Travel can be a kind of monasticism on the move: On the road, we often live more simply, with no more possessions than we can carry, and surrendering ourselves to chance. This is what Camus meant when he said that “what gives value to travel is fear” — disruption, in other words, (or emancipation) from circumstance, and all the habits behind which we hide.”
– Pico Iyer, “Why We Travel
Reflecting on 2010
I like to measure my life in years. I know it’s RENT-ish, but dividing my life into 365.25 equally portioned batches of time is comforting. I find it cleansing to put the past in the past after a one-minute countdown on December 31st. It’s the healthy book-end balance that keeps my life moving in a positive direction. On December 31st, I know that change is possible.
About 342ish days ago, I rang in New Year’s Day at M2 in Hongdae, South Korea. Before the countdown, I made a promise to make some significant changes in my life to avoid a repeat of 2009. It’s the same thing I did in 2008 in Quincy, 2007 in Allston, etc. Like every year, some resolutions went well and some did not. In 2010, I gave up my bid to get Chris “Jacked” sometime in August and my desire to think positive “all the time” was thrown out the window sometime on January 2nd. But why not start to think positive again on January 3rd? Why wait until December 31st?
My resolution for next year is to stop waiting for next year. If it doesn’t go well…there’s always next year! :p
Goals for 2011
It’s never to late to start thinking about next year! Besides, I have very little to do between now and December 26th so I need to do something to kill time. :)
- Get a black belt in Tae Kwon Doe. (feasible in one year)
- Travel to Japan (Planning to do this in September)
- Run a Marathon (Either March or November)
- Pay off my credit cards once and for all
From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached.” -Franz Kafka
About me
Last year was a fantastic journey that brought about a much needed change in my life. 2011 will be year in living and teaching in South Korea. Here are my stories. :)
