I don’t do resolutions. Personally, resolutions always imply that I need to change something. The “need to change” expression seems to be guilt-laden (yeah, I was raised a catholic) and implies that the resolution will be hard to implement and/or unpleasant.
What I do set for myself are goals. For me, a goal implies that I want to reach something.
The difference between “need” and “want ” can sound rhetorical to the extreme, but believe me they are worlds apart. The key word is ‘want’ and the willingness to do what you set out to do behind it.
Now I won’t go into the current semi-spiritual claptrap that is ‘The Secret” or “Ask and you shall receive”, but I do believe that wanting something is the 1st step to actually do what is needed to achieve something.
So with no further philosophical ramblings here are my yearly goals for 2008:
Online Presence:
- I want to post at least 5 articles per week until next November (That’s about 220 posts) while continuing to have fun doing so. That will bring me to about 400 posts.
- In November, I want to seriously consider taking a month off blogging and tackling NaNoWriMo or write a serious plan for a home-based RPG imprint business.
- I want to build up my critical sense by reviewing RPG games like Silvervine and other games/supplements I get requests for (or buy myself).
- I want to attend Gen Con 2008 and participate as a player, DM and Speaker in a few events (Thanks to DNAPhil and The Iron League guys!). If you plan to showcase your new game there, give me a holler!
- I want to build something cool and awesome on the Web with the community that gravitates around here.
- I want to be nominated for a Ennies award in the fan-site category (I’m not saying I want to win… I aim at a nomination). I’m sending the paperwork later this week.
In fact for that last point, I want to challenge Yax of Dungeonmastering.com , the very 1st RPG blogger to post here, to a friendly duel for that nomination. Some healthy competition is a great motivator to create quality content.
Personal goal:
- I want to lose 10 lbs. I can afford to lose a lot more, but I want to go at it slower than before (I’ve lost 20-30 lbs a few times in the past) so it keeps off. I’m focusing at being healthier (mentally and physically) this year, not slimmer.
DMing and RPGs
- I want to create a memorable campaign that marries the awesome fluffiness of Planescape and Ptolus where my players feel like heroes!
- I want to explore elements of the Storytelling RPG style to see what it can bring me to create a more satisfying experience for my players (this is not going to be the easiest goal, but easy goals are not satisfying).
- I want to learn to be a more patient RPG player so I can finally enjoy letting go of the control and power I yielded as DM/GM for a quarter of a Century.
What are your goals or resolutions?
Happy New year one and all.
Those are all worthy goals. I’ll take it to another level, not resolutions, not goals, but rather *commitments* for the new year. What can you commit to that will attain the goal…but i’m getting ahead of myself.
I’d like to give a word of caution on the 5 posts per week goal. As quantity goes up or a high rate is sustained over time you run a risk of lower quality or possibly sacrificing little bits of time and energy that would have been dedicated to family, friends, gaming, work, etc…
I committed to at least 1 post per day about 15 months ago and I met it, haven’t failed to deliver yet, even when I was very sick or on vacation except when my old host provider went offline for a week! Of course it requires advance planning to stage posts to cover your downtime which in itself is a burden. But at what cost? After a while it’s just a task that needs to be fulfilled without much passion.
To top it off, you’re setting goals wrt building the community around chattydm.net (which requires quality) while sustaining quantity – this is definitely do-able, just be cautious about any sacrifices you catch yourself making in the implementation.
The reason why people come here is because of your passion and authoritative articles. You could build just as great a community with 1-3 articles like that per week.
Now, back to the whole *commitments* thing –
Let me put my manager’s hat on like when it’s review time at work: “think of these as commitments, not goals. If the goal is the finish line, what are the individual commitments you’re confident you can be successful in that will result in the original goal (or intent of the goal) being attained?”
That was a rhetorical question, just food for thought.
Keep up the good work!
In terms of gaming, I would like to play more. I need to find two more players for Marco’s fizzled campaign.
Outside of gaming… I don’t know. I’m happy & in love. I’d love to work less and earn more… Uhm… I dunno. I guess I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions.
I can’t say I don’t see the wisdom of your words Andy. I’ll take them under careful advisement.
I won’t lie that I know doing all this would spread my free time very thin and possibly eat up in my quality family time…
So if push does come to shove, less posts but with a maintained quality is what I want to aim for.
Oh and Alex, maintaining that positive outlook for 2008 would be a good goal! 🙂 Have a great year and I do wish you’ll find those two players… I mean there are gamers in Switzerland right, I mean it’s right beside the adult gaming mecca of the world?
Spiel is such a powerful word! 🙂
I accept the challenge. You’re going down, Phil.
Ha! You and what Army Yax?
Come, I’ll be ready!
Mwa HA HA HA!
(Trash Talking is fun!)
I think we all know that you’re a shoe-in to win this bet. 😉
I was going to thank you for your vote of confidence until I checked my six and saw you do the exact same thing over at Yax’s…
A backstabbing, scheming minion!
I’m soooo proud!
I think that after you two finish fighting each other, I’ll animate you both and make you fight some more. It’s oh so amusing.
Tell me, do you prefer zombification or skeletization?
Ohhh, can I be a Wight please? I’ve always wanted to be a Wight!
I’d change my name to Barry too!
🙂