There are several major goals I would like to accomplish in 2010. As I have already mentioned in previous posts and my other blog, I intend to lose weight and strengthen my animation skills. There are also other things I would like to do. I want this blog to not be solely about my weight loss, but about the new and exciting discoveries I encounter over the coming year. Here are a few examples of what I have in mind:
Read a new book a month - I never really found much time to read a book. To be honest, I sometimes consider it a waste of time if I am not learning something. So needless to say, I don't read a lot of fiction. I usually read books about animation or film making. I had started reading concurrently a couple of biographies last year on Walt Disney. I did read "The Pixar Touch" with chronicled the history of the studio from its simple beginnings to "The Incredibles". So I plan to read either a new fiction or non-fiction book a month. For now, I may finish up one of the Disney biographies. I'll let you know later which title I chose.
Watch a new movie a week (DVD or theater) - This is something I can really get behind. I love movies and I love going to the movies. I do have a subscription to Netflix and I need to take full advantage. Not sure what kind of movies I would like to get into. There's always animated features and foreign films. To be honest, I actually have a couple that I own that I have not yet seen. So sounds like this is going to be an easy one.
**UPDATE** I've decided to make my first day off of the week from work my "new movie" day. Although I won't have the same day on a consistent basis, I will have at least one day a week set aside for a new movie. I think this will work out fine.
Get back into wines - Since I have cut back on my sodas, I need something other than water, fruit punch, and lemonade to quench my thirst. I recently tried a Reisling I have had in my fridge for the past couple of years. It was delicious! I also purchased a bottle of my favorite wine, a Reisling by Schmit-Soehne. That is pure heaven. After a glass or two it goes down just like water. There are a few other labels I have been wanting to try. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to give them a shot. Plus, I know a couple of friends that have expressed interest in wines.
Listen to more Jazz and "new to me" artists - I love jazz. I hate to say it but I have drifted away from it. I remember a time when I would come home, pop in a jazz CD and go about my day. At one time I would look through the latest issue of JAZZIZ magazine and scope out the reviews of the new releases. If one of them peaked my interests I went out and bought it, sight unseen. I was never disappointed. The other day at work we had it on the jazz station. I was just digging some of the tunes coming from it. So I grabbed my phone and opened an app that can ID a song just by listening to it for 10 seconds. I picked up about 15 new songs. I'm listening to a few of them now and they are just amazing. Some of them are Horace Silver, Art Pepper and Cal Tjader.
Learn more of the guitar and music theory in general - This is one thing I have been wanting to do for quite some time. My father has recently been getting me back into playing the guitar. This past Christmas, he and I played backup for my cousin while she played a Christmas song on her flute. It was a lot of fun and the first time I played in front of other people. I only know the basic chords right now. I also have several guitar tab books from the Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and an "easy tab" book on the Beatles.
And then I'd like to learn more about music theory. Here is where I want to learn more about music and how it is created. Why certain notes sound the way they do when combined with other notes. Which notes when played together sound good and which sound not so good. What makes up a chord and what are the different variations of that same chord.
Draw! Draw! Draw! - This is one item that belongs here and with my "Animation" resolutions. I used to love to draw but never really found the time nor place to do it. The only type of drawing I've done recently have been the storyboards for my short film. Before that it was for the sketchbook assignments for class. The last time I remember going out and sketching was back in 2007. This is something I have to do. I need to build up my drawing skills, not only for my animation eye,but for the creative soul inside of me that has been shut in for so long.
Sounds like this is going to be one busy year of great discovery!
