Weapon of Choice

I’m starting my annual resolution planning. New Years is rapidly approaching. And I do my best on my resolutions if I use the real New Years mojo and start officially on 1/1.

I’m kind of waffling this year. If I make a resolution to learn something, it’s going to have to be low/no cost. Belts are tightening, my friends. And learning to brew my own beer, while appealing, when it will probably cost me $20 a pint, and I could buy 3 6-packs of Miller High Life for that price, just doesn’t make good fiscal sense.

So that leaves me with 2 top contenders: learn to play the ukulele or write a book. Both have their own kind of appeal.

The ukulele I already own. And I have a stack of books. So really, it comes down to sitting my ass down with the uke in my hands and applying my fingers to the frets. And I making it my resolution could give me the push I need. I really like that feeling of knowing at the end of the year that I accomplished what I set out to do. And being able to pick out a recognizable song next December sounds doubly appealing. I have a few friends who are lobbying for this one. Mostly because they like the idea of a friend who can sit around the campfire strumming out a tune. I’ve pointed out that this would probably also be accompanied by me singing (a truly horrifying prospect), but strangely they are still backing Plan Ukulele. Masochists.

Then there’s writing a book. That one actually scares me. Because I think it’s very probable that I wouldn’t achieve it. And I’d really like to. I’ve always thought I’d do it some day. But I’m almost 40, and someday hasn’t shown up yet. I worry that this is just too big of a goal. And I’m not even expecting that I write a good book. Just a book would do. Here’s the thing – I know even bad books are hard to write. Lots of sitting your ass down and applying your fingers to the frets, metaphorically speaking. And, it’s truly cowardly, but I’m afraid to try because if I don’t, I will be phenomenally disappointed in myself. Is it better to try and fail, or not try and keep your illusions that you could if you really wanted to? Good question. Guess I’ll have to answer it by the end of the month. Unless I can come up with a third option.