Cast aside

2013 started with a surgical improvement. Once again, I am amazed by modern medicine. With three tiny incisions, my surgeon was able to insert a camera and tools into my knee to fix a torn meniscus that’s been nagging me for years. Within days, I was up and walking.

If only it were all so easy. Three scars and cut out my overeating tendencies? Sign me up! Three more to implant a habit of regular exercise? Yes! Just three more for a procrastinationectomy? Please!

Alas, there’s no magic trio of scars to trade for my flaws. Or is there? Hard work, diligence, patience – not literal scars, but they’ll certainly leave their marks. Just as my knee surgery wasn’t really magic (I need to do ~ 6 weeks of physical therapy), changing habits won’t happen while I sleep. That’s fine. I want to be awake and moving forward as steadily as this scarred vehicle will endure.

In addition to exercise, eating, and procrastination (quite a trinity), I’ m aiming to read better in 2013. For the past two years, I’ve kept a list of every book I’ve read. Seems like a natural item for a blog post, right? No. The preponderance of chick-lit vampire stories is a little embarrassing. This year, I want to read at least 30 books, and have my guilty pleasure reading better balanced with well-written, maybe even literary, books. If I want to be a better writer, I need to be a better reader.

So lucky 2013, welcome. Bring it on!