[jebfour]

This may be a dud but, I figured it would be worth a shot. How about three things you want to do in the new year and three things you’re grateful for from the previous year?

Let’s give it a go. If this is a dud, then so be it.

Resolutions:

- Ride my bike(s) more. I rode my bikes very little this year due to a variety of reasons. It has paid for itself in my weight gain and decline in endurance. Would like to fix that.

- I’ve gotten back into motorsports since that sonofabitch @stoney got me thinking about it again. I had pretty much completely (not entirely) moved on…which was wrong. It’s part of who I am and something I enjoy. Working on my lap times is something I really, really enjoy. Will do better lap times.

- I’d like to drive a 250 Superkart this year. Now sure how, as I don’t have many “connections” since I have moved here, but it’s certainly doable.


Thankful for:

- My daughter was accepted into her preferred college almost immediately and will likely be accepted into several other schools in the coming weeks.

- My Dad’s crippling back issues seem to be on the mend and it looks like he’d be going on some fishing trips that he’s been dreaming of.

- I’m thankful for a wife that puts up with me.


Surely you have three of each? Whatcha got?

 

[mandown]

Closest thing I’ve got to a resolution is to be more realistic about the time I can dedicate to my music projects. I need to get a framework of: X amount of total time per track = A minutes on drums + B minutes on bass + C minutes on synth programming + D minutes for mixing

Drums and vocals are my weakest areas, so I need to develop my skills there to speed up production.

Overall, if I dedicate 10-15 hours to a track then I can probably get one a month done, which is ~3 hours a week. I think more time than that starts to burn me out and my interest in it is gone after a month.

This is part of a bigger picture plan to be realistic about how much time and energy I have for various interests, from fitness to socializing. I tend to do the equivalent of doom scrolling with some of my hobbies, falling into a mindset of having unlimited time while I’m in the moment only to realize that is not actually the case.

 

[daisycutter]

I plan to take more days off next year and ride more than my 43 times this past year. Tis the season, I am shooting for hitting my gym three times a year. I work remotely so the goal is to travel and bike at a few locations. So far it looks like Vermont and Utah are in the mix.

 

[4xBoy]

Try to continue to exist.

 

[SkaredShtles]

 

[Pesqueeb]

I've long been a believer that one need not wait till New Years for a resolution, particularly considering that linear time as we experience it almost certainly doesn't exist. Anything worth doing, is worth doing "now", whenever that now may occur. That said I recognize that for many people the "New Year" is as good a time as any.

I am particularly grateful to not be at that fucking airline anymore, and that my wife and daughter have been amazingly supportive and were willing to step off that cliff with me. It's been objectivity terrifying but such a great change for the better.

Life for its faults and stressors could be WAY worse. Shits pretty good, and I need to remember that.

Also, I should go get my med card. Because I can.

 

[chuffer]

There's lots I'd like to do differently next year, which is a good thing I think. I can't imagine being so self-satisfied to not want to change. That said, I really should:

1. Start to be more careful about my diet. I am a total junk food junky and eat like shit when on the road. I know it's bad for me and junk food doesn't even really taste that good. It is totally a habit / crutch.
2. Be more active after dark in the winter. In the summer I work outside until dark. Now, however, it is only light out until 5. I find it very hard to work in the cold shop when there is a warm fire and a cold beer waiting for me in the house.
3. Go out of my way to visit my family on the east coast more.


I am a white, straight, man with a reasonable education living in the USA. In the grand scheme of things, I live pretty well. Nonetheless I am extra thankful for:

1. (Like @jebfour) a wife that tolerates all of my bullshit.
2. A job & colleagues that gives the flexibility to do what I do. The company is an absolute shit-show, but management and admin people let me do my "lone wolf" thing.
3. Bikes & dogs.

Edit: all of the above being contingent on this being the "positivity" thread. Existential angst for a number of good reasons is at an all time high, but that ain't unique to me...

Edit #2. Should probably add “work on spelling” to my list. “Loan” wolf. :clown:

 

[canadmos]

Not much on the docket here, other than usual stuff.

I'd like to/I plan on:
-riding more
-have more fun
-take a notch off ye Olde belt

I'm thankful for:

-having a job
-my life
-girlfriend and animals
-etc

View attachment 224091

 

[eric strt6]

try not to die


did not die

sums it up

 

[Jm_]

I hope to not have surgeries!

 

[Banshee_Rider@73]

I'm grateful for my family, friends and good health.

