I started 2011 with goals, not resolutions. From previous experience I know that saying you’ve made New Years Resolutions is the same thing as saying “I plan on failing”…or just say FAIL. It has fewer syllables and you can be considered a psychic because you’ve just predicted the future. Semantics? Probably, but I do know that its the truth, at least in my case. So, I set goals.

So, my goals, have been getting knocked out one by one. Going to my granddaughter’s first birthday…done! Not much of a goal you may think. If you know my work schedule then you know this is a legitimate goal. I have to plan a couple of weeks in advance as well as text my daughter-in-law to see what their schedule is like. They’re busy, I’m busy, that’s the way it is.

My first winter hike…done! Not my first winter hike of 2011, my first winter hike EVER! Up until a couple of years ago I hated the cold. I would only go where I had to and then come right home. The less time I spent in the mess the better off I was. When I started hiking that is when my feelings about winter changed. “Cabin Fever” started increasing in intensity with each passing year until I HAD to get out and hike before my head blew off of my shoulders. The hike went off without a hitch and I will be doing more as the free time comes a long.

My second video in the “Follow Me” series is done. But not without some tense moments. I’m very picky about what I say in the videos. EVERY word had to be perfect. After about 20+ edits to the voice-over script and much agonizing the video is finally finished. As for the next video, well, I’m working on some ideas.

Speaking of the second video, I decided to take a fairly large break when I was done with it. I was drained mentally and needed to clear my head, as well as needing a “change of scenery”. I decided to catch up on my backlog of video games. Again, for those who know me this comes as no surprise. Yes, I am a gamer, since before the Nintendo Entertainment System. I am a geek at heart and that’s just something I don’t think will go away. I think I’m pretty well caught up and now I can go back to working on projects. If you’re curious as to what I played (using PS3):

• Call of Duty Classic
• Call of Duty4: Modern Warfare
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Gran Tourismo 5
• Vanquished

Yep, there is a bit of a pattern there.

The hardest of the goals, but not the last of them, is trying to regulate my sleep. It’s like a pendulum, I’m either going through insomnia or too much sleep (there is such a thing as “too much sleep”). The thing that rules my life, including my sleep, hiking and camping, is my job. I work shifts, that rotate on a weekly basis. I get days off like Tuesday/Wednesday, Wednesday/Thursday or a 5 day weekend, but, that’s once a month. I end up using most of these days off fighting to get my sleep back to “normal” and with little to no success. Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.

This is only a small part of the list of the things I have planned for this year. If I get them all done GREAT! If not…then there’s always next year. Who knows, I my have my sleep back in order by then…yah, wishful thinking.