New Years Resolutions?

[Gregooch]

Now that you have gotten that new mandolin from Christmas - What is your New Years Resolution? Do you make one resolution for the year or several? Do you have one that concerns mandolin?

I have a few of my own:

Spend more time with my family
Spend more time with God
Spend more time with my exercise equipment
Get through the Progressive Mandolin by Peter Gelling as well as Mel Bays Traditional Southern Italian Mandolin book
Move on to one or more Jazz Mandolin books

[Elliot Luber]

To get a job.
To lose weight.
To practice more.

[Dave LaBoone]

The best resolution I ever made was to learn at least one new song (playing, singing, or picking) per week. The goal was measurable, the results were easily attainable, and by year's end, I had learned 80-100 new songs.

[OldSausage]

I'm planning to gain weight, drink more, and make a million bucks playing bluegrass. Sounds easy, right?

[DataNick]

I plan not to fail, and therefore I fail not to plan...

[OldSausage]

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."

-Mike Tyson

[mandocrucian]

111663

[JEStanek]

The same as last year.
1) Have more people submit to my will
2) Walk like a member of the Fat Albert Gang everyday.

[Michael Bridges]

I'm planning to gain weight, drink more, and make a million bucks playing bluegrass. Sounds easy, right?

I can accomplish 2 of the 3 by tomorrow! I'll let you know next Tuesday or Friday about the 3rd.(minus the bluegrass part)

[Jim]

Slightly before new years resolution: Work my way all the way through Don Steirnbergs "Jazz Mandolin Appetizers" book.

[Cue Zephyr]

Put more time and effort into music.
Earn money.
Buy a 5-string resonator banjo.
Take it (as well as my guitar and mandolin) to the European World of Bluegrass festival at the end of May 2014 and take lessons.
Go to bed earlier.

And I'm dead serious about it.

[Bluetickhound]

To start my first scratch build. Wood will be ordered tuesday.

[Caleb]

Get more rest.
Read more stories to my wife and children.
Learn more O'Carolan tunes.

[Ben Cooper]

I used to make the only resolution that was easy to keep "Don't make any resolutions". However.... this year ... in no particular order Lose weight (the usual, eat tight and exercise)
Play more mandolin
take lessons
make more family time
be more understanding
be less judgmental towards myself
reduce stress in my life (see above... LOL)
smile and laugh more

[padawan]

I'm planning to gain weight, drink more, and make a million bucks playing bluegrass.
Two out of three ain't bad.


The same as last year.
...Walk like a member of the Fat Albert Gang everyday.

Truly inspirational. I'm stealing this one. Deal with it. :grin:

The only one I'm really going for this year is to be the guy who's always doing something interesting.
I never again want to answer the question "What did you do over the weekend?" with "Nothing".
Example: I just might take up busking on weekends ...in high traffic areas ...and, at the moment, I'm a terrible musician. :mandosmiley:

That should give me some stories to tell on Monday. :grin:

[Caleb]

The only one I'm really going for this year is to be the guy who's always doing something interesting.
This is excellent, and not very hard in the modern day when too many ppl are just watching TV or surfing FB for "something to do." I'd say playing the mandolin already makes one ahead of the game anyway.

[TheBlindBard]

I'd honestly like to practice mandolin a bit more. keep learning some more irish tunes, spend time with family and girlfriend, meditate and exercise more and get back into archery. Was going to go shooting today but, it's looking chilly. Not sure if wind is up

[William Smith]

RULE the world! If that don't work try and get healthy so I can stop neglecting my mandos and play more, Maybe put a few bucks away each month so I can feed my MAS addiction! Try and be happier, kind of rough when you don't hardly ever feel your best. But hey a new year with all luck new joys! Hope each and everyone of you mandolin junkies do better this coming year.may you stick to your resolutions.

[Pasha Alden]

Two no three new year's resolutions:
practice;
Work my way through Don Julin's "Mandolin for Dummies"
Complete my proposal for my plans with music for under privileged visually impaired adults and children;
Submit my proposal to the business people in question and then get my plans on the serious road to fruition!

of course I hope to not only make these resolutions.

[Gplayer]

I've always resolved not to resolve. It leaves my options open.

[allenhopkins]

1. Enjoy being 70; it'll never happen again.
2. Keep losing weight (minus 30 lb. so far).
3. Avoid any more car accidents/broken wrists.
4. Play more.