For next year all I ask is health, the rest will get sorted out.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Going to apply some of what I have learned from thru hiking to make a major change in my life. Will also finish the AT resulting in three consecutive summers spent on trail and fully immersed in that community. I am forever grateful to all of you monkeys who have encouraged me and donated to my hike. Your help came at times when I was really struggling with a laundry list of failures, theft and mishaps. I met some amazing people out there, some of whom are now close friends. And last but certainly not least, I have a Honey Badger.

 

[rideit]

Get really strong, physically and mentally, this year was pretty rough!
Rekindle some passion in my marriage, and not just physically.
Read more, surf less.
I think all of those are certainly attainable.
Those are three things I will do, the ‘not do’ list is pretty much not eat shit on the bike.

 

[rideit]

Going to apply some of what I have learned from thru hiking to make a major change in my life. Will also finish the AT resulting in three consecutive summers spent on trail and fully immersed in that community. I am forever grateful to all of you monkeys who have encouraged me and donated to my hike. Your help came at times when I was really struggling with a laundry list of failures, theft and mishaps. I met some amazing people out there, some of whom are now close friends. And last but certainly not least, I have a Honey Badger.

@AngryMetalsmith , what got stolen? I must have been in recovery mode, I don’t remember.

 

[roflbox]

I would like to:
not get so wound up at work
try and find some fun things at work

actually go camping with the wife
be a grown up and actually look at retirement planning
continue to go to gym 2x weekly, work on bad knees

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

@AngryMetalsmith , what got stolen? I must have been in recovery mode, I don’t remember.

Debit card got compromised in Gatlinburg. They cleaned out that account, but fortunately I kept the main kitty in a separate account. Didn't have access to my money for a few weeks. Friends and parents helped me through it all. This happened about three weeks or so into the hike. On the second night my tent failed. Also had to replace my pack and several other smaller pieces of failed gear. Then as if that wasn't enough both trekking poles fell off a cliff in VA. Then came the medical issues...

 

[Toshi]

I am thankful for my family, and for my still as of yet unexplained anemia not being from colon cancer, at least. I see far too much of that.

Resolutions: continue to keep y'all updated on each and every thought that bounces through my brain, since that's what I do, ya know

 

[jimmydean]

I would like to relax more next year, take the truck out at least a half dozen times, and finally lose the pandemic 30 I'm still carrying.

Despite the pay cut, I'm still very grateful for my job and my amazing wife.

 

[jebfour]

Awesome. Keep the positivity going....!

 

[boostindoubles]

I've got a decent list of work related projects that I need to sort out in the next 12 months. They're all random and different and take focused effort. My goal is to knock them out and generate income off them.

Theres trails that need building.

I wish I could find one million dollars for the 40,000 sq ft Velosolutions pumptrack we designed. We have been trying to fundraise that project for several years with no luck.

My life is at maximum insanity - work and wife/kids are seperated by 1100 miles.

I've got two 1 acre lots to develop and sell. Goal is to take the funds and put a down payment on a house in WY, build a shop/apartment in WA. Rent out the WA house. If any funds remain I'll throw it at a Mountain West MTB camper rig.

 

[stevew]

less time staring at phone

not cancelling vacations.

 

[Adventurous]

Read more, doom scroll less. Spend more time in nature, either riding my bike, hiking, or hunting. Focus more on my health. Chip away more at the house to-do list and get this place in some semblance of good shape. Be more mindful about what I buy and save more money.

 

[Jozz]

The phone thing for sure. It's a fuckin illness.

Grateful for most of it. Wish I could patch things up with father and brother. But I'm too stubborn to go ahead and make the first move.

Like most of you, eat healthier, bike more and work just enough.

Happy new year Monkeys !

 

[Muddy]

Resolutions:

Develop and maintain that of an accessible, reliable & trustworthy assistant within a brand-new work environment. Business recently received casual-mention in one of the larger publications focusing on Economics.

Never stray from recent curated PT regiment for la épaule (if ever in QC or possibly in France) and my for my shoulder while (likely all the time) at home. Vive la France!

Find a sweet local girl, figure out how to have a girlfriend stick around for more than a meal w/ dessert, and... whatever it is normal people do do.


Thankful for:

Walking off my 1st job after returning home in CT, which was long overdue. Service provided and customer-base - excellent. Management steady decision-making process(s) - selfish and self-fulfilling.

