Happy 2016!

Hello all! Happy 2016!
So far my 2016 is going much like my 2015.
Work, sleep, be sick, repeat.

It's the worst recycling program EVER! A rut I tend to get myself stuck into far too often. I can tell you there has been a pretty big lifestyle change that's already taken place in the beginning of this year. A change that I'm not sure I should admit out loud, but I guess I will. Any of you that follow me on twitter know of my dedication and leadership in the "no pants" lifestyle. It is one of my founding principles. However, this year I have been introduced to the world of the fuzzy onesie and must admit that I, Golden "Pants free" Dean, am a fan. I know...I know...Hear me out...Please don't revolt yet. I still support the utopia of a pants free society as passionately as ever. I've always said, you No Pants at your own level of comfort, and I stand by this. But when the temperature is reaching a high of below freezing, having an ass of fuzzy angelic style warmth, well that's just tops! But fear not! I'm still living a healthy 90-92% pants free life. So I guess a couple of weeks in to this new year has brought at least that one change.

Like everyone else, I have been asked REPEATEDLY, "What are your New Years resolutions?" So far the only answer I have given anyone was "To not die" followed by an awkward amount of silence in order to not be asked again. Setting resolutions is totally fucking worthless. I think this year I will set some goals.

What's the difference in 'Resolutions' and 'Goals'?

Nothing other than a mental block. To me a goal is something I aim for, but to call it a resolution seems...well pretty resolute. It becomes a mandate or a chore. And nothing triggers my childish 'fuck you, I don't give a damn' attitude like a chore. (Trust me, deep down I'm an obstinate disobedient temper tantrum throwing child in a slightly taller package.) 

So please to enjoy some of my 2016 goals...

~See more movies in the theater- there was a time that I saw everything the week it came out, even if no one else cared to see it and I had to go alone. But for a few different reasons I haven't been as dedicated, and I miss the big screen experience. Plus 2016 has some amazing must see movies for a weirdo like myself... Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Beasts, Assassins Creed, Star Trek 3, and on and on ...

~Read- I go through phases with reading. As long as its for fun I can't read fast enough. But make it a chore and well....obstinate child. But even when I'm in a phase of not reading I'm still buying as though I'm reading a book a day, which leads me to the situation I'm in now. Huge stacks of books piling up everywhere longing to be read. So it's time to knock that stack down a bit.

~Do more- It can be extremely hard to plan activities when you live with a chronic illness. It's getting harder and harder to travel and having a compromised immune system makes it hard to be around large crowds. Plus when I'm "up" and feeling good I make all the plans, but then the date of the event comes around and it seems that the pain sets in and I just have to forgo my plans. I've got to get better at taking advantage of when my body is in a healthy phase and also take advantage of local adventures.

~Look up- This isn't some spiritual or metaphorical realization but a literal one. I spend so much time looking down when I walk, at work, when I'm out and about, that I miss so much of the world around me and it can become a self imposed isolation. So just by looking up more often maybe I can find ways to engage with the world around me.

~Cook more- I like to cook and I'm not too bad at it but I just don't do it. Instead I exist on mostly heat up frozen or fast food. So not healthy.

So there we have it, 5 goals for me to aim for in 2016. What about you guys? How are you handling your New Year? Join in and let us know. If your goal is cool, I'll probably steal it and do it myself!

-golden (@theonlygolden)

New Year….Fresh Start …..kind of

So I started this post about 12 times and it never sounded right to me and so I deleted it. I do that a lot. I write up this long post that’s supposed to be filled with humor, insight, and a message of some kind then I reread it and go … yeah that’s dumb so I delete it.

I was telling a friend the other day, no one is reading this thing so why is it so hard to write on it? What is holding me back? It’s not like I care if anyone is reading, frankly I’d like to think that you all had better things to do, (please don’t go!) but it would be nice to know someone was interested in my thoughts even if they are a jumbled crazy mess sometimes.

