Following the success of 2024’s resolutions, I’m going to set a similarly ambitious list for 2025:
1. Read 30 books, including the complete works of John Wyndham
With only four left to go, finishing the complete works of John Wyndham will be easy. However, hitting my target of 30 again this year may be more challenging, particularly with the 883-page The Mirror & The Light being on the tentative “to read” list.
2. Get into Talking Heads
Continue my adventures with Talking Heads‘ back catalogue and other media, specifically:
Three albums: Remain in Light, Speaking in Tongues, Little Creatures
Two films: Stop Making Sense and David Byrne’s American Utopia
Relevant episodes of the the This Must Be Talking Heads podcast
3. Watch 12 specific films
Setting myself a target list of films to watch has worked well in the past and again in 2024. So this time, as well as watching the two Talking Heads related films as part of the previous resolution, I’m aiming to watch nine more music documentaries, plus three others:
Vivian Stanshall: The Canyons of His Mind (2004)
Beware of Mr. Baker (2012)
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone (2013)
Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love (2019)
Zappa (2020)
The Sparks Brothers (2021)
The Velvet Underground (2021)
Moonage Daydream (2022)
In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50 (2022)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Apocalypto (2006)
Lancaster (2022)
4. Complete Pokémon Blue
This year’s video game resolution is to complete the game I’ve already started, so hopefully should be more successful than previous ones (Lords of Midnight, Braid, Escape from Monkey Island).
5. Run a 10+ km distance once a month, get a parkrun PB, and volunteer at parkruns
I ran two 10k races in 2024 and found them a lot easier than my first in 2023. I’m already signed up for another in February, and may do the Altrincham 10k again in September. But now I know I can do the distance, I don’t need to do organised (and expensive) races to motivate me. This year, I aim to do at least one 10 km distance every month, whether it’s an organised race or a casual run. And since my nearest parkrun is 2.5 km away from my house, running there and back would do it.
I’m way ahead of my parkrun target. Originally, I’d aimed to get to 100 by the end of 2026, by getting to 50 in 2023 (failed) and 60 in 2024 (over-achieved by reaching 75). So this year, I’ll continue doing parkruns as often as possible, but volunteer instead of run at every fourth event I attend. I’m also aiming to get a parkrun PB this year.
Other fitness goals, such as continuing to swim and go to the gym regularly, are upgraded from resolutions to habits.
6. Give blood 4 times
Self-explanatory.
7. Publish 3 blog posts
I have a couple of ideas I’m working on already. New Year’s resolutions posts and The Ambivalence List Volume 2 don’t count.
8. Learn how to pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Self-explanatory.