Singing in the New Year: 2026 Resolutions

Every year, I relish looking back to reflect on the happy memories made, sometimes despite minor or major troubles in life. And the coming of a new year always holds such potential, I excite at the prospect of setting new goals and seeing what I can do through the twists and turns life will inevitably throw at me. 

I've been brainstorming for a couple weeks now on what I want to set out for myself in 2026, but instead of finding clarity and focus, as is exemplified by my life, I have a million thoughts in a thousand different directions. It has been helpful to look back at my previous new year's resolution posts to remember what was important to me, and which of those areas of my life may still be important. 

Let's Get Physical

Movement - whether straight exercise or more adventurous activities like hiking in the wilderness or swimming in ocean, along with dance which has a social element to it - has been a consistent theme and one that I would be remiss if I left off again this year, and perhaps all years. 

In some of my recent reading, I have been reminded that we can sort of rewire our brains by strengthening the paths of the habits we want to create or by lessening the frequency of exercising the pathways we don't want to promote. While I've had sprints of good exercise habits, and I've continued going out to dance regularly, it still has not become consistent enough and I am very good at making excuses for myself. 

So putting those ideas together, I think I need to exercise with the intention of re-wiring my brain. Reframing it in this way gives me a purpose and a way to combat the excuses I inevitably want to make for myself. Calling out the excuses for what they are, and reminding myself that fighting against the choice not to exercise is actually promoting the thing in my brain that I want to strengthen. 

I want dancing to continue to be a part of my life, and I don't think I have to set that as a resolution for that to continue idly. I have toyed with getting more serious with it - taking lessons, for example, or practicing and really becoming an expert in a routine or two. Specifically, I love the "Doin' the Jive" routine, it's not too complicated or difficult, and I think if I practiced enough, I could even possibly offer to teach it at FWSDS. I could practice the "California Orange" routine to get better at that in case it is taught again at Camp Hollywood next year, or maybe I could spy on what the LA dancers are working on and try to get ahead of it with that routine. 

I also think, beyond the comfort and convenience of indoor exercise, I should aim for more intentional outdoor hikes. I already have scheduled for myself a trip to Kawaii and a trip to Yellowstone, so those are great opportunities to not just be outdoors but to do something rigorous. This starts by simply searching for and planning things to do which would involve walking or hiking in the wilderness. And I do love a good trip planning session! 

One Song

Musical pursuits have been on my mind a lot in recent months, and I've tried to postpone it to keep myself focused on writing and publishing my book(s) for the remainder of the year, so now is the time to explore what I really want to do in 2026. 

My reinvigorated interest started as more of a fun thing: playing with generative AI to create songs that are surprisingly catchy and entertaining, even if not totally perfect in pronunciation and logical flow. I've had a latent desire to get a better recording of "Go in Peace and Love," an a capella song I sang with my Madrigal Choir in high school every year, and which had great meaning I think to all of us. Wouldn't it be amazing to get the gang back together to record it? Or to find new talented singers with whom to rehearse and record it? My niece, Anna, has a beautiful voice and expressed interest in recording - I think her Dad even got her a recording session for Christmas - so I shared my thought with her which piqued her interest. 

I've also had a latent desire to pick up on piano/keyboard lessons and learn how to play some songs that people can sing along to, or even better, learn how to sight read on piano. I recently went to a Christmas party at the house of a swing dancer I know in Fort Worth, and he was actually playing songs on his historic but surprisingly well-tuned piano, while a few of us stood around and sang along. We started with Christmas tunes and then moved onto Broadway show tunes. It was so much fun to me, I would love to do that regularly, and I hope I'll at least be able to return to that as a holiday tradition while living in Texas. 

Beyond gen AI music, I often dabble in writing parody lyrics, or even writing lyrics for original tunes. I've enjoyed these exercises and sometimes dream of writing a full musical, but the ambition and lack of focus are daunting. So trying to find the middle ground between taking on a fun project and being able to complete it is the challenge. 

I have a decent microphone and sound-dampening panels, so I think I'd like to set a goal of recording a least one vocal song. In addition, I do want to dig up the "Go in Peace and Love" sheet music and pass that on to Anna, or at least get it in front of myself again. Perhaps I could record the individual parts myself, if I am so inclined. 

Beyond creating and performing, it has occurred to me that I often feel behind on learning of new musicals, and that seems like a very solvable problem. So I'd like to find ways to be more connected to Broadway news and up and coming shows. 