Now I realize that without posting these crazy random thoughts people have the option of rejecting or embracing my thoughts so that’s where I come in. I need to post these thoughts and see where the chips fall. You’d think not having an audience it would be easier to throw random things up on this thing and see what happens. However it’s not that easy.  This blog, writing in general used to be something that made me smile, made me reflective, and yes in some instances cry like a small child. I often wonder what happened.

I don’t want this to be another post where I tell you that more posts are coming, so I’m not going to go there. What I am going to try to do is strive to post even when I think they are silly or stupid or jumbled and dumb and force myself to write something even if it’s only once a month. Cause I’ve gotten lazy in so many aspects of my life, cleaning seems to be non-existent, there’s a Christmas present I’ve been meaning to mail since mid Dec still sitting unwrapped on my floor, and sadly I’ve checked my work e-mail more times on this holiday than I’d like to admit.

So … here’s my obligatory New Year’s Resolution post, but instead of calling it that I’m going to call it things I’d like to change about 2016.

1.     I’d like to see more movies not just say wow that looks good I should go see that then never go see it. That was on my list last year and it was an EPIC fail but this year I’m going to really try to make this more of a priority

2.     I’d like to spend more time actually TALKING to Golden not texting. Our different work schedules haven’t allowed for a 2 or 3 hour gab fest lately and I hope that changes. I miss our talks, she makes me laugh harder than any human on earth.

3.     I’d like to visit Golden more than once a year, it’s just not enough. I want more farting around time with her, more fun in our lives. I think we both need it, oh and her cheeseball. I really really really want a cheeseball. Sure I could make my own and have on a few occasions but hers are better. If nothing else i'm going to the Damn Zoo this year!!!! Mark it in your calendar! Nothing is going to stand in my way this year! NOTHING!!!!  

4.     I’d like to lose some weight, which would require me to be less of a slug. At the end of a long work day I’m just spent and don’t want to move, and on the weekends I think this is my only down time so I want to just lay here and do nothing cause Monday will be here soon !

5.     I’d like to exercise more, even if it’s just walking around the block to clear my head. Again my issue becomes that by the time I get home it’s 7, then I eat dinner and it’s late and so I don’t do it. Maybe I can come up with a plan for this. I already get up at the crack of dawn maybe 30 minutes at the start of my day would be good, then again 30 more minutes in my bed would be nice too.

6.     I’d like work to not be all consuming of my energy. Last year was INSANE work wise. I won’t bore you but know I took a total of 4 days off all year and most of that was spent at DragonCon. I know my boss wants me to take more time and he’s going to try and make it so that I don’t feel I’m carrying the weight of my dept on my shoulders, we’ll see how that works out for me. The last 2 weeks haven’t been any indication of a change but hey it’s a new year and I got a Christmas Bonus for those efforts so …. Yippie!

7.     I want to spend my money on things that make me smile more. Fun goofy things that I don’t really need but I want and not feel guilty about it. I work hard and deserve to play hard too … right?!

8.     I want to go to more concerts/shows/life events this year. I am tired of reading about everyone else having these epic memories. That also requires me to get out of my comfort zone a bit as the world has become a really scary place.

9.     I also hope for more music from some of my new favorite artist, Maddie and Tae, Haley and Michaels, The Springs, etc., I’m ready for the world to find out about them cause they are that good. Maddie and Tae got 2015 but there’s room on my radio for all of them. Come on Country Music make it happen.

10.  Speaking of Haley and Michaels I want to finish my story that I started a while back, if only cause I think Shannon and Ryan deserve to get out of that Airport :D That’s a big goal of mine for the next month or so. Ha!

So there you have it.

None of these are really promises or things that will change the world but things I felt you needed to know. We’ll talk more soon I’m sure, in the meantime have a fantastic 2016 filled with good times and few Butt Slams ... that's right I'm trying to bring that back.

-marcy (@beaslma)