Lucrative opportunity alongside individuals who possess irreplaceable skill as opposed to just possessing things others happen want. Thankfully managed to balance financial-pictures in this process and become entirely self-reliant on compensation, as opposed to a staked compensation incentive being distributed in intervals.

Safe Mode on my mobile phone; lost roaming service during the year on what's the last Android UI update available and I just loath the intrusiveness that's come w/ being 'mobile'.
I remember not being mobile - my shoulder hurt. ...and so resolution no.2 begins.

 

[stoney]

Resolutions:
- I’ve gotten back into motorsports since that sonofabitch @stoney got me thinking about it again. I had pretty much completely (not entirely) moved on…which was wrong. It’s part of who I am and something I enjoy. Working on my lap times is something I really, really enjoy. Will do better lap times.

I'm here for you big guy.

 

[Nick]

this is not a dud, @jebfour

Resolutions:

Like the sticker says; work less, play more.
- work less: I really like what I do, but I've been overachieving for a few years now and it's exhausting. I start a mentorship next month to hopefully figure out how I can spend the next 10 years or so doing more meaningful work.
- play more: I've felt better over the past two years or so than I have since before Covid hit, riding more often and longer more fun rides. We're pretty lucky with access to fairly gnarly trails here, and lots of them. I haven't had so much fun on my bike in a long time.

Time is the most important thing to me. I must be getting old. My Dad died at 66 and my Mom might not make it through this year. I don't want to regret wasting time or working on anything that isn't really important to me.

Music. I've played guitar and written music for 40 years. I want to collaborate more, with more people (ya her me @mandown ?) and start performing again even if it's just showing up at open mic night. While my old bands in my younger days were all metal and really heavy, I enjoy playing just about everything, so I want to explore that. Technically, "play more" applies here too.

Not a real resolution, but I've been really sober curious recently. These days I drink less, and less often, and wonder how I'd feel or if my life would change for the better if I cut out alcohol entirely.

Thankful for:
I'm healthy and want to stay that way. I lost a friend to cancer last year, and another to drugs. I intend to be here for a while and I don't want to have to stop riding, skiing, etc because my body can't take the abuse.

The girl. She's been an incredibly positive influence on me, skis and rides like a monster ( I'll never be as good a tech skier as she is ) and makes me want to be better. I hope I don't screw this up, it's been a long time since I've been so happy.

Friends. Man am I blessed in this department. I have a small circle of lifers, and can count on them.

and finally the ridemonkey. I've been chatting with you guys for over 23 years, and have made real friends all over the place.

 

[Dirtrider]

Ride more. Bitch less. Be grateful.

 

[mandown]

I want to collaborate more, with more people (ya her me @mandown ?)

Oh boy

 

[rideit]

Nick, I’d be down for a little guitar noodling (If my fingers can handle it). Do any of you guys know how to set up remote tracking programs?

 

[mandown]

Nick, I’d be down for a little guitar noodling (If my fingers can handle it). Do any of you guys know how to set up remote tracking programs?

I think we can probably organize a Dropbox folder and place samples or stems there. I could probably drop in some drum loops in a song outline then individually we could record parts and then merge and mix the results.

 

[rideit]

Sounds fun. I am sure that we have three very, very different styles and tastes. Which, of course, could be great or terrible!

 

[mandown]

I’m sure there’s plenty of overlap. We could pick a cover or two to get things started. Looking forward to the train wreck.

 

[stoney]

Resolutions:
- Be more efficient with my time at work - do the same stuff, just do it faster. That way I don't need to worry about expanding my work time into what should be my personal time.
- Spend more time with Hannah and her sports. She's doing soccer, swim, gymnastics, and basketball. Haley's races take up a lot of weekends, so the days not already committed to races go to Hannah's activities, then back to training.
- Move to our Private Client Group. Comp is about 25% higher, so yeah...
- Get in trips to see my sister, grandma, and Wifey's grandma.
- Do family vacation
- Help Haley get to a podium spot for the state ranking in her new class. It will be hard and a lofty goal, but a focus.

Thankful for:
- Wifey and I still happily together after 15 years. We have multiple friends who have gotten divorced or remarried already. We have our frustrations, but 90% of ours are the same ones.
- The girls are happy and healthy. We're in a safe state for them and they are both in advanced classes. They are open, candid, and strong girls, not letting anybody impair their growth.
- Financially healthy. Even if the economy blows up, we're in a safe spot because of the work we've done to get ourselves here.

