I wander into the blog…kick the floor. Dust fills the air.
I sneeze.
This is not a New Years resolution list. It is a vision of what I want to see in the world and in myself in the coming year.
I’ve been in a strange head space for the last three years. Some parts of my life — the writing parts, mostly — went missing. Some parts have proven quite successful, particularly the health and lifestyle changes I’ve embarked upon. Physically, I feel better than I have in quite a few years. I’ve also been more politically active — as in activist — since November 6, 2016. My activism has been a bit scattershot and unfocused, but my efforts have aligned with those of many other fellow travelers, and some things have changed for the better. Some things are in a state of flux. And some things have so much inertia that all the effort in the world seems not enough to effect change.
I’ve been dissatisfied with my lack of movement in some areas of my life. I don’t think my lacks are due to overwhelming external inertia. It’s an internal disconnect. Some lack in my own resolve stands in the way between desire and concrete action.
I’m ready to change that.
I made a rough list:
What do I want from 2020?
- I want a gutted GOP and #45* out of the White House. I used to refer to him as #45. The asterisk was added on December 18, 2019, the night he was impeached. He’ll wear that * for the rest of his life, and beyond in the history books.
- I want the mitigation of climate change effects to be a high priority in the US and in the world. Kudos to countries, companies, organizations and individuals who have already made it a high priority. It’s not enough.
- I want universal single payer health care in my country. I don’t care what it’s called. Dear fellow citizens, don’t let hang ups over words make this want impossible.
- I want effective gun regulations that get weapons of war out of the hands of both domestic and foreign terrorists, and violently insane individuals, at least on our country’s soil.
- I want polluting industries and poisonous byproducts to be re-regulated.
- Oh Hell, just give me a green new deal. It’s a start.
What do I want from myself?
- I want to make progress again on some long term goals that I dropped in January 2017. E.g., I want to finish one or two of my novels
- I want to move to a different city within about 6 months, and I want to make progress on this goal EVERY week.
- I want to pick back up with the health and lifestyle goals and progress I stopped pushing in November.
- I want to bike from the Ferry Building at the bottom of Market Street, across the Golden Gate Bridge and down to Saulsalito (when weather permits!).
- I want to do tangible things EVERY week to help a Democrat into the White House, flip the Senate, and get Nunes and McCarthy out of the US House as representatives from California.
- I want to plan and track my progress, and that means starting up a bullet journal for the coming year.
What do I want for myself?
- I want less stress and more enjoyment during the coming year, the eponymous 2020.
- I want to have earned a sense of momentous accomplishment as the year draws to a close.
The first set of wants aren’t things I can personally make happen by myself, but I think I can connect and stay connected with many fellow travelers, and maybe we all can start and continue the journey together.
The second and third sets of wishes are different. They are in my control. I feel that I can make a great deal of progress and feel excellent about what I do, even if I don’t reach every goal next year.
What about you?