New Year’s Resolutions 2009
Year End Review


Review of how well I performed with respect to my new year's resolutions.


France, Greece and Japan Travel to them

* Mostly accomplished.
I went to France and Greece but not Japan.
Instead I replaced the Japan trip with a trip to Berlin, and a cross country US road trip, and a bit of time in Montana. So all in all I feel pretty good about this resolution.


Girlfriend Stop dating around like an idiot and settle down with one ___________
Give less attention to crazy women ___________
And more to emotionally healthy women

* Hmm, this is a hard one to evaluate...

I would say that for the most part I continued dating around like an idiot as I had been. But with the important difference that about half way through the year the opportunity for something real finally presented itself with one of the girls I had been dating, and after I got the emotional and chemical green light within myself, I really went above and beyond in trying to make things work with her. Ultimately after months of struggle and drama, it didn't. Though it ended poorly, In retrospect I actually really surprised and impressed myself with how constructive, compromising, and patient I could be when I become committed to trying to make a relationship work. So that being said, I can look back on the attempt without regret or disappointment. Unfortunately after things ended, I spent the remaining months of the year resuming my excessive dating ways with greater frequency and pointlessness than ever before. Something that shall not be allowed to continue in the new year.

So though I failed in this resolution, I learned I'm not as hopeless as I had imagined when it came to making commitments and seeing them through, and hope 2010 presents me with another such opportunity with someone I'm more compatible with.


Oil Paintings Paint at least 6 awesome ones

* Failed.
Caused by my lack of prioritizing and not being settled in any one place. I spent the year working in the bay, having a place in LA, and traveling. I finished one oil painting, which I gave to my friend as payment for a bet I lost the year previous...


Script Finish it _______
Finish transcribing old note/sketchbooks _______
Piece together and organize all like ideas and themes

* Mostly failed.
I transcribed almost all my note/sketchbooks. But haven't yet organized the ideas therin, let alone write a script from them.


Yucatan short Finish it

* Mostly failed.
Finally digitized the footage, and rendered it out as a frame sequence, but haven't yet color corrected, edited, etc.


Master scales And be able to improvise freely in all keys.
Not just C major

* Failed.
Again, lack of prioritizing and not being settled in any one spot, and therefore unable to buy a piano. Which meant my only practice time was every few months when I visited my parents in Santa Barbara.


Old Negatives Scan and edit them

* Accomplished!


Japanese Start taking it seriously and become conversational

* Failed.
No excuse, just didn't apply any energy or time to this. Very sad.


Short Film Start and finish at least one new one

* Mostly failed.
I recorded some super 8 footage on my travels, but haven't yet processed and edited it into anything.


Record Music (my best of) by year’s end

* Accomplished!
Just simple piano recordings, but still something.


Anya and Fox Finish it in at least high quality storyboard form

* Failed.
Got as far as finishing the outline, and drawing some key scenes, but nothing that would constitute a full storyboard.


Literary Publications Begin submitting to them

* Failed.
Didn't do anything even close to this.


Mamiya or Hasselblad Get camera and appropriate gear

* Accomplished!
Got a Mamiya before my Paris trip and have fallen in love with it from the first day. I've since bought a second one to replace my travel battered original, plus a bunch of lenses and gear. Couldn't be happier about this.


Cinematography Get appropriate gear

* Failed.
Though I don't feel bad about it, because not being settled in any one spot this year, it wouldn't have made sense for me to have stocked up on cinematography gear.


Sleep Schedule Commit to a more sensible one ________________
Don’t stay up past 2 am without a good reason

* Mostly accomplished.
I was able to average a 2:30 bedtime. Which is a huge improvement for me. I was sceptical that I was going to get anywhere near accomplishing this resolution, so am pretty happy about it.

Make this your internet start page to be reminded each day Also paste a print of this by computer monitor

I did this, but it was at my computer in LA which I was rarely ever at this year.

Check in at 6 months (July 1st) and be at least half way through all quantifiable resolutions.

Didn't do. Though it was a good idea. If I had, I'm sure I would have performed better.


Don’t start regressing in areas you are doing well in. Continue swimming, and Pilates. Stay addiction free, don’t start eating crappy food, don’t get lazy in general.

I half failed this. With all my moving and traveling I stopped swimming and Pilates. Though I did get much more into biking, have continued to eat well, stay addiction free, and stave off lazyness.


You’re not getting any younger. Many of your friends are settling down, and you are not as far along in your art as you hoped to be by this time. Don’t let down ten year old Ali. Be more awesome.

I'm trying little Ali I'm trying!