you don’t do. If any of this resonates with you feel free to comment!