[Gregooch]

Some worthwhile resolutions here. Good luck to all on keeping them!

[lorrainehornig]

Since losing weight and exercising more are on my daily resolutions list (and I generally fail) I guess I will just resolve to better deal with the frustrations of learning something new on my mandolin (so what if it takes a month to learn a new song) and to work my way through Mike Marshall's Mandolin Academy, since I just signed up for a year. Happy New Year to everyone on the Café!

[Tommcgtx]

To start my first scratch build. Wood will be ordered tuesday.

Me too! (hopefully)

[patches]

Work less...eat,sleep and play more! This way I'll be able be able to keep them.

[Elliot Luber]

I used to make the only resolution that was easy to keep "Don't make any resolutions". However.... this year ... in no particular order Lose weight (the usual, eat tight and exercise)
Play more mandolin
take lessons
make more family time
be more understanding
be less judgmental towards myself
reduce stress in my life (see above... LOL)
smile and laugh more

So essentially you broke you one traditional resolution. :)

[Uncle Levi]

Always brush my teeth before I play my friend's harmonica.

[JeffD]

Same as last year, to be more fun to play music with.

[JEStanek]

The only one I'm really going for this year is to be the guy who's always doing something interesting.
I never again want to answer the question "What did you do over the weekend?" with "Nothing".

I suggest you stay thirsty, my friend.

Jamie

[Ben Cooper]

So essentially you broke you one traditional resolution. :)

LMAO!! You got me there!

[Jim Ferguson]

Get back to healthy eating & regular exercise
Abstain from answering any more Qs that start with "what is the best mandolin under __ dollars?"
Move to our newly purchased 5.4 acre farm during the 1st two weeks of Jan...:grin:
Peace,

[OU1]

Play more Mandolin
Finish the mandolin I am building (80% completed)
Play more Mandolin

[Pasha Alden]

The resolutions sound interesting. Especially those on "Playing more".

[MaggieMae]

Learn to play my mandolin(s)! (Practice daily, take lessons, play with other musicians as often as possible, learn to read music and tablature).

[Popeye39]

The same as last year.
1) Have more people submit to my will
2) Walk like a member of the Fat Albert Gang everyday.
Rudy had a pretty cool gate. My personal fav...

I resolve to start my lessons with Mike Marshall, at Artistworks. I want to be able to hold my own with some of my talented family members in a little jam.

[Jeff Hildreth]

"1. Enjoy being 70; it'll never happen again.
2. Keep losing weight (minus 30 lb. so far).
3. Avoid any more car accidents/broken wrists.
4. Play "

Slight modification.. although I don't do resolutions:

I enjoy being 67
I am losing weight though I am not "overweight" my BMI is right at 25 I am looking at 22
Avoid crazed yuppie B--------- hitting you from behind in an off ramp.. she at 80MPH , me at 40. Wrists broken, humerus shatterred, ball broken in half...etc etc etc
Play a lot more
And... continue exploration into building flat back concert mandolins in spite of self proclaimed gurus condemning same.

[Mike Steadfast-Ward]

I'm looking to stop smoking
Use the time to learn mandolin
Overcome some of my depression
Spend more time with my church family
Not be so critical of myself.

[Mike Steadfast-Ward]

I'm looking to stop smoking
Use the time to learn mandolin
Overcome some of my depression
Spend more time with my church family
Not be so critical of myself.

[artilleryo]

I don't think of them as resolutions so much as just things I'd like to accomplish. Last year it was read more poetry, which worked out delightfully.

This year, I want to perform more often. I did my first solo performance at my wife's church last week. It would be hard to find a friendlier introduction than playing Bach to a room full of Unitarians Universalists.

Also, I want to do at least two 100 mile rides on my bicycle (not as big of a feat as it sounds, I used to do it all the time, just got fat in the past few years).

And finally, I want to get a job that I love rather than one where I show up and try to do well but only because they keep paying me.

[Caleb]

I don't think of them as resolutions so much as just things I'd like to accomplish. Last year it was read more poetry, which worked out delightfully.



One of my goals this year was to fit in more poetry as well, which I did. The late English poet Walter de la Mare is a favorite of mine. Congrats on your first solo performance, by the way.

