Time for my annual round-up of New Year’s resolution achievements. This year, I chose to be ambitious – possibly unrealistic – with my resolutions, as a spur to action.
1. Read 30 books, including the complete works of John Wyndham
Status: almost complete
I read 31 books, returning to my long-term average. However, I only read 13/17 of Wyndham’s books. I’ll complete that challenge early in 2025.
2. Get into Talking Heads
Status: unclear
I definitely listened to a lot of Talking Heads, and appreciate them a lot more now. So, in that sense, I achieved the resolution.
On the other hand, I defined this resolution more specifically as becoming familiar with their back catalogue up to Little Creatures and watching Stop Making Sense.
I’ve certainly listened to the first three albums to the point of familiarity, but I’ve spent less time listening to Remain in Light, Speaking in Tongues and Little Creatures, and I haven’t watched Stop Making Sense yet. I’ve also subsequently added watching American Utopia to the Talking Heads to-do list.
So, I’ll continue with this one in 2025.
3. Do two 10k races and reach 60 parkruns
Status: achieved
I absolutely smashed the fitness resolution.
I’ve run two 10k races (Altrincham and Tatton Park). I’ve also got my parkrun total up to 75, which was way beyond my expectation. In the last quarter of the year, I also started going to the gym and swimming regularly.
4. Complete and submit 10 Private Eye crosswords
Status: achieved
Another roaring success: 18 crosswords completed and submitted, including the Christmas one.
5. Watch 10 specific films
Status: achieved
Easily completed within the year, turning around a miserable past performance where a previous year’s list had taken five years to get through.
6. Publish a Hate List and a Love List
Status: achieved
Hate List Volume 21 and Love List Volume 3 were both published on Boxing Day.
7. Complete Braid
Status: failed
I even extended the video games resolution after setting it, to include both Braid and Escape from Monkey Island, but apart from a brief test play of Escape, I didn’t touch either.
Instead, I started playing Pokémon Blue on an old Gameboy Color, and have made a reasonable amount of progress. So that’s what I’ll continue into 2025.
8. Learn how to pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Status: failed
I just didn’t tackle this one at all.
Overall, I think it was a fairly successful year, and the ambitious targets did induce me to achieve more than I’ve managed in the last few years. I read more, listened to more new (to me) music, got fitter physically and mentally, checked more films off my ‘to watch’ list, wrote more, and found time for some enjoyable retro gaming.