 

[Dirtrider]

this is not a dud, @jebfour

Not a real resolution, but I've been really sober curious recently. These days I drink less, and less often, and wonder how I'd feel or if my life would change for the better if I cut out alcohol entirely.

I cut out all booze about three years ago and I feel so much better. I occasionally have a non-alcoholic beer after a ride but that’s about it. It’s eye opening watching people drink too much and act stupid thinking I used to do that…lol. Plus I’m enjoying the $$$ I save on that shit to put toward bikes and stuff that is meaningful.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Not a real resolution, but I've been really sober curious recently. These days I drink less, and less often, and wonder how I'd feel or if my life would change for the better if I cut out alcohol entirely.

I cut out all booze about three years ago and I feel so much better. I occasionally have a non-alcoholic beer after a ride but that’s about it. It’s eye opening watching people drink too much and act stupid thinking I used to do that…lol. Plus I’m enjoying the $$$ I save on that shit to put toward bikes and stuff that is meaningful.

The wife and I (the wife much more seriously) have been toying with sobriety. I've found in recent months that I just don't really enjoy drinking all that much, certainly not to excess, though I do still have a weak spot for the occasional Sezzerac or Manhattan. But as fragile as my sleep is, booze definitely makes it worse, and any more, because I'm old I assume, any hangover is a bad one. So we've been also been drinking less often, and in smaller amounts. Given that discretionary income really took a hit with the job change, it only makes sense to cut out the things that we don't enjoy all that much and are expensive. Especially since even a pint at the local is pushing 10 bucks these days. Maybe another dry January thread down in the food forum is a good idea? Accountability and support and such.

 

[jonKranked]

The wife and I (the wife much more seriously) have been toying with sobriety. I've found in recent months that I just don't really enjoy drinking all that much, certainly not to excess, though I do still have a weak spot for the occasional Sezzerac or Manhattan. But as fragile as my sleep is, booze definitely makes it worse, and any more, because I'm old I assume, any hangover is a bad one. So we've been also been drinking less often, and in smaller amounts. Given that discretionary income really took a hit with the job change, it only makes sense to cut out the things that we don't enjoy all that much and are expensive. Especially since even a pint at the local is pushing 10 bucks these days. Maybe another dry January thread down in the food forum is a good idea? Accountability and support and such.

"Everything in moderation, including moderation"

 

[Nick]

Maybe another dry January thread down in the food forum is a good idea? Accountability and support and such.

In.

 

[Pesqueeb]

In.

Thread created in fitness and nutrition.

 

[6thElement]

Wind back a dozen years before I met my wife and I'd drink socially in NYC, occasionally to excess. Nowadays - I'd be surprised if I had 5 beers last year. Two of those were with @Fool , so clearly he's a bad influence

I'm not looking forward to my move away from CO when it happens. I love my life here and the friends I've made. Every kind of riding I could want to do is accessible right from my front door. Our likely destination is flat, so almost all my riding would have to be "gravel"...

Hoping I can be happy through this year and the near future with this change.

 

[Sandwich]

Great thread. Thanks for starting.

Resolutions:
Work more, dick around less. I like my job and the people that I work with, but there is a lot of downtime and I don’t always make myself useful. I’m enjoying the slack, but it would be nice to contribute something that will make this company more valuable.

Learn how to make good pizza. Pizza in the Boston area sucks. I am trying to figure out how to make a good NY style pizza so I can never do takeout again. Between that and some air fryer wings, I might be in good shape.

Sit on my butt less. Some days I’m just exhausted, other days I can’t think of anything to do (with the family). I need to push my fam to get out of the house and go on little adventures together, it’s enriching. I want to try and go on shorter-term vacations even if they aren’t like week-long blowouts.

I’m going to make a 4th which is to hit my training goals and maybe compete in an “A” category race this year. My target race overlaps with my daughter’s dance recital so I have to punt on that, but I’m making progress on consistent training and I’m loving it.

Thankful for:
My family. My wife and I fight more than I would like, but I love my kids, being with my kids, showing them the world, and hearing people say how well-adjusted they are (because I had my troubles).

My job. There’s an industry wide recession and I am employed with a high base comp and I like what I do (and sometimes I’m good at it).

Life in general. We’re in a safe state, we’re in a house we don’t need to upgrade nor move from, we’re saving money for college, retirement, and paying our mortgage on time. There’s even money for vacations and other good shit.