A Dragon Tamer's Resolutions

(Note: I wrote this post on the 2nd, but didn't post it till the 6th because...well, I do just do things like that sometimes.)

Good bye 2013! You weren't as bad as 2012, but you definitely didn't set the bar very high for 2014 to be better than you were.

 

Like many around the world, I have thought about things I would like to change about myself or accomplish in the coming year. While "Become Supreme Ruler of the Galaxy" sounds awesome, I'm not sure it's really attainable in 12 months while working full time and trying to start a LARP. So, maybe that resolution will have to be put on the back burner for next year...

 

Here are some more attainable resolutions/goals for this year:

 

1. Self-advocate more--Be more willing to tell the BF/Friends/Family when I'm in the Dark Scary Place, or when I need help with things. (Dragon being tamed: Depression)

 

2. Make 2 really kick-ass cosplay costumes to wear to conventions (This is already in the works, as I've started the process for a costume to wear to Temple-Con in February) (Taming Depression and Complacency)

 

3. Have a workable, playable, runnable LARPing system ready by October (Bonus points if I can have a Playtest of basic character creation and social conflict rules done by May.) (Taming Complacency)

 

4. Pay my student loan principle balance down by $750 by July 1st. (Taming Debt)

 

5. Successfully follow the Slow-Carb diet plan starting January 5th until March 1st. I will reevaluate after those 8 weeks to determine if it has shown a positive impact on my health, and decide whether or not to continue with it after March 1st.  (Taming Complacency)

 

6. Get to the gym 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes of exercise (classes count towards this goal) (starts Week of Jan. 5th) (Both Depression and Complacency)

 

7. Take at least 35,000 steps a week (about 5,000 a day, which is about 2 miles) (starts Week of January 5th) (Both Depression and Complacency)

 

8. Be able to jog a 5k by the Scarecrow Scamper in October (a charity 5k that benefits the local YMCA) (Both Depression and Complacency)

 

Because all work and no play makes the slayer really susceptible to depression:

 

9. Complete all challenges on Majesty

 

10. Take a trip to Canada (preferably by train, and with some friends)

 

Some of these are easily measurable (like the ones involving exercise, diet, etc), others are not objectively measureable (for instance, self-advocacy). And some are in a grey area: What defines a kick-ass cosplay outfit, exactly? And what makes a LARP system workable, playable, or runnable?

 

A lot of these are focused on trying to tame my depression. I used to be on meds for it, but after a while I got it under control (through drastically changing my relationships, living situation and entire outlook on life and expectations). Lately, though, it's been slithering back. While I recognize that if it continues to get worse, I will need to start seeking medical help again, right now I know I am in a place where there's a possibility for me to manage it definitely without meds, though I might need to add therapy back into the mix if there's not much improvement by April. Hopefully the longer days will help it to improve on its own. Yay Vitamin D!

 

Updates for these goals (like the ones that started yesterday) will be posted regularly.

An Elevator Speech

An "Elevator Speech" is a short statement, ideally only one or two sentences long, that states in a nutshell the goal, purpose, or mission of someone or something. Think of it as a personal mission statement that you could get out to a group of people in an elevator between the time the doors close and the moment someone hits the emergency stop button because there's a lunatic in the elevator.

 

Here's my attempt at getting my message out before someone calls the loony bin:

 

In ten years, I want to be free of my student loan debt and own land on which I will be running a LARP or many LARPs. I will achieve this by living frugally, buying locally, developing additional and alternative revenue sources, and taking steps to improve both my mental and physical health.

 

Image found on bucultureshock.com

This isn't a complete picture of my action plan. (I'm not sure there is a complete picture of it anywhere yet.) But it should communicate to you my main long-termish goals (tame the Debt dragon and run LARPs), and some of my less-long-termish goals and/or priorities (improve my health, find different ways to make money, and be conscious about my financial choices). Hopefully it could give the people in an elevator an idea of who they're dealing with before they decide to tackle me to the ground.

 

...Given my aversion to pain, maybe I should refrain from actually delivering my elevator speech in an elevator--at least until such time as our society does not default to thinking someone talking to complete strangers out of nowhere is crazy.

 

That being said, I still want to someday get into an elevator, wait for the doors to close, and then announce "I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today..." just to see what would happen.

 

Probably the best location in an elevator to do that is in a corner, so that people wouldn't be able to tackle me very easily...