Sunday, December 21, 2008

Personal Inventory

I did a post like this roughly this time last year, and thought I'd do another.

The changes in my life this year were not nearly as radical as the year before. This year has been more about implementing what I learned last year. So how well did I really do?

For the most part, I'd say the improvements have continued, if on a much smaller scale. My temper control in general has improved quite a bit, but some slips in the last two weeks have showed me that I still have a lot of work to do in that respect.

As far as tolerating anger in others, I've gotten a little better than last year at not letting the emotional states of others undermine my own, but again, there's a lot of work to do in that area. I really want to believe that people are basically decent, but especially in my work, they give me plenty of reason to feel otherwise. This upcoming week should be a particular challenge as the pre-Christmas meltdowns come to a head.

I've been doing yoga for nearly a year now, and feel much better physically as a result. I can't begin to tell you how much of a difference it's made.

My recreational interest in alcohol is all but gone. I can still enjoy a beer now and again with friends (and enjoyed a whopping two at this year's company Christmas party), but I really have to think about whether or not I want an alcoholic drink when the opportunity arises. I didn't even have a beer when I went out to dinner for my birthday this year. On the other hand, when I do have one these days, I really savor it.

My life is just plain too crowded these days, and I've realized that I'm going to have to make some decisions this year about what to do with my time in the future. My inclination is to cut back on my roleplaying activities to spend time on music, but I want to do this carefully, staying involved for the most part while pruning some of the activities that are working less well than others for me. I'm getting a little roleplaying writing done (more on that in a post to follow), but it feels more like work to me now, which isn't a good sign.

Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, or the politically correct greeting of your choice to all!

3 comments:

David Herrold said...

Can you believe you have been blogging for two and a half years?

I'm glad you've kept doing that. It keeps those of us scattered around the country up to date with your life.

Anonymous said...

Hey!

I know how much work goes into my own games, and the level of detail and background in yours blows mine away. I also understand the need to balance ones life and encourage you to find a mix that works best for you (whether that be more music or more of another interest that comes along). Just wanted you know that those of us who benefit from the work you put into roleplaying do great appreciate it!

See you in 2009!
Jason

Professor Raven said...

To Dave: It's given me a reason and a method of keeping my own thoughts in order, as well as keeping people informed, so it's a true pleasure. Thanks again for getting me started.

To Jason: Thank you for your appreciation, as it encourages me to keep putting in the effort to achieve that level of detail!