Dear Me

Dear me.
Yeah, I know. You're thinking that this is another of those fruitless motivational letters to myself that you'll write and then never read again.

Except that this time I'm fairly certain you will. Hear me out.

Remember that Red Dwarf episode where some superior being was making a misguided attempt to improve the galaxy. To accomplish this end he was kidnaping people and forcing them to sit as their own judge while he put them on trial for the crime of wasting the potential of their life. If they found themselves lacking they would be erased and replaced by another version of themselves who were supposedly better.

Yeah, sounds like a pretty lame process that would practically guarantee you'd get a universe filled with self centered egotistical jerks who believed they were in the right no matter how much evidence there was to the contrary. And no, I haven't been watching the news again if that's what you're going to ask.

Why do I bring up what I've always thought was a relatively unbelievable episode from a Scifi Sitcom I rarely ever watched and can barely remember? Because the premise stuck with me. It is a reminder that sometimes the hardest person to judge is yourself, while conversely you can also be your harshest critic. There is also the wasted potential part, but we'll skip that for now.

When I look back over these last couple of years I can honestly say that, in spite of your best intentions, you would make a lousy motivational speaker. You may tell yourself you have goals and ambitions, but when it comes down to making things happen there is always that lack the drive and self determination that would enable you to realize them. And while the rest of the world will judge you based on the actions you take, you will judge yourself as seen through the lens of your intent. You may say to yourself "I intended to fix that screen door", but neighbor still sees it falling off the hinges. Let's be honest with ourselves. We (current me, past me, and most likely future me as well) suck at completing the 'To Do' list.

It hasn't always been this way. Somewhere along the line you went from that naive yet enthusiastic 'What sort of interesting things are going to happen today' into this 'Oh God, is the day not over yet?' person who just wants to vegetate in front of the computer. So this year we are going to try something a little different. We're going to get our groove back.

Remember that 'Five for Five' project you invented to push yourself over that writers block several years back? The one where you picked five interesting interactive stories, then challenged yourself to add five chapters to each and post them by the fifth of May? Five stories, five chapters, five months, on the fifth day.

You've always had a soft spot for coincidental numbers, so this year it is going to be twenty to twenty two for 2022.
See, already your interested. I knew you would be. Do I know me or what? To this end I came up with the following list of tasks to get you back into the groove.

Most of the tasks are simple. Some are complex. Some are new. And some have been around since before you got wrapped up taking care of that crotchety old crab of a stand-in father figure during his final days. Yeah, I know. As excuses to not do your own stuff go, that one was pretty legit. But you don't have that now, so it is time to get you back into the habit of doing things

This year, you will accomplish the following:

One: Print the following list and pin it to your wall. Read it at least once a week. Highlight the tasks as you accomplish them. See? You're practically 1/22nd done already. That's a little better than four and one half percent already.

Two: Complete at least one full month of that 'Six pack in 30 days' App your daughter downloaded for you. One month to strike that task off this list, but if you can stretch it to two consecutive months you'll make both of us proud.

Three: Enter at least one 'Writing Dot Com' contest.

Four: Call an electrician. You have been putting off getting those electrical plugs put into the kitchen for years. This year you will do it! And while you're at it, have him wire the laundry room with proper lights.

Five: You've been putting aside a bit of money for years with the intent to trade in the pop-up and upgrade to that new hard side trailer the two of you keep talking about. Now is the time to do it. Besides, being in debt is motivational, right?

Six: Pretty sure the Jeep is only rated to pull a tent trailer, in spite of what the salesman said. It may be a class three hitch but the vehicle looks to have regular sized brakes and lacks the upgraded oil cooler and trailer fuse found in factory installations. All that points to an aftermarket add-on, and they lack the true tow capacity. Olay it safe and upgrade to a truck with the proper ratings.

Seven: Fix up the parking pad with a proper gate. That project has only been on the drawing board for nine years now.

Eight: Speaking of drawing boards, fix the ceiling in the Library / TV room. I know you've been putting it off because you hate drywall dust, but with summer and warm weather on the way, there's no reason the windows cannot be opened. Like it or not, you are dry-walling.

Nine: Dig out that welder you inherited and learn some rudimentary skills. I know it's scary and frustrating to use, but even if you never touch the thing again you'll be able to say you did.

Ten: Finish that Nintendo themed serving tray that is collecting dust in the garage. With just a few more special screws it will be done and you can use it in your new trailer.

Eleven: Put together that 'Plinking' target box you designed over the holidays. Then treat yourself to an afternoon of plinking.

Twelve: Phone your brother, just to talk. Even if he is in his bad space and won't answer. Especially if he is in that bad space. Be persistent. Eventually he will answer.

Thirteen: Take your daughter shooting like you promised. You don't need to go to that sketchy place the Russian girl you worked with recommended. Any licensed shooting range will do.

Fourteen: Set up a way to organize those short stories and one off chapters. It's bad enough you keep stumbling over fragments, but there are actual finished chapters out there you've lost because you can't remember what the file name is, let alone which lap-top you were using during that moment of inspired genius. Gather it all up, then back it up.

Fifteen: Get rid of those lousy VHS Tapes and bootleg DVD copies of old war movies you're only hanging onto because Bob insisted you have them. He's beyond caring now, and you'll never watch them. Nobody you know is going to want to watch them. Use the shelf space for soccer videos like you were going to originally.

Sixteen: Catalogue that tool collection. Take pictures for insurance purposes. And while you're at it organize that tool chest and get rid of the broken and worn out tools you ever use anymore but that seem the only ones you can find when you're trying to do a job. Ask yourself, as you always do when you pick it up and find it is unusable, 'Why am I keeping this?' If the answer is 'I don't know, maybe just because?'Then throw it away. Use the large galvanized trash can. You can turn it in to the metal recyclers when it is full.

Seventeen: Clean up the office. Get rid of all those broken computers and that collection of hard drives. You don't need to Frankenstein your technology any more. Yes, the dream was to fill those drives with written words, but now we have flash drives that are smaller with more capacity and easier to use. Nobody wanted 70 Gig drives when you were collecting them, and frankly you've got double that space on one camera memory card now.

Eighteen: Finish the hall stairs. You are one lousy tread and some miscellaneous trim away from being able to say 'Yeah, I did that.'

Nineteen: Finish the entry steps for the same reason. Do that before dismantling the closet. And this time try to avoid starting any more DIY renovation projects until you have at least three of your current ones finished.

Twenty: Fix that 3D printer and learn how to program simple shapes. Start with a nice simple six sided box with a removable lid. There are tonnes of videos out there by people with amazing talent who design incredibly detailed models of your favorite anime characters. Don't even bother to try and match what they do. If needed you can always download one of their models. Stick to the simple box you will at least have a chance of succeeding at. Then make it coolly ornate (or at least elaborate) enough to use for those heavy and super cool gaming dice your son-in-law gave you.

Twenty One: Sort through the accumulated junk in the attic. Look at it honestly. If memory serves, towards the back are those twelve wooden slabs you were going to repair and paint pictures on. While that sound environmentally all well and good, wouldn't it be better, easier, and cheaper to build new ones. And are you ever going to get around to that project?

Twenty Two: Organize that garage and get rid of the shelves full of stuff that is only there because you are saving it for the garage sale you keep saying you are going to have. Hold that garage sale.

And there you have it. Twenty two tasks to accomplish in 2022. There is nothing on this list you cannot do, and you've got a year to do it. You might even be done by July if you make an effort. At the end you should be happier, more motivated, and maybe even have a few bucks in your pocket.

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