No Place Like Home

Until I looked back at my old new year resolution posts, it hadn't even occurred to me that a new DIY home design project has been turning in my head. Having fully satisfied my vision for my Love Island-themed bathroom, and executed my alternative Texas styling in my family room, complete with hot pink fireplace, I think it's time I turn my attention to that boring kitchen of mine. I already have a theme - citrus - and a vision, so really, it's just about refining the design and executing at this point. 

Sorry, Not Sorry

It has weighed on my mind that one of the pieces of actionable (but annoyingly hard) feedback from my boss was that I say, "Um," too much and that my speaking could use polish. While I recognize this as true historically, I've also sort of embraced it as I've been told how I communicate is effective. I also take a little pride in being unapologetically me, and that is a part of my language. But, if I want to advance into the higher echelons of the company, which I do, then it may be worth acting on the feedback. 

Billionaire (Passive Income, Automation and Technology)

Ever since my Python script to post to Twitter stopped working, I haven't had automated or manual promotion consistently for my book(s), fabrics and blog. As such, I think it's time to dig in on figuring out a way to automate social media posts again, especially for my fabric business which is a small but steady source of passive income. It is much improved when there are posts about it, so ignoring that untapped potential seems frivolous. 

I also would like to complete my AI certification program and find ways to utilize that learning as part of my IncQueries project. 

And similar to my desire to keep up with the latest Broadway musicals, I've realized I've defaulted to books for much of my intel, but books hardly keep up with the changing technology landscape, so I should shift some of my "input" bandwidth to podcasts, YouTube channels, or news publications and the like, related to my interests in technology and economics. 

A big source of frustration and reason for procrastination in my personal resolutions for 2025 was wanting to publish my management book. I set out to establish relationships with actual publishers who could provide editorial critiques and help market my book and maybe even create a path towards becoming a writer beyond a single book. I found it to be much harder than I anticipated, and pivoted to self-publishing with a program I was willing to invest in if it worked. I got stuck, however, largely on the "building a list" based on social media posts discipline again. I could still exercise one of the features to try to get unstuck, but I'm not convinced self-publishing is the way to go for books I really care about. The topic of the book didn't explicitly have to be management per my resolution, and I did, indeed, self-publish my book on Astoria, which was a fun rabbit hole to go down. But the pivot away from seeking a real publisher relationship was unsatisfactory to me. As such, I think I'd like to give that another go, but I'm not sure I'm committed to making it a resolution this year. 

The rabbit hole I went down for my Astoria book was a fun one, and if I wanted to do a more light-hearted book again, I have many topics I could pursue, including connecting the disparate mythologies and conspiracy theories of the Bermuda Triangle, ancient unexplainable architecture, crop circles and patterns in stone under rivers, etc. When I moved from California to Texas a couple years ago, at the urging of my friend Allison, I stopped at The Thing to see the updated museum, and documented the new bizarre explanation of all of history as we know it (spoiler alert: it was all the aliens' doing). That kind of stuff makes me laugh but also is a fun exercise is challenging the "known" science and history. 

I'm leaning towards an "either/or" resolution. Either I figure out how to automate my social media, and try to build my list / audience, or I attack the challenge of getting in with a publisher. 

And if I could combine another fun rabbit hole project with the outdoor movement, that would be a reasonably efficient way to accomplish a lot with limited time and resources. 

You've Got a Friend in Me

Finally, I want to strengthen my existing friendships and develop new local friendships. While swing dancing offers a social environment outside of work, that is not a sufficiently social environment to forge deep friendships necessarily. So I think this is where I can set more discrete goals for myself, spending one day (or part of a day) a month with a friend or family member (not a romantic partner), and seeking classes or activities in which socializing could promote new friendships. 

My Resolutions

It feels like a very well-rounded list is formulating, with lots of bonus ideas or general focus areas. So, let's give it a go. In 2026, I think I'll endeavor to: 

• Physicality - Make Movement a Requirement to Re-wire my Brain
• Bonus: Make plans to get out into nature for walks and hikes
• Plan Yellowstone trip in detail
• Plan Kawaii trip in detail
• Plan for work trips
• Bonus: Learn a dance routine expertly
• Musical - Record at least one song (or continue on with an album)
• Bonus: Find the sheet music for "Go in Peace and Love"
• Bonus: Start practicing keyboard/piano again
• Optional: Try to find new musicals and stay up to date on them
• Home - Complete Kitchen Redesign/Renovation
• Bonus: Finish unpacking all boxes
• Bonus: Consolidate clothes into my primary closet (and donate the rest)
• Technology & Passive Income - Automate Social Media and/or Get into a Publisher with my (management) book
• Optional: Go down another rabbit hole to write another low-stakes book
• Bonus: Complete AI certification course
• Relationships - Spend one day per month with a (non-romantic) friend or family member
• Find classes or activities to attend with like-minded people 
• Profession - Invest time and energy towards refining my language

Here are a few fun videos that capture just some of the fun I had in 2025. 

