On to 2021
Alright then, what do I want to do in 2021? Here’s the first batch of things: go to a pub, go to the cinema, eat at a restaurant, play board games with friends. God help me I even want to go into the office once or twice to see what it looks like. Maybe complete a work day without changing a nappy or initiating a nap (for someone other than myself). Let’s do the numbered list though, so I can check it off at the end of ‘21.
1. Get a coronavirus vaccine
Didn’t see this coming as a priority when I made last year’s list. Don’t care which one, just stab it into my veins. Maybe all of them. I realise that doing this is largely out of my control, and being under 40 and perfectly healthy means I’m second bottom of the list (up yours, children), but before, say, June would be nice. Sadly, the UK government is already fucking it up.
2. Get the holy fuck out of London
The last time I left the comforting enclosure of the M25 was to go to Brighton for a single night between lockdowns. I spent two hours wearing a mask in an aquarium, and spent an hour at night running uphill (this was by choice). The time before that was Christmas 2019. Let’s go home, let’s go to Canada, let’s go to Portugal, hell let’s go to China.
3. Running
I’m slightly hesitant to put running goals, because I can feel a twinge in my hip distressingly similar to last November. Admittedly, I did carry on running full time on it last year and waited until February to go to the physio, but let’s pretend that’s going to be OK and try and one-up this year. So:
- More than 1500km for the year
- More than 120km/ month
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I mean, why the hell not, the old 40 minutes 90 minutes thing. I have a 10k and half marathon booked in for April and May but who knows. I’ve also put in for the London Marathon (again, for the last time)
- Chinese
Let’s do HSK3 this year. I should probably talk more (there’s a talking-specific exam, HSKK, the extra K is for KILL) but damn pronounciation is hard. If things let up I might get an in-person tutor to talk at once or twice a week. Yes, my wife is a native Chinese speaker, but it’s easier to embarass yourself in front of a stranger whom you’re paying.
5. Health
My old friend Sugar Free ‘21. Keep doing it every year until it sounds more like a slogan in 2023. I did it in ‘19, which didn’t rhyme so how hard can it be. I want to reduce myself to about 62kg (from a current ~65 so it’s not enormously radical), which would probably gain me a few seconds per km.
6. Do not have any more children.
In 2021 or any year beyond that. No hidden resolutions this year.
2021 will probably be our last full year in Europe. I’m putting in my Canadian permanent residence application next week. It’d be nice to see some of the countries we didn’t get around to (like Greece, or the entire African continent), but with a combination of child and baby, there’s no way it won’t be just a huge hassle. We’ll have to see you in the future, Europe. Maybe from Canada we can scope out South America. Also vague, tentative, half-baked plans to hit up New Zealand in ‘24 once I’ve had a few years to save for it.
Who knows. Maybe my 2022 resolutions will include getting the worms out of my brain or putting that fire out.