Behind the Scenes
Doomed Goals/Projects/Resolutions?
With the 2010 a few hours away, I’ve decided to post some of my doomed goals/projects/resolutions for the coming year. These are things that I’ll probably try to achieve for a few weeks in January, then I’ll forget about them as the more important aspects of my life churn through the waning giddiness of the New Year. Feel free to share your own for 2010. I’m really interested to hear about what goals HTMLGIANT readers set for themselves aside from the standard ‘I will finish a manuscript this year’ sorts of goals and whether or not you’re able to follow through. Sometimes I follow through, most of the time I don’t. Enjoy.
Goal 1.
![[DSC01317.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tM8D_gv_Gos/SzyttMLu8NI/AAAAAAAAAVU/3lDu9KXLm1E/s1600/DSC01317.JPG)
In high school, my French class read The Stranger, and it was one of the most useful activities I’ve ever done to help me learn another language. I’d forgotten about that class until I found my copy of L’Etranger in my bedroom at my parents’ house over Thanksgiving break. I haven’t taken French since my first year in college, but I kind of miss thinking about French and working with it and trying to write and speak it. So I think a great way to try to get some of my French back would be to stumble through this book, translating one sentence a day. I think I could do it? If I remember correctly, the first sentence is something like this: Mother died today. I guess now I can take January 1st off.
Goal 2.
I hadn’t much thought about diagramming sentences since 7th grade, but then I read Alexandra Chasin’s Kissed By, in which an entire story is presented in a series of sentence diagrams. I think sentence diagrams are very interesting: written language, already a visual representation on the page or screen, is further broken down into its components. When one diagrams a sentence, one analyzes the sentence, moves words around into precarious positions, inserts little support beams beneath the words to strengthen their temporary situation. It’s sort of like a scaffolding that allows you to do repairs or to perform an inspection for a short amount of time. Then, when you remove it all, the sentence returns to its natural, pristine state. I’d like to try to diagram a bunch of my favorite sentences from my favorite authors. I think this would be a new way to further look at turns of phrase that I admire, and this would be a great way to learn a bit more about the language I use to write my stories.
(image via Kim Bentley)
Goal 3.
![[motorcycle.jpg]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tM8D_gv_Gos/Sz0faywrgxI/AAAAAAAAAVk/INTUq28vQIo/s1600/motorcycle.jpg)
I would like to start a motorcycle blog about urban riding and update it with stories about my commute. In Houston, I ride almost daily to and from campus, and I have thought a lot about how sharing that experience with a readership, especially a readership of nonriders, could improve just a little bit urban drivers’ motorcycle awareness. The trouble, however, is first getting that readership, for without it, the blog is meaningless. I haven’t found many blogs that specifically address urban riding, though there are plenty of excellent blogs out there, Bill Dwyer’s Atlas Rider being, in my opinion, the best. I think if I could somehow take what he does and shift it a little, then I might have something worthwhile. I’ve thought about this project for a long time, but haven’t yet gotten around to doing anything about it. Most likely, I’ll continue to think about it. Thinking is easy.
Goal 4.
I would like to join a dart league. I feel like, on my better days, I can throw one triple 20 for every three darts. I have, on my better days, doubled up 16 fairly consistently, which is great for my 301 game. I feel like, based on these performances, that I could do okay in an entry level dart league. However, these performances happen rarely. So, I probably need more practice before I embarrass myself in public, as I think I probably struggle to average over 50points per round in 301. I want to practice darts once a day for thirty minutes.
Goal 5.
![[muddymemphis.jpg]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tM8D_gv_Gos/Sz0gLYvLMRI/AAAAAAAAAVs/EBTgsZhupwI/s1600/muddymemphis.jpg)
I’d like to teach Memphis how to catch a disc one day. This is a good goal I think, as it will give him some exercise and get me out of the house. He’s way too young to do any of that now. For now, maybe, I’ll just work on housetraining him. Also, this is just an excuse to post a picture of my puppy.
***
I can list a few more I suppose, but I feel like these were the big ones that I’ve been thinking about lately, and I worry about oversharing personal stuff here. But really honestly, I have to say that just thinking about these goals makes me happy. I like that there is potential here, that there are things I can always try to accomplish if I find myself struggling elsewhere. And sometimes these projects help me refocus on the bigger things: my marriage, finding and maintaining a source of income, writing and writing and writing. So, feel free to post your own unique/doomed goals, and good luck in 2010 to all you HTMLGIANT readers. Thank you for reading my post.