Unlocking 2025

I want to retire from the corporate world by 2034. I make plenty of money but I also live a pretty awesome and somewhat spendy lifestyle which I'm not willing to forfeit. So to retire so early, I need to find other incomes. And I'm not opposed to working for myself after my "retirement", I just don't want to be working a regular day job that requires 40+ hours of work per week and limits my vacation and travel plans.

Instead, I'd be interested in publishing books and going on book tours, being a guest speaker and maybe even a little bit of consulting. I'd also like to have properties I can rent out to cover my own mortgage. And being somewhat tech-savvy and okay at programming, paired with what I believe to be novel and futuristic thinking, perhaps building and selling a killer app or developing AI solutions to empower income generation would be the most profitable and scalable route.

I've been writing all my life and I have half-completed works which I think could be marketable. I've even self-published a book. It sold one copy. The idea of self-publishing is appealing with its low barrier to entry, but I've been convinced for a long time that the best route, especially for me without a big social media following or the desire to put effort towards building one, is to go the traditional route with a publisher who can help promote the books but also who can provide good editing collaboration and professional artwork for the cover and any graphics in the work.

So it begs the question why haven't I pursued such a course of action? For one, I'm intimidated and a little daunted by not knowing where to start. And certainly, in my life, I've not been solely focused on publishing books. But I think there's also a fear of rejection, or maybe worse - feeling like I wasn't even given a chance - that holds me back.

Yet the math is there. If I'm going to retire to plan, I need to start developing my other incomes and sooner than later.

When Sam and I talk about AI and technology, he is quite out of the loop but fascinated. He's quite intelligent, though, and so I think there's opportunity for us to capitalize on our different smarts to create something. But what, I don't know exactly know. Perhaps when I'm back in the States, we should spend some of our weekend chats brainstorming ideas and laying out next steps.

As far as renting properties, that seems easy enough. Primarily I need to determine where I want to own such properties and then it's just a matter of finding them. Actually, it occurred to me today that I could buy a large plot of land and build small homes to try out the various weird features I want to have in my dream house, and then take lessons learned to apply to my ultimate big house. If I build a handful of these smaller homes, I can continue moving into the newest one and renting out the previous ones. They would also serve and added bonus of being available to family to stay in for visits or to move into if needed - independent living but close to me.

With Sam in my life, chasing love need not be consuming my time anymore, and we collabotively plan vacations so I don't need to do much soul-searching for retreats. The only other two things that will occupy my mental energy and time would be working on my house and the ever-present need for exercise, with dancing being a primary focus for me. In theory, with my new CPAP therapy, I should hopefully get more restful sleep which I hope will help restore my metabolism and provide the energy and mental health to exercise and make good food decisions. While health requires ongoing attention, and I don't want to diminish the effort I need to put towards that end, I think this may be the year in which I put some of these big dreams into action.

As such, I'd like to establish these tenets as my focus for 2025:

 • Develop book pitches

 • Get in contact with at least three publishers about my ideas

  ○ At least one before the end of March, and another before the end of June

 • Continue dancing and working on exercise routine

 • Develop some novel ideas to leverage technology

  ○ Explore investing tools

 • Finish family room

 • Finish primary bathroom

Interestingly, these are going back towards something like New Year's resolutions, something I got away from years ago. Perhaps returning to more structured definitions is indicative of a clearer focus, having used the last couple years to explore what is most important to me and finding myself again.

Easily Green in 2017

Perhaps it is most fitting to start looking towards 2017 in light of the Pantone Color of the Year: Greenery.  The (literal) master of color and fashion trends, Pantone describes the 2017 color of the year as being "symbolic of new beginnings."  I wouldn't be the first to point out that 2016 has been a rough and rocky year, and so it is fitting for just about everyone I know to hope for new beginnings and "reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose."  However, for me personally, it takes on even more meaning, because I will be picking up my life after being quite content in the Phoenix, Arizona area for over 14 years, and moving to the other side of the country.  The move alone is such a big deal, it means a complete life-style change for me and my

boyfriend, Jaiman, who will thankfully be making the move with me.  Greenery also is a great description of what awaits us in our move - we will be going from the beautiful desert landscape I've grown to love, to a place of green lawns, evergreen and maple trees, and all sorts of other greenery.  Money - perhaps the most sought-after proverbial green - will also be a key aspect of our transition; I will be getting paid more, he will need to find a new job, and we will need to watch that spending on our ambitious adventures and culinary conquests doesn't exceed our budget.  Hopefully, we will find "greener pastures" in Connecticut, but there's no telling if our food porn will make our friends and family green with envy, or if we'll go green with homesickness. 

