THE DAILY BEAT: New Year's Kerouac-olutions for 2017

Sunday, January 1, 2017

New Year's Kerouac-olutions for 2017

Jack Kerouac (L) & Rick Dale (R) posing in front of the Samuel S. Cox statue in Tompkins Square Park, NYC

Welcome to 2017. No new year is complete without a look at how I did with my Kerouac-olutions for 2016:

1. Post on The Daily Beat at least weekly (a "streak") - ACCOMPLISHED
2. Rethink the mission and vision of this blog and act on it - FAIL
3. Read Patti Smith's M Train (a gift from my BFF Richard Marsh) - ACCOMPLISHED
4. Hold at least one Beat Poetry Contest - FAIL
5. Make a decision about a retirement date and act on it - ACCOMPLISHED
6. Stain the deck - FAIL
7. Re-roof the shed and deal with its foundation issues - FAIL
8. Buy Crystal flowers at least once-a-month (another "streak") - EPIC FAIL
9. Surprise people I care about with written letters for no particular reason beyond love - FAIL
10. See the glass half full more often - FAIL

30% accomplishment rate. Not too good. Let's see if we can do better in 2017.

To wit, here are my 2017 Kerouac-olutions:

1. Go somewhere with Crystal we've never been

2. Buy Crystal flowers at least once-a-month (a streak)

3. Attend to home repairs (shed, deck, driveway, chimney flashing)

4. Start acting like a writer (i.e., write)

5. Read something by Kerouac I haven't yet read (e.g., Some of the Dharma, The Unknown Kerouac)

6. Keep The Daily Beat streak going for another year

7. Work out at least twice a week (three if possible)

8. Take a road trip to Pennsylvania and visit Charlie on one leg of the trip (which would satisfy #1)

9. Visit the California Dales

10. Sing and play guitar more

I know most of those sound more like goals than aspirational, life-changing resolutions, but so be it. There are some repeats from 2016 on there. Repetition is how we learn. And there are many other things to do in 2017, such as hang out with my friend, Richard, visit Lowell (Jack's grave) at least once, meditate regularly, and so on.

With the resolutions herewith communicated, what's left is to wish you the Hap-Hap-Happiest New Year ever.

Keep the Kerouac spirit alive in 2017!

MAY YOU USE THE DIAMONDCUTTER OF MERCY.

And dig the ride....

For the diehards, below are links to past Kerouac-olutions. I fear I made none in 2015.
2011 Kerouac-olutions
2012 Kerouac-olutions
2013 Kerouac-olutions
2014 Kerouac-olutions
2016 Kerouac-olutions

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Reviews of The Beat Handbook

Gerald Nicosia, author of the acclaimed Kerouac biography Memory Babe, said The Beat Handbook is "full of Jack's heart."

Jared Randall, author of the excellent book of poetry, Apocryphal Road Code, said this about The Beat Handbook: "Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time. In my wandering pack of experiences, I find they often do. Enter The Beat Handbook by Rick Dale."

Kenneth Morris, Kerouacian extraordinaire, said this:
"I just finished reading Rick Dale's beautiful utterance and call to action of Kerouac mind-set and zen sensibilities. It made me laugh and reflect on my own life and road I have naturally grooved into after absorbing the Kerouac canon. The road less traveled always had my name on it. And that has made all the difference. The Beat Handbook 100 Days of Kerouactions reaffirms the attitudes and ideology that made the Beats and Kerouac the important men of ideas that America (and the world) thirsted for, needed, and swallowed whole. Beautiful, absorbing, Top Ten whipsmart from my articulate, tender-hearted friend and fellow traveler. Highly recommended."