Monday, December 30, 2019

2020 New Year's Kerouac-olutions and a report on 2019's



Last year I made 10 New Year's Kerouac-olutions and below is my report on success or failure in each instance.

1. Drink a bottle of 21-year-old Bushmills single malt Irish whiskey (with help from Crystal)
FAIL. It's almost gone but not quite. Maybe by actual 2020 we'll have finished it. If that happens, I'll update this post.

2. Finish reading the book Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (already started - very good book!)
SUCCESS. I recommend it.

3. Use the treadmill at least twice a week, preferable three times (30 minutes per)
FAIL.

4. Lose a little bit of weight (10 pounds would be a good start)
SUCCESS. I lost about that much from annual physical to annual physical (November 14 to November 14). What did I do to accomplish it? Less carbs and switching to Michelob Ultra for my main beer intake. Yuk.

5. Successfully complete training with Crisis Text Line (already started) and start volunteering with them 4 hours/week
SUCCESS. I still owe hours to make my commitment of 200 but I'm getting there. I recommend volunteering if you're interested in helping people on-line from home.

6. Read Kerouac (no particular titles or amount)
SUCCESS.

7. Work back up to being able to do 30 push-ups in a row (what a weakling I've become)
FAIL. I'm about at 15-20.

8. Identify and purchase the best healthcare I can afford
SUCCESS. Went with Maine's Community Health Options at $870/month. They upped their premium for 2020 to $970 so I am going with Harvard Pilgrim instead.

9. Buy Crystal flowers at least 6 times (monthly was a fail in 2017)
SUCCESS. It still counts if she reminds me and it's part of my grocery shopping trip, right?

10. Acquire a camper in time to attend some bluegrass festivals this coming summer
SUCCESS. On June 6 we took possession of a new 2019 Winnebage Travato and made it to two festivals plus did a couple of 2-week trips around the Maine and as far south at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
You can find a link to past years' Kerouac-olutions by clicking here and clicking the link provided. Now, on to the future.

2020 New Year's Kerouac-olutions

In 2020, I hereby resolve to:

1. Drink a bottle of 14-year-old Glenlivet single malt scotch (with help from Crystal)
2. Read Be Here Now by Ram Dass (who just died)
3. Use the treadmill at least twice a week, preferable three times (30 minutes per)
4. Lose some more weight
5. Stay off anti-depressants (which I recently weaned myself from)
6. Buy Crystal flowers at least 6 times
7. Read Kerouac (no particular titles or amounts)
8. Continue blogging in remembrance of the birth and death dates of real-life characters in Kerouac's world and works
9. Fulfill my 200-hour commitment to Crisis Text Line
10. See the California Dales in person


There you have it. Nothing earth-shattering, but all do-able. Let us know yours in a comment.



2 comments:

Roxanne said...


Okay, here were my 2019 Kerouac-olutions:

1. Attend LCK
SUCCESS! Wasn't able to afford the "good" hotel this year, but still had a blast seeing my friends, except for Rick and Crystal (grrrr).

2. Talk my boyfriend into going to LCK
SUCCESS, but I think only because he had to drive.

3. Find out why the hell I felt so miserable
SUCCESS. It was my gallbladder. I had it out.

4. Diet and exercise
EPIC FAIL. Even after the gallbladder came out.

5. Obtain grant money for writing project.
FAIL. Didn't even make the deadline for the application

6. Work on writing project.
MODERATE SUCCESS

This year's Kerouac-olutions:

1. Get a new psychiatrist because this one is incompetent.
2. Attend LCK again (hopefully with boyfriend in tow)
3. Go to San Francisco for some Kerouac-related sight-seeing
4. Actually get out of the apartment and see people and do things despite my stupid depression.

Good luck to everyone!
5. Read some Kerouac!

Rick Dale, author of The Beat Handbook said...

Thanks for sharing, Roxanne!