There’s not much I resolve this new year–nothing more than the usual resolutions, anyway: eat better, exercise more, etc. From what I remember from last year’s plans, I ended 2006 rather successfully. However, I do have a nice little list I’d like to post–not resolutions so much as a to-do list, things to accomplish and put a giant check next to once I’m done with them.
- Memorize 12 poems by Theodore Roethke.
- Make more time for meditation.
- Complete 12 works of art./Develop my art./Develop as an artist.
- Translate Wisława Szymborska’s Wołanie do Yeti.
- Complete the required language exam for my degree.
- Complete my comprehensive exams.
- Develop a lecture on butoh.
Most of these items, of course, concern my degree, and I’m happy to announce that I should finish all required coursework and other hoops–except for the actual dissertation–by this time next year. I’m interested in memorizing Roethke’s poetry for the sheer mental exercise/stimulation as well as in an attempt to more deeply immerse myself in a poet’s work, and he is one of my favorite poets. Translating Szymborska’s book of poetry is a project I’m planning to complete this semester in an advanced translation workshop, and if all goes well with that then hopefully I’ll have a nice portfolio to publish in a year or so. The butoh lecture is for adult education lectures at a nearby museum: I’m hoping to flesh out the lecture I give my humanities students and get a nice gig lecturing at the museum.
Happy new year! May it be one of peace and beauty.