Happy Fucking New Year

The moment that I saw this tweet, whilst doom-scrolling in the wee hours, I was totally onboard with its vibe:

Remember how we were so excited to say goodbye to 2020? That 2021 was surely going to be a much better year? Let’s not put that pressure on 2022.

— Dr Lindsay 'Doyenne’ Tedds 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇮🇪 (@LindsayTedds) December 31, 2021

Because OMG, is 2022 ever off to a terrible start. The pandemic is not over, but democracy might be; climate change is gaining strength and speed, but the richest nation on earth still can't get off their collective asses enough to do anything about it; and the regional government where I live is a complete dumpster fire, with the next election not scheduled until 2023. 

Why, exactly are we supposed to be all upbeat and hopeful about 2022? That's not a rhetorical question; I'd really like to know.

RIP 2022 pic.twitter.com/0eGQEPplIK

— Kripparrian (@Kripparrian) January 1, 2022

However... Since 2022 is upon us, whether we will or no, the only thing left to do is choose how to face it. Yes, people, it's New Year's Resolution time again!

1. Exercise more. Years ago, I bought a Bowflex, with intentions of working out regularly. I've spent most of the pandemic staring guiltily at the damn thing, while also failing to work out more. I've got the equivalent of my own personal gym in the damn house, for fuck's sake; it's time to actually put the fucking thing to a use other than the hanging of clothes. Achievable, Incremental, Measurable: Work out twice a week, every week, starting this week; increase to three times a week at the start of March; increase again to alternate days by the start of June.
   
2. Clean the house more. I have no excuse for this one. I'm home all the damn time, and my apartment is perpetually teetering on the verge of domestic squalor. It bugs the hell out of me when it's messy, too; when I was heading to the office, this wasn't as much of an issue, because most of my time was spent at work, but I work from home now, and will for the foreseeable future. A.I.M.: This year, I'm going to vacuum and do my dishes at least once a week, and tidy up the place daily.
3. Do my taxes. Again, no excuse for this one; the Canadian government doesn't seem to care anymore, but I'm pretty sure that's because they owe me money, which I'm just leaving on the table out of sheer laziness. It's time to get caught up on my paperwork. A.I.M.: Complete both 2021 and 2022 taxes by the end of April; work back one more year each quarter after that.
   
4. Play more games. My list of shame continues to grow; I bought another five games on Steam just this month, and have a growing collection of freebies on my Epic Game Store (which I can now play on Linux, thanks to the Heroic launcher), and I waste more time on NY Times games than I do playing the actual games I've spent years collecting. A.I.M.: Play one new game each month, starting in January, spending at least 10 hours on each new game to give it a fair chance. Play one game each quarter (so, in March, June, September, December) from game genres that I don't normally play: first-person shooting, third-person shooting, platforming, metroidvania, real time strategy, spectacle fighting, side-scrolling fighting, bullet hell, puzzle-solving, open world exploration, survival crafting... I already own games in all of these genres, and need to play them, to add some variety to my life.
5. Stream more long-form content. Rather than placidly grazing online, or watching only YouTube videos and other short-form content, it's time to watch more longer shows and movies, and rebuild my attention span. A.I.M.: Watch at least one movie each week, and at least three show episodes each week (whether from different shows, or all from one show), starting this week.

All of these goals and AIMs have one thing in common: none of them will cost me a cent. I already own everything I need to do all of this. Win!