As the new year begins, there’s the inevitable temptation/obligation to make changes and resolve to Do Things Differently. Where that falls down for me is that I append new ideas the old list, never reach those ideas, and then add more again the next year.

For this year I’m not going to add more jobs to the list, but rather I will make a concerted effort to revise and then finish what’s on there. Over the Christmas break I’ve been trying to reduce the piles of unwatched films and unread books. Being full of the cold has not been helpful, but I have made progress. If I reduce those then I will be able to make more time for other projects.

For now, the tangible, physical media are the ones to focus on, removing the visible reminder of tasks not yet completed.

With learning Japanese, there isn’t a physical part to track, but after two years of learning vocabulary I’m still no further on with conversation. As with other hobbies, I’ve neglected that in favour of continuing along the known path. This year I’ll be dedicating more time to grammar and reading, with practise that focuses on conversation. HelloTalk should be invaluable, and since another trip is booked, there’s a deadline set in stone.