2013 resolutions- real and unlikely

When you get to be of a certain age, many of us stop believing we can change. But I’m an eternal optimist and want to always believe I can do better. That’s why I try to make resolutions at this time of year. I figure if I speak or make a list of my intentions, I have a slightly better chance of following through with them.

Some years my pledges lose traction but in 2012 I was determined to achieve some professional goals before I get too old and obsolete. Last year I wanted to get a piece published on a big news site.  I got a gig reviewing books for the Associated Press and my reviews get picked up by ABCNews.com, HuffingtonPost, WashingtonPost, Yahoo, and several others.  I also started this blog and got a part-time job as an online news editor.

I have some more work goals I’ve been kicking around for years and haven’t been able to make happen.  Maybe if I say them out loud here, to you, I’ll be accountable to get my ass in gear.

The first is to finish a story I’ve been working on to pitch to the New York Times. The well-written and thought-provoking “Modern Love” column that appears in the weekly Sunday Style section is one of my favorite essays. It would be a dream fulfilled to be published there. I know it’s a long shot as they receive thousands of entries and only choose 50 or so per year. But I can’t be considered if I don’t submit…. so this is the year I’m going to stop talking about it and actually do it.

The second is a screenplay idea I’ve been toying with for years but have been too intimidated to attempt to write. Wilson sweetly got me “Final Draft,” a fancy screenwriting computer program for my birthday so now I really have no excuse not to give it a go.

While I’m bearing my soul, I’d love to lose 10 pounds, get more facials, and sleep more. I’m going to try to put myself to bed right after the kids go down for just 2 nights a week, because it’s when I stay up watching TV or clicking my computer that I get into late night trouble.

I want to finally figure out how to use my SLR digital camera, instead of taking the easy way out with my digital “push-here-dummy” shooter. And while I’m on photos, I’d love to organize all my photos online and not be downloading six months worth at the end of the year.

But see now I’m getting crazy. I can’t achieve all these things in one year. There’s too much else to do. But maybe now that I’ve put them out there into the universe, there’s a better chance some of these resolutions have a shot.

Which ones do you think I’ll stick to? What are your resolutions? Tell me in the comments. Wishing you a happy new year and many realized resolutions n 2013!