Want vs. Do, Hope vs. Know: Reflections

It's been an intense month and a half, with about two posts per week on average, which is far better than before, but I have decided to make an effort to break the pattern. See, when it comes to smaller things at least, I hope I'm more of a do-person than a wait-for-someone-else-to-do-it-person or wait-for-the-issue-to-go-away-person. And I also think that I am.There are other things (apart from blogging) that I also want to do but have not been doing, and so I now hope to put my money where my mouth is. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy blogging, especially now that I've worked up a decent pace, and I intend to continue with it. But I don't want to do it at the exclusion of almost everything else. Some of the other things I want to do are:

The Gym: It's time for me to face facts: My fat ass ain't melting away on its own. I've tried. If there is one thing on my list that I've been hoping would take care of itself, maybe by increasing the amount of greens that I eat and decreasing the rest (which I have been doing), this is definitely it. So it's time to put that gym membership to use and start working on actually getting it done. I hope to make it to the gym at least twice, ideally three times a week (because more than three seems unrealistic). Maybe I'll also get healthier in the process--I don't have any issues yet, but I ain't getting younger, and whatever I can do to remain healthy seems like a good idea to me.

Books, Computer Games, Movies: Not particularly high on my list of priorities, but I still have several instances from each category on my to-do list. In particular, the computer games have been neglected for quite some time.

Computer Science Literature: Definitely something that I should read more of. I have a list....

New Languages: I got several languages in which I wished I knew at least the basics. French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese... well, that list could just go on and on. In particular, I once bought a computerized course in Spanish, and I should at least try to go through that one.

Drawing and Painting: I once used to draw quite a lot. Well, maybe not a lot. But I enjoyed it. So maybe I should try to take that up again. I would also be interested in trying painting, something that I haven't really ever done. I got several subjects in mind.

Creative Writing: Another thing that I enjoyed when I was younger. Blogging is fine, but it isn't really creative. I have an idea that I might realize. In fact, I've already taken some preliminary steps in preparation for it.

Programming for Fun: I do this at work, but wouldn't mind doing some more as a hobby as well. In particular, I've started a Java port of a Magic inventory program. I also have plans for an improved version, but... well, we don't play much Magic anymore. A Java port would be nice, because the existing program is Windows-only, and I run Linux myself and also know that there has been some Mac users that have expressed an interest. As for the improved version, well, maybe some day, but that is really rather low on the list of appealing project ideas.

(Another project idea that is both interesting but also an immediate dead end is an improved Apprentice (Magic simulator). I'd like to write something more like MTGO, but that won't happen, for several reasons. First, it's way too large for a single person, even if I picked one core set and went from there (with hooks for future cards). Second, I might be able to write it but would not be able to maintain it, not at the pace Wizards releases expansions anyway. Third, as I understand it Wizards holds several software patents related to computerized versions of CCGs, so they'd shoot me down. Fourth, even if issues 1-3 could be circumvented somehow, it would be a pretty shitty thing to do to Wizards. So all in all, no dice.)

MediaWiki: I've had some thoughts about starting a wiki for my friends, for a particular cause. This entry would include setup and starting on the content. But the cause seems pretty much a non-cause at the moment, so this one is on ice for the time being.

And in addition, I'd like to keep up all I've already been doing, including friends and gaming whenever opportunity arrives. Blogging. Working to pay the bills. Unfortunately, I still need to eat and sleep, so that is going to slow me down as well.

All in all, this is a pretty tall order, but none of these are going to do themselves. The bad thing is that they are all ongoing processes; I'll never be able to write off anyone as completed. But hopefully I can cross off at least a few of them as having worked on this one at a satisfactory level in a year or so. We shall see.