This time of year makes me feel old, first my birthday, two days ago means I gain a year, then the new year happens, and another year goes by (or so I am told) so I double in age. In order to get a head start on things I will have a stab – but most likely fail – at, I decided to make some resolutions now to complete by the end of 2020.
In no particular order:
- Become passably fluent in Tagalog as its high time I was, even though I am a poor language learner.
- Have two articles minimum published somewhere, whether that be something to do with books, or to do with football.
- At least have a working draft of the novel finished, or start with a completely new and workable idea.
- Volunteer somewhere, probably somewhere bookish, a library or bookshop.
- Visit a new country. Japan, Vietnam, and India top my list now, but we are always open to suggestions. Also do some more hikes too.
- Do something else that involves books that I don’t do now, what that would be yet, I have no idea. Any suggestions?
- Keep up with the blogging, being more focused and writing/editing posts quicker. Visit my fellow bloggers more regularly too.
- Master some new cookery dishes, especially Filipino food but anything new will be good. This means trying more food which makes me even happier.
- Delve deeply into culture, so aside from travel, watch more documentaries, read different authors, discover new music, different voices, and generally be more involved.
- Be better at keeping in touch with people, which means finding time, and there are certainly things I can cut out to free some time up.
- Make time to read every day, at least an hour, and a regular time would help too.
Book to the Future 
Happy belated birthday, Ste J! Wow, that’s quite a list of resolutions. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday and all the best in the new year.
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Thank you! I like to have a challenge and there is a lot of pleasurable things I have set myself so it’s all good fun. Wishing the same happiness for your family too, my friend.
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Thank you, Ste J.
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Belated Happy Birthday Ste J. Wow, learning Tagalog and Pilipino recipes, love that. Crissy must be happy 🙂
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Thank you! Crissy alreafy loves my adobo, even if I do put carrots in. Y garlic buttet chicken os pretty tasty too. I like lrarning how to do more though.
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You can put potatoes instead of carrots and you can even add in whole, shelled boiled eggs.
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After the third time I learned about the carrots being wrong. I do like to throw in potatoes and a nice bit of chilli too.
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Sometimes I do too. I love dried adobo with lots of fried garlic and with that chilli kick.
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admirable goals—volunteering at the library is always satisfying—and while you are there you can look up cook books and travel guides!
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Good idea! For some reason I hadn’t made that connection. All these means less naps but Amelia put paid to most of those already.
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Good resolutions! Have you tried Duolingo, Memrise or Drops for your language learning? They all seem OK, I have certainly picked up a decent start in Spanish with Duolingo and Drops (though I am happily quite a good language learner). You probably need to work out how you learn best, too. Good luck with them all!
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I’ve tried Duolingo before for Spanish amd French. I’ll take anything that helps me learn quicker.
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I love your resolutions, just remember that you need not to wait for 2020 to start these. You can start today and you can be confident that I am with you every step of the way. Regarding your 6th resolution, you can check out NGOs in the Philippines: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/give-books-to-children-in-the-philippines/
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I’ve already started, I need all the time that I can get. Your coffee/hot chocolate combos also help a lot.
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These are wonderful resolutions and some I am borrowing too.
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I’m all for sharing!
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Belated Happy Birthday, my friend, love the pic! Sounds like a great plan for 2020 and I wish you every success with all your goals. Meanwhile, I wish you and your lovely family a very Happy Christmas and here’s to a fantastic 2020 ahead! You rock!
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And a happy Christmas to you and yours too. Your email is on my list of things to complete soon too. Everything is so behind at the moment, I will get to it soon. The pic is of our oldest dog in the Philippines, Rambo. He hates to have the hat put on but once its on he is so proud of it.
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Rambo…love it! What a beautiful dog. Our cats feel the same way about hats…except for the proud bit. That never happens. I got your email, thank you! Will reply asap and once again, Happy Christmas!
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Happy birthday, Ste J, a few days late. Sorry, I was stretching and blocking a blanket I’m crocheting for my brother, and I got a few days behind with responding to posts and with the rest of my life, come to think of it! Have great holidays, you and Crissy and Amelia, and all your menagerie once you get back to them. Of course, Bella is where you are, and probably is reminding you of the fact. When my cat has a complaint, she comes to the computer table situated by my easy chair, jumps up on the computers that are off there, and meows at me face to face. She prefers the confrontation this way, because she can look me straight in the eye at the same level to bring up her issues (whatever they are, I’m usually guessing). So your resolutions sound meaningful and fulfilling, but I’m wondering if you haven’t chosen too many to try at once. Maybe rescramble them, or prioritize differently? Anyway, have great holidays.
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Have a great holidays your good self, my friend. We do miss the dogs but think we will see them again soon. I like to have lots of resolutions purely because there will be a bit of pressure to get them done. I don’t mind not achieving some though, if they are partially underway it gives me a head start for when I do the next list.
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Happy Belated Birthday! And I find that we both have a few similar resolutions. I wish you success in all your endeavors. Also, what an adorable dog!
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Thank you. Rambo is such a great companion, he likes a hug too which makes me happy. I think next year will be a good year for us, I have decided this, and thus, it shall be.
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That’s the best. My dog likes hugs too, if she’s in the mood. And that’s great to start of the new year with that attitude. It will be what you say it will be I’m sure. I don’t know about how amazing 2020 will be, but I have a feeling it might be eventful and exciting year, which is good enough for me.
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As long as reading and writing is a constant companion then all will be good.
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I couldn’t agree more:)
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An extremely belated Happy Birthday to you, Ste J! Also a late Happy Christmas but a timely best wishes for a wonderful New Year from me!
Good luck with all your resolutions. I don’t bother making any because I know I probably won’t be able to keep most of them.
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I tend to lose sight of resolutions too but it gives me a positive attitude, for a month or so at least. I hope the New Year treats you well and that your Christmas was a wonderful one.
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Thank you very much, Ste J. Christmas came and went so quickly and was very busy but it was a good one.
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Happy Belated Ste J! Looks like you are going to have a wonderful new year 🙂 sweet pup!
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Thank you, and good to see you back. I am hoping that the year will be a good one. Its exciting to get started, and I hope this attitude of mine can continue beyond at least the first week.
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OMG, lots of missed posts!
Anyway, Happy New Year! This sounds like a good list, albeit ambitious.
Something that involves books that you don’t do now? Hmm.
What about designing book covers?
How about a you tube channel, where you read the book? You would need to collect lots of pics and footage, then select the right ones to go with what you are reading, then edit accordingly.
I’ve always wanted to do an Art Gown with the pages of a book. The Art Gown could be one book in the front, one in the back and one for the tail.
Now you’ve go me thinking about this book gown, again!
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I like ambitious so it keeps me working towards something. I think YouTube may be beyond my scope this year, especially with all the editing and time consuming stuff but I would like to look into that at some point. I like your bookish style, that would certainly appeal, especially to people in these parts of the WordPress world. Create on my friend.
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😀 TY!
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I love your list. Thanks for posting. I made a deal with myself to pick one to two things of focus. Not so much a resolution, but a theme. If I pick a couple a year, then I will have many over my anticipated lifetime.
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A good idea, a couple of things means that you have less pressure to fulfil them, and perhaps more time to plan a more productive way to fulfil them.
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