Tags: 2010
AWWW cute puppy! :)
AWWW cute puppy! :)
nice post, ryan. i like your sentence diagram idea–maybe you will post your results here!!!
i am thinking of resolving to buy a new book only after i’ve read at least 2 that i already have. there’s no way i’m not going to buy new books, but i need to curb acquisitions at least a little, and i’m also bad right now about reading too many books at once–need to start finishing a few.
nice post, ryan. i like your sentence diagram idea–maybe you will post your results here!!!
i am thinking of resolving to buy a new book only after i’ve read at least 2 that i already have. there’s no way i’m not going to buy new books, but i need to curb acquisitions at least a little, and i’m also bad right now about reading too many books at once–need to start finishing a few.
yeah, i know wha tyou mean about too much reading. last years russian reading thing sort of fizzled out, so i probably wont have a new reading resolution theme except to continue with that one until ifee like ive done all i could
yeah, i know wha tyou mean about too much reading. last years russian reading thing sort of fizzled out, so i probably wont have a new reading resolution theme except to continue with that one until ifee like ive done all i could
Quit smoking. How boring, right? But I’m a few months away from hitting a milestone birthday. Mortality is no longer a silly idea that comes up on TV dramas. Accomplishing it will be hard, but I refuse to think of failure as a foregone conclusion.
Return to kung fu classes. Started them in 2009, had to stop due to my cerebral palsy. Having surgery soon to make my right leg more reliable. Should be able to return, especially if I quit smoking and have extra money.
I have a dollar amount goal set for my first full year of freelance writing. Boring articles, but could eventually free me up to do the writing I want to do.
Quit smoking. How boring, right? But I’m a few months away from hitting a milestone birthday. Mortality is no longer a silly idea that comes up on TV dramas. Accomplishing it will be hard, but I refuse to think of failure as a foregone conclusion.
Return to kung fu classes. Started them in 2009, had to stop due to my cerebral palsy. Having surgery soon to make my right leg more reliable. Should be able to return, especially if I quit smoking and have extra money.
I have a dollar amount goal set for my first full year of freelance writing. Boring articles, but could eventually free me up to do the writing I want to do.
I’ve to tried quit smoking every year, except in high school. Shit’s hard. That’s my yearly failed goal, I think I’ll be a winner this year and just not try and quit.
I’ve to tried quit smoking every year, except in high school. Shit’s hard. That’s my yearly failed goal, I think I’ll be a winner this year and just not try and quit.
your smoking is my picking my fingernails. i try every year and fail miserably.
your smoking is my picking my fingernails. i try every year and fail miserably.
ZZZZZIP WAS GOOGLING DEAD SOULS THE OTHER DAY AND HE FOUND YOUR RUSSIAN READING THING, SORRY THAT DID NOT WORK OUT RYAN
THESE ARE GOOD GOALS EVEN IF THEY FAIL
ZZZZZIP WAS GOOGLING DEAD SOULS THE OTHER DAY AND HE FOUND YOUR RUSSIAN READING THING, SORRY THAT DID NOT WORK OUT RYAN
THESE ARE GOOD GOALS EVEN IF THEY FAIL
Please add to your list a resolution to post regularly about Memphis’ first year with lots of cute puppy pictures.
I had a very similar experience reading L’Etranger, and I think I can remember the first line in French. Without looking it up. “Aujourd’hui, Maman est morte.” Someone correct me! The copy (paperback) that I read had a great black and white “high-contrast” photo of a guy with a cigarette on the cover. I thought it was so cool. Ah, youth. Wish I knew where that book was now. There are a few bookshelves that could be scoured. Mom?
As for “goals”, I’m way behind. Thanks for the nudge. I think I will resolve to compose a good list by the end of January.
Please add to your list a resolution to post regularly about Memphis’ first year with lots of cute puppy pictures.
I had a very similar experience reading L’Etranger, and I think I can remember the first line in French. Without looking it up. “Aujourd’hui, Maman est morte.” Someone correct me! The copy (paperback) that I read had a great black and white “high-contrast” photo of a guy with a cigarette on the cover. I thought it was so cool. Ah, youth. Wish I knew where that book was now. There are a few bookshelves that could be scoured. Mom?
