New Year's Resolutions

After thinking for a few days, here are some New Year's resolutions. I'm avoiding the old cliches like losing weight and being a better person for those more attainable and which could in fact achieve the more ethereal desires.

1. Get outside more. I really need to do this. I had a 9 mile hike yesterday and assuming the weather isn't terrible, I'm taking an 8 mile hike on Sunday. So I'm off to a good start here. I also need to get my bike in order.

2. Watch more TV. Discussed that one earlier. It seems stupid to cede an entire cultural medium to others and have nothing to say about it.

3. Read more fiction. The worst part about being an academic is that I don't have time to read fiction except some in the summer and the occasional plane ride. It drives me crazy.

4. Blog more about history. It'd be good to be able to make this blog a central selling point to universities looking to hire someone. I don't know that the readership really cares much about these issues, but who knows.

5. Keep expanding the blog. The second half of 2008 was great for the blog. Awesome writers, great commenters, slowly growing readership. Obviously, I'd like to reach the next level of readership but even if that doesn't happen, I'm really pleased with the developing community here.

6. Publish 3 articles. These are all in progress, with one tentatively accepted, another submitted, and a journal interested in the third. This is more circumstance of a bunch of stuff finally getting completed at once than a real goal, but whatever.

7. Eat more fruit and even more vegetables. I'm really more of a veggie guy. Fruit is sticky and sweet. But also healthy and I should eat more of it. I don't really have much of a sweet tooth so I don't need to replace chocolate or something with it. But I continue to push to eat healthier and so this is a goal too.

Guess that's it.