2020 Bucket List

photo credit: Daniel*1977 via photopin cc

I’ve never really done a bucket list because they always felt somehow detached to me. There’s too much wish and not enough specificity about the when. So rather than do a bucket list of things I’d like to maybe do someday, here’s my bucket list for this year. If it makes you feel better, you can call it my goals list.

Be a better friend. This age of digital distraction, coupled with my natural homebody-ness, and a somewhat selfish nature make it really easy for me to not be a very good friend. I’m not sure exactly how one fixes this problem, but it’s a priority for me.
I currently have six books in various stages of completion. One of them has been more than half done for far longer than is acceptable. So, bucket list item number one is to complete 2-3 novels this year.
Get the machinima finished and posted on YouTube. Another project that I’ve talked about for years and never delivered on. Well, it’s back on the front-ish burner and you should expect progress reports soon.
Visit Crater Lake. I’ve been talking about doing this for years now. It’s time to start making plans and working out the logistics. Besides, it’ll make for some great Instagram opportunities. Also, there’s something inherently beneficial about travel. Writers are notorious for being anti-social, though it’s mostly because most writers need solitude to concentrate. Unfortunately, that can also damage your mental resilience when it comes to change. You become intolerant of change or unwilling to embrace it. Travel forces you to cope with a wide range of uncertainties. It’s also good for refreshing your perspective. If you generally travel by car – the way I do – you become deeply aware of the sheer size of this country and to the world to a lesser extent. That can only make you/me a better person.
Get in shape and trim fat. Notice I did not say lose weight, although that’s likely to happen at first. Losing weight too often means losing muscle mass. I don’t care about the number on the scale, except how it relates to my overall body fat and BMI. I’ve gotten really sloppy about my eating habits in the last few years. I’ve also gotten really lazy about exercise. So, I’ve started working on both. My BMI is around 25, which puts me right at the tipping point between healthy and overweight. To combat this, I’ve started leaning heavily into grilled chicken (thank you George Foreman Grill), steamed veggies, salad and fruit. I’ve also put myself on a near-absolute takeout moratorium, which was easier than it sounds. On the getting in shape front, there’s no big secret to that. Like most people, I need a steady combo of cardio, flexibility, and strength training. So, jogging, yoga, basic bodyweight exercises and some light resistance training with dumbbells. Yes, I ache a lot right now, but I’d rather ache a bit now than find I can’t do that kind of training ten years down the line.
Do more in-person promotion. I’ve largely shunned the prospect of doing live events, readings, and book signings for a couple of reasons. One is that I don’t especially love large groups of people. The other is that there’s generally a lot of work involved in tracking down venues and opportunities. It’s high time I started putting in the effort to support my books that way. They deserve it.
Start a blog chronicling my local adventures. I spent years living in Memphis without really experiencing the place. I don’t want to repeat that mistake where I’m living now. There are a lot of cool/niche places around here that I plan to try to visit. If I’m going to do that, I may as well blog about it.

So, there’s my 2020 bucket list.