As for “goals”, I’m way behind. Thanks for the nudge. I think I will resolve to compose a good list by the end of January.
I’d like to start a radio show as a podcast a la KCRW’s Bookworm w/ Michael Silverblatt, talking with writers about their new book or chapbook. I guess these would have to be interviews by phone, mostly – I have no idea how to work that. Like Silverblatt, I would just bring on writers whose work I admire (mostly) and then just sort of gush a little while also attempting to ask intelligent questions. Like he does. But I would interview writers who aren’t public or exposed enough to appear on an NPR show. Like some of the folks on this site. And an equal balance of poets, too, ideally.
Considering I don’t know anything about podcasts or broadcasting or establishing a distinctive, slightly grainy yet honeyed radio voice, this is unlikely to happen. But someone should do it. Is there anything like this out there?
I’d like to start a radio show as a podcast a la KCRW’s Bookworm w/ Michael Silverblatt, talking with writers about their new book or chapbook. I guess these would have to be interviews by phone, mostly – I have no idea how to work that. Like Silverblatt, I would just bring on writers whose work I admire (mostly) and then just sort of gush a little while also attempting to ask intelligent questions. Like he does. But I would interview writers who aren’t public or exposed enough to appear on an NPR show. Like some of the folks on this site. And an equal balance of poets, too, ideally.
Considering I don’t know anything about podcasts or broadcasting or establishing a distinctive, slightly grainy yet honeyed radio voice, this is unlikely to happen. But someone should do it. Is there anything like this out there?
there is something in the works.
there is something in the works.
I will write a book
I will write a book
Awesome.
Awesome.
yesssss
yesssss
Ryan: the Matthew Ward translation of The Stranger is great and will probably be easier to use with the French… The first sentence should be ‘Maman died today.’ maman=informal/pet name
But, in general, the Ward translation is much cleaner and much better, I think.
Ryan: the Matthew Ward translation of The Stranger is great and will probably be easier to use with the French… The first sentence should be ‘Maman died today.’ maman=informal/pet name
But, in general, the Ward translation is much cleaner and much better, I think.
Russian reading is fine. And metalingual discourse sounds also very good. Awesome list after all!
My perhaps most important doomed goal is to send amounts of my textes to many literary magazines and to be published. I know, too banal. But it is my goal.
Russian reading is fine. And metalingual discourse sounds also very good. Awesome list after all!
My perhaps most important doomed goal is to send amounts of my textes to many literary magazines and to be published. I know, too banal. But it is my goal.
Dog is fucking cute
Dog is fucking cute
“your smoking is my picking my fingernails” should be put into a time capsule.
“your smoking is my picking my fingernails” should be put into a time capsule.
Those diagrammed sentences are beautiful. That dog is beautiful.
Happy Woooooo Years
Those diagrammed sentences are beautiful. That dog is beautiful.
Happy Woooooo Years
That is a good dog. I like that dog.
My resolution is to send more greeting cards.
That is a good dog. I like that dog.
My resolution is to send more greeting cards.
yeah i dont know much at all about the artist who did the letterpress, but i thought it was neat that it was stein’s quotation.
yeah i dont know much at all about the artist who did the letterpress, but i thought it was neat that it was stein’s quotation.
certainly not banal
certainly not banal
thanks ken.
thanks ken.
tanks zip, i will keep trying the rusina stuf
tanks zip, i will keep trying the rusina stuf
an urban riding blog would be cool, as long as scooter riders can read it too. i tried to set manuscript goals once and my wife laughed at me. she’s smart.
an urban riding blog would be cool, as long as scooter riders can read it too. i tried to set manuscript goals once and my wife laughed at me. she’s smart.
actually, that’s a really good idea, to add scooter stuff to it.
actually, that’s a really good idea, to add scooter stuff to it.
201 countries, 201 women.
201 countries, 201 women.
Thanks for the mention Ryan! Let me know when your blog is up and I’d be interested in checking it out :)
Thanks for the mention Ryan! Let me know when your blog is up and I’d be interested in checking it out :)
hey, fuck you buddy. how about i throw some darts at your little puppy there?
hey, fuck you buddy. how about i throw some darts at your little puppy there?
— to be a better long distance friend. and also, vitamins.
— to be a better long distance friend. and also, vitamins.