Continuing down this analogy, Pantone suggests a number of palette combinations with names that are strangely fitting for the expected experiences of our year to come:
Transitions - both a job change for me and him, as well as a transition of lifestyleGrand Canyon - we will be exploring our great home state a little bit more before we leave
Rev It Up - our personal and professional lives will hopefully find new energy in 2017
Fathomless - there seems to be no end to our dreams and aspirations for our new life in New England
Deep Rooted - while we're leaving our family and friends behind, we will stay connected
Calm It Down - there will inevitably be moments of stress, and I know I will need to take a moment to catch my breath and relax

Indeed, I am impressed by how much this opportunity feels like a blank canvas, and while green is not commonly referred to as a neutral color, Pantone describes it as nature's neutral, a perfect backdrop to re-invent ourselves and our life.  So without further ado, here are some things to look forward to and personal goals for 2017:

2017 Goals (Themes Inspired by Pantone's palettes)

Transitions - Get down to a size 12

While I often avoid making weight-loss goals because they are hard to adhere to and obtain, I think I've reached a point where I am ready to make some serious changes, and that means committing to an achievable goal again. 

Ethereal Material - Cook one new dish

Most of you know that I am not exactly a master in the kitchen, but I do experiment and come up with something amazing from time to time.  Encouraged by my hit chorizo tacos at the cabin for Christmas, I definitely am ready to expand my cooking vocabulary.  Suggestions welcome, just keep in mind that ease isn't actually a motivating factor for me, I want a dish that is AMAZING that I can't get elsewhere, that will motivate me to work on it.  

Grand Canyon - Do one new hike

I've conquered (and occasionally felt defeated) by some of the most amazing hikes in the world, right here in Arizona.  Before moving out of the southwest, I'd like to try one more awesome hike that I've not yet tackled.  I think we'll also need to do a hike or two in the northeast, but I don't expect that to be the on the same level.  Again, suggestions welcome! 

Forest Floor - Grow something

Cactus have been known to die at my hand.  But I've come to find that, coupled with my experimentations in the kitchen, the herbs and veggies I use often go bad before I use them all up.  I'm not sure how well it will go to grow my own, but I'd like to at least try to grow something like mint, peppers or lettuce so it can be used in my recipes. 

Rev It Up - Complete a college course (online or otherwise)

This category could have gone a few different ways for me - I was initially thinking about all the roller coasters we expect to do next year.  But I think, dating Jaiman, roller coasters are inevitable and also aren't actually all that important to me.  But as I was thinking about the future, I realized that it's been a while since I've done something for my professional development, so I thought, even if I don't pursue a certification of some sort, I should at least study something.  I've watched a lot of TED Talks over the last couple years, but even as thought-provoking as they are, I find them rarely to be actionable.  And there are so many options for actual college courses readily available and free online, I think it's a no-brainer to improve myself in this way. 

Fathomless - Make something unique & innovative

I'm leaving this intentionally very open-ended.  In years past, I've done some (I think) extraordinary things with my home, and for a while I had serious interior design ambitions.  But while I never did make it onto HGTV's Design Star, I think there is still room for me to do something really cool, and with a move to a whole new home, I can't think of a better way to break in the new space than by putting my own unique flare into it.

Calm It Down - Read 20 books

I had set out to read 20 books this year, and completed 25 (and started a couple more).  So I had thought about raising the bar for next year, but settled on 20 again because of all the changes and other things that are going to come next year.  Also, I found that while I was doing all this reading in 2016, I was consumed by consuming words, rather than producing them, and I believe my writing suffered as a result.  So not only do I not want to not stretch myself given all the other activity, but I think I will probably also limit myself to 20 books, and focus more on the experiences to be had and writing to be done. 

Analogous - Write a novel/book

I've had some little ideas circulating in my head for a while, and I love the idea of nanowrimo, even though I didn't participate this year.  So I think for 2017, I not only want to participate in nanowrimo again, but I want to work a bit more on my writing again.  I may even combine this with the class thing and take a writing course of some sort. 

