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Memoro MMXIX, Praedico MMXX
Jan. 4th, 2020 12:20 pmAs is my wont, the New Year brings a marker for reflection of past activities and preparation for what lies ahead. Juan Cole provided a timely reminder this year with the FitzGerald translation of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam on the New Year: Think then you are To-day what Yesterday You were–To-morrow You shall not be less. The artificial marker in place and we reflect and we prepare every day and not just on the passing of yuletide. The transaction is entered daily, the accounts monthly, the quarterly plans in place; life's accounting, and an accounting of life. Is it so surprising to find that now I am making five-year plans, rather than a single year? Between one's desires from a fecund imagination and the sober recognition of the constraint of time, objectives are pushed further into the future.
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In summary 2019 was an excellent year for me personally, even if the political landscape is less than satisfactory. I didn't get everything done, but I managed to get a lot done; some things to completion and some things at least in part. I've achieved publications, run a conference, paid off two mortgages and did some renovations, had holidays in New Zealand and Europe, and have ended up with a significantly improved financial state and somewhat better health. In 2020 I know that if I want to achieve more there are three main trajectories; (a) if I want to do something new, I have to retire something, (b) efficiency can be achieved through increased planning and combining multiple projects into single projects, and (c) getting other like-minded people involved in matters of common interest. On top of all this, I have set a personal agenda of writing 1K words per day for publications - anything else on top of that (including lengthy LJ/DW posts like this one) has to be considered an optional extra. Let's revisit this in a year's time and see how I've gone.
( Read more... )
In summary 2019 was an excellent year for me personally, even if the political landscape is less than satisfactory. I didn't get everything done, but I managed to get a lot done; some things to completion and some things at least in part. I've achieved publications, run a conference, paid off two mortgages and did some renovations, had holidays in New Zealand and Europe, and have ended up with a significantly improved financial state and somewhat better health. In 2020 I know that if I want to achieve more there are three main trajectories; (a) if I want to do something new, I have to retire something, (b) efficiency can be achieved through increased planning and combining multiple projects into single projects, and (c) getting other like-minded people involved in matters of common interest. On top of all this, I have set a personal agenda of writing 1K words per day for publications - anything else on top of that (including lengthy LJ/DW posts like this one) has to be considered an optional extra. Let's revisit this in a year's time and see how I've gone.
