New Year's Resolutions – following in my colleagues' keyboard strokes

Two of my colleagues, who write the most enjoyable blogs, have recently written a New Year's Resolutions post. I usually do my annual soul-searching and the jotting down of well-meant resolutions on or around Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year. Force of habit, from childhood. But having read my friends' posts, and not remembering where I wrote and what I did with my most recent Resolutions, I thought I'd chime in.

The first post is by Yael Sela Shapiro, see transela.com, if you read Hebrew. Her Point #1, though sensible, did not appeal to me: for heavens' sake, she talks about working more and blogging less! I'd rather do things the other way round. Point #2, viz., work more, waste less time on aimless web browsing, is a touchy one. I plead guilty, blush, and pretend I never read it.
Two points which I endorse wholeheartedly are:

1. Say no to yukky texts (See my previous posts, of December 2010 and July 2010.)
2. To help achieve that goal, peruse a text carefully before accepting the job. How often do we just glance at a text, see it's more-or-less doable, and say Fine, only to regret it bitterly as we discover the true horrors lurking in those innocent-looking paragraphs.

The second post, by Inga Michaeli, is more my cup of tea, since Point #2 advocates fun things like more blogging and less work. However, to make that possible, there's the important issue of pay. If we get paid more for our work, we can afford to work less and spend more time on the joys of life. This is Inga's highly commendable Point #4. Sure – we love our work, and sometimes it is pure joy, or at least very satisfying. Still, more time for family, friends, dinners out, trips abroad – well, they all contribute to our, ahem, professional development, our sanity, our wide horizons, our emotional and mental well-being. No one wants to deal with a disgruntled, stressed-out translator/editor, right??? So you see, it's in everyone's best interest that we balance work and play.

By now, I have found the notes I made last Yom Kippur. Funnily enough, the notebook was precisely where it ought to be. Let's see what observations and resolutions I made only 3 months ago, and what I've done about them, so far:

1. Procrastination is a killer. Fight it.
Progress report: I'm not alone in the battle against it, but that's not much help.

2. The trick to Happy Work is working on enjoyable material. To that end, get in touch with people who might supply same. I have a few names. Get in touch with them. Do not put it off.
Progress report: Er… maybe after the ITA conference?...

3. Sort the huge pile of notebooks, letters, diaries etc that my mom left me.
Progress report: Started to. Got discouraged. Will have to wait.

4. Start new blog, about all sorts of things that don't fit into the current two blogs. Speak to website/blog expert recommended by Yael.
Progress report: Have name for new blog: Nina Tracks Changes. Jotted down ideas.

5. Turn daughter's room into a study.
Progress report: Winter is not the right time – it's the coldest room in the house! But I can still plan… like if I move the bookcases over there… and maybe my desk would fit over here…

6. Go for a brisk walk every day. Okay, at least every other day.
Progress report: Excuses, excuses.

Happy 2011 all. May you be successful with your resolutions. And if you're only partially successful, don't beat yourself over the head – you'll just get a headache which, in turn, will cause you to procrastinate.