Moody Blooms - Learn a new style of dance

I love dance, and I can always use more exercise.  In the distant and recent past, I've taken classes in modern jazz, ballet, east coast swing, hip hop, pole, tribal belly dance, lindy, and balboa.  Of these, I'd say I was most terrible at hip hop, so I may consider a return to that style still as being new.  Or, maybe I will have Jaiman teach me his favorite ballroom style, or maybe a Latin style dance - I do like shaking my booty!  Regardless of the style, the point is to move and enjoy it! 

Deep Rooted - Host a game night or get-together

An extreme extrovert, I just can't get enough of being around people whom I enjoy.  I think this is one of the aspects of moving that scares me most - I will once again be far away from my family and friends, and will only have a few people I know in the new world.  So whether it's before or after the move, I definitely want to push myself to host something that brings me closer to the people I enjoy at least once, if not 300 times over! 

Personal Events:

Feb 27 - Hiking "the Wave"
Mar 4 - A friend's wedding
Mar 18 - 19 - Going to my first NASCAR race
Spring(?) - Road trip up PCH to San Francisco (tentative)
Spring/summer - Househunting trip to Connecticut
August(?) - Move from Mesa, AZ to Stamford, CT area
Late summer/fall - Six Flags trips on the east coast!
Sept - Travel to Australia (tentative)

National Events:

Jan 1 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine one-hour winter finale (8:30 pm on Fox)
Jan 4 - People's Choice Awards (9pm on CBS)
Jan 6 - Hidden Figures (theaters)
Jan 8 - Golden Globe Awards
Jan 10 - This Is Us midseason premiere (9 pm on NBC)
Jan 13 - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix)
Jan 19 - Scandal (9pm on ABC)
Jan 22 - Critics Choice Movie Awards
Jan 25 - The Path (Hulu)
Jan 29 - Screen Actors Guild Awards

Feb 5 - Super Bowl LI (5pm on Fox)
Feb 3 - The Space Between Us (theaters)
Feb 26 - The Oscars

Mar 22 - Empire spring premiere (9pm on Fox)

Apr 14 - Fast & Furious 8: The Fate of the Furious (theaters)
Apr 21 - The Amazing Race (8pm on CBS)

May 5 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
May 26 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (theaters)

June 11 - Tony Awards
June 25 - BET Awards

Sept 17 - Emmy Awards

Dec 22 - Pitch Perfect 3 (theaters)

Your Goals for 2017

I think goal setting is an important practice, even if you don't end up achieving your goals in the time allotted, or if your priorities change.  It helps us to think about what it is we need to accomplish, how we can do it, who we need, and what things we need to do to prepare.  It pushes us to be better people, to strive for the legacy we want to leave behind, and it gives us concrete things to measure ourselves against.  So often, I get this feeling of being stuck in purgatory, passing time until something exciting happens.  But the truth is, life is good, and every day can be awesome, and if I'm working towards something, then I know I am moving forward, and therefore I'm not stuck.  I strongly encourage you to use this template for your own goal setting for 2017, and I'd love to hear how you interpret these themes! 

Transitions - Change is inevitable.  What is one thing you want to change for the better?

Ethereal Material - Back to basics.  What can you do to ground yourself?

Grand Canyon - Adventure is waiting!  What is one thing you can do that will make it into your Christmas letter in 2017?

Forest Floor - Nature is the source of so much inspiration, not to mention food, shelter, water, etc.  What is one thing you can do to feel connected to Mother Earth?

Rev It Up - Accelerate your life!  What is something you want to accomplish that will push you out of your comfort zone?

Fathomless - The human mind is incredible!  Even if you don't consider yourself creative, push yourself to create something.  Take a class at TechShop, or a glass-blowing workshop, or one of those painting with wine classes.  Or, just pick up a couple supplies at your local craft store and go to town!

Calm It Down - So few adults continue reading after school is over.  Challenge yourself to read!  Ask for suggestions.  Look around at your library.  Go to goodreads and see what your friends are reading, or list the books you've liked in the past to see what comes up as suggestions.  Read the book before the movie comes out (I love doing this).  If you still don't know what to read, check out my list of suggestions here. 

Analogous - Just like reading, I think writing is such a critical part of our lives.  Consider starting a journal (or blog!), experiment with short stories, write about something you know really well, or make up a parody to your favorite song. 

Moody Blooms - Express yourself!  I'd challenge you to take a dance class, but if that's too out there for you, consider learning a new language (I recommend Pimsleur audio CDs, you can get them from the library and they only take 30 minutes a day - do it on your commute), trying a new skill (scuba diving? archery?) or going to see a show or event you normally wouldn't (opera? college theater? museum exhibit? botanical gardens?). 

Deep Rooted - At the end of the day, it all comes down to people.  How can you connect or re-connect with the people you most admire?