[Dick Dery]

Turn habits into virtues:

1. Wear socks.
2. Blink whenever I can.
3. Eat something every day.

Et cetera

On a more serious note:

Kill my television.
As much as possible, enjoy 2014.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Well,i have to admit that i stopped kidding myself that making any resolutions at all would ever work. As you get older,you live on a more daily basis (or so it seems in my case), & you do the best you can every day. 'Take each day as it comes' seems to be my motto & try to be on the best terms with all - even if they do annoy the bejesus out of you at times.
Santiago's first post got to me & bit. Having been out of work myself for 3 1/2 years at one time (voluntary redundancy),i know how hard it can be to get a job,even as a holder of a Uni. degree,& how worthless it can make you feel in the long run. If i sould make any resolution,it's more likely to be to keep in mind all those folk far worse off than myself & praise the good Lord for what i have instead of bellyaching about what i don't have (i don't really do much of that).
So,while i'm on here & it's so close to New Year - my very best heartfelt wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year to friends & 'detractors' alike,
Ivan;):mandosmiley:

[JeffD]

On a more serious note:

Kill my television.

Over ten years w/o a television here. That was just the end of a three year television binge that broke up a prior 7 years w/o.

I encourage you in that.

[Jesse Harmon]

Organize all of my most favorite guitar and mandolin music in large binders with dividers. Also create a binder with various informational material. For example a copy of the recent thread on practice someone posted here and things that I need to work out on a regular basis.

[Caleb]

Over ten years w/o a television here. That was just the end of a three year television binge that broke up a prior 7 years w/o.

I encourage you in that.
I gave up most TV (I watch a couple hours of DVR'd shows a month) and all news about 7 yrs ago and never looked back. My life's been better for it. I've read a lot more books and played more music.

[hypnic.jerk]

"Kill my television."

Yes yes yes. You'll be happier for it.

[Don Grieser]

Hard to beat these resolutions from Woody Guthrie:

[hypnic.jerk]

Spend less time lurking on the Cafe and more time playing music
Play music with my son more often
Write more
Ride more (bike)
Harness my draft team more often
Be quieter and more centered with colleagues and the children I work with

[MSalisbury]

I'm planning to gain weight, drink more, and make a million bucks playing bluegrass. Sounds easy, right?

So you're starting out skinny, sober, and already have *2* million bucks in the bank?

Mark

[MSalisbury]

Not so much resolutions as goals. Have to have something to aim for, ya know?

1) Lose weight. Need to get down from "DAY-um!" to "Fluffy" at minimum. Figure I need to lose a super-model's worth.
2) Play more mandolin in more jams. Last year I played a lot more jams than the year before, had tons more fun.
3) Start taking flying lessons. It would be great to at least solo by my 53rd B'day (May 7). Dependant on achieving #1 though.

[artilleryo]

We have Chamber Music Jams in Portland, I intend to try a few of those out as part of my resolution.

[Beanzy]

Get back playing the cello with the local orchestra.
Introduce the mandolin into some of the arrangements (already agreed with the conductor/arranger)
Perform two mandolin/harp duet pieces at our local music festival with my sons friend.
Sing out there & lead songs at jams and sessions.
Refine my classical technique (already underway with private lessons)
Use the bowlback for more folk and Old Time playing.
Use the Cello for Old Time playing.
Perfect and refine my new pick designs.
Begin playing mandocello with the mandolin orchestra.
Record myself more
Get a full set of gipsy jazz numbers together with my son on guitar (got 4 down already) and play them at a coffee bar in town.

Some will work some will fail but it's all part of keeping on keeping on and making it all as good as I can, even if that's not particularly good.

[Mike Steadfast-Ward]

I'm looking to stop smoking
Use the time to learn mandolin
Overcome some of my depression
Spend more time with my church family
Not be so critical of myself.

UPDATE, I haven't had a cigarette for four weeks now. Still learning mandolin and immersing myself in the culture. Seen a nice Mandolin so saving up the money from not smoking.

[CeeCee_C]

Get my house clean. (I'm turning into a candidate for hoarders. Wait... don't throw that scrap of
aluminum in the trash. I might be able to use it

Achieve control of my obstinate, uncooperative pinky.

[Bertram Henze]

Stick to my policy of not making new year's resolutions.

...Update: successful so far!