One month in, how are my 2023 New Years resolutions going?

 At the start of 2023, I made seven new years resolutions. Most of us start the year with good intent, then rapidly forget them. So having shared them, I jave decided to give myself a monthly public appraisal, if for no other reason than to give myself the kick up the jacksie I need to see them through. 

So how am I doing - The resolutions are followed by the progress report in red italics

1. I always start the New Year with two weeks off the booze. I overdid it a tad at Xmas and New Year. I put on a stone and I was starting to feel a bit foggy. It's the same every year, and the solution is the same. It's now the 5th, so I am over a third of the way through. What is funny is that I don't miss alcohol at all when I don't drink (except maybe if I am out with friends). As I am always busy at the start of the year, it also helps me get things done. I will have my first drink on the 15th

when I go to see 999 and Menace at The 100 club. I guess that the year I find it hard to do this will be when I start to worry and do the whole dry January. At the moment it's a doddle. 

This went fine.  If I'd not been going to see Menace, I may have even had a few more days off, but I do love a pint when I watch some Punk rock. I didn't overdo it.

2. I will have three days a week off alcohol throughout the year, except for when I am on holiday. I've done this for the last two years and it has worked well. Usually it is Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, but there is flexibility. I may well update this blog as the year goes to chart it. Maybe I won't though. I managed last year with no problems.

Again this has gone ok, no slip ups. As I wasn't drinking at the tart of the month, there were a few mates to catch up with, but as I rehearse one day a week and play five a side another, where I generally have a night off, it is no big deal. I also tend not to drink on Mondays when Clare is at band rehearsal and I watch Monday night football, so it is pretty easy.

Just in case you were wondering, in terms of fitness, I'm pretty healthy. My Fitbit tells me my cardiac health is excellent. The gym sessions and the football do seem to work!

3. I will finish the book I've been writing. I started in 2019 and was on the final draft when lockdown hit. It is the story of my studio, my band and my life. I had to stop it in 2020 as the confines of lockdown made it problematical for my mental health to dig up some of the memories. I've revisited it. With the cold light of day and some distance, I realised it was terribly dull and self indulgent. I am completely rewriting it, tightening it up and adding proper context to the events. 

I've now completed it. I've given it to my daughter and I'm paying her to proof read it and give me feed back. if it is dross, I will ditch it. Once it's been proof read, I will share it with a couple of friends to see if it cuts the mustard, then submit to my publishers. In truth the experience has been traumatic and depressing. Many negative feelings and old feuds that were buried have been dug up. Mind you, it has also reminded me of many hilarious incidents as well. 

4. To add a minimum of six more installments of London Symphonies. I have a few draft ideas that I am excited about. 

I have the next installment ready in draft. I need to put a song together to accompany it though, hoping to record that tonight.

5. To complete The False Dots next album, A finger in the Sun and release it. 

This is nearly done. Planning to record the last few numbers in June and possibly coincide it with the book launch, if that happens.

6.  To do more gigs this year with the band. 

We did four last year, we have two lined up for this year. We will at least equal that. If  the album pans out as I intend, we will do a tour in Spetember/October. 

7. To ignore the idiots that plague Twitter. This is hard because my friends often keep me updated on their latest idiocies. It is easy to develop a morbid fascination with such antics, but it does you no good at all. After my post earlier this week, Mill Hill was awoken at an earthly hour by the sounds of barrel's being scraped by one of our worst offenders. This meant I awoke to a torrent of WhatsApp messages from friends sniggering at how I'd triggered such a response. It made me realise that I really must keep the lid on the dustbin. 

This has largely gone well. I still occasionally let morbid fascination get the better of me, but this is becoming rarer. The less I look at the blatherings of idiots, the happier I am

What are yours?

You can see one of these resolutions in action, when The False Dots play the Ex Services Club in Bacon Lane, Burnt Oak on Saturday 11th February. We will be performing the Burnt Oak Boogie in Burnt Oak