My DKos New Year's Resolutions for 2007

Well, it's the end of the year again, and what a hell of a year it's been! I won't list everything that's happened, as that's been done on the front page and elsewhere already by far more eloquent people than I, but most of those things have shaken me to the core.

Along with all of the news, excitement, and other things, I've noticed that a new slew of meta diaries have gone up today. For once, they got me to thinking. (A hard thing to do sometimes... getting me to think that is. Tee Hee!)

Today is the day to plan for new beginnings. I've decided that I'd like to plan for a new beginning here on Kos as well. Nah, I'm not changing my name, or my style, etc., however, I have decided that I do have a few DKos Resolutions to make. So in the spirit of sharing, here they are:

10. To remain respectful and civil, even when I want to reach through the screen and choke the living shit out of someone. Chances are, I'm not as right as I think I am, and they're not as wrong as I want to believe they are.

9. To hold a healthy grain of skepticism towards even my favorite posters. It's time to stop the rah-rah and start thinking for myself.

8. To actually research some of the stories I'm posting a comment on rather than just taking things for granted.

7. To start participating in meta-communities here on Kos, such as C&J.

6. To find and learn how to post at least one pootie pic in said meta-communtiy.

5. To become more active OFF of this site, using what I've learned FROM this site. Chatting about it just isn't enough.

4. To recommend this site to at least ten people this year who may not have heard of it, and to be confident in the quality of what I read here.

3. I am going to strive to post one non-meta diary a month (not including this one of course), on something tangible and well researched. I won't push myself to do it if I just can't or don't find the time, but learning how to research a topic and write well on it is a valuable skill. I can't think of anywhere else that I would receive such honest and thoughtful critisism / compliments on what I write.

2. To start reading less of the Recommended Diaries, and start digging for some fresh meat in the Recent Diaries.

1. To broaden my mental horizons with the help of my DKos friends and frenamies.

What are your New Years Resolutions??

•  Suggestions?

  I can't stick around right now, but will be back after I clean the house and so my chores. I'd love to hear what ya'lls resolutions are, for here, life, or whereever you may be, or to hear any that are glaringly obvious that I should snag for myself.

  by Disillusioned on Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 10:35:40 AM PDT

•  Actually, I was resolving to do a GBCW diary ...

  ... just to provide impetus to detox my DKos addiction. Has anyone tried this? Does it work? I seriously need to get some work done. I'm thinking that I'll be too proud to come crawling back, but I'm not sure. Maybe it would be better to just beg Kos to ban me.

  by highfive on Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 10:50:26 AM PDT

  •  Nah, don't do that...

    I've been in your position, although, I've not done a GBCW. The best thing to do is just step back, delete it from your favorites, find a few new sources of reading, etc.

    You'll find over time that once you've weaned yourself from the site for a while, and then come back, your addiction won't be as strong. It will always be a part of you and what you read, but it won't consume as many hours of your day.

    Another thing to consider is that, hey, even if you don't read it today, it will be there for you to find tomorrow or the next day with a simple search. :) So even if you miss it, you won't really miss it.

    Good luck to you and a Happy New Year!!

    by Disillusioned on Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 11:25:37 AM PDT

•  An excellent set of resolutions indeed

  Several of them are resolutions for me as well. Worker harder next year includes research, research, research. Take an extra hour from playing Texas Holdem and read the wealth of bookmarked sources at my disposal. Happy New Year and Godspeed.

  by niteskolar on Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 10:54:56 AM PDT

•  I became a woman possessed

  in the past 2 years, but I can't blame DKos. Without this place, perhaps I would have given up and become one of those disillusioned, disenfranchised non-voters.
  But it did get intense, especially so in the last month leading up to the Nov. elections this year. Things have actually gotten to a tolerable level balancing work, family, leisure and Dkos since then -- I only check in once a day now. And it does get easier not to spastically keep checking once you step away from the keyboard for a few days.

  My resolutions for the coming year are (of course!) to lose weight and get more activity in, especially outdoors. To plant some of my own vegetables in spring, and to be a better steward of the little piece of Earth that I live on -- it was sorely neglected last year, and it really is a lovely and restful place that I am very fortunate to be able to enjoy.

  And thanks to Dkos and progressive talk radio and local activists that I now know exist, my lifelong resolution is never to allow myself to give in to the corporate media and their propoganda again. I may be Left, but Left is right and Right is wrong for the 90% of working class people, women, environmentalists, students, and most people whose ethnic heritage is not solely Northern European that comprise this great US of A. Never again will I sit back and do nothing when fascism comes slithering into my living room.

  by Cmyst on Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 12:25:44 PM PDT

  •  I guess the time has expired

    To hand out recommends, but if I could, I'd give you a dozen. Great comment, great resolutions. :) Thanks for stopping by, and hope your New Year was great!

    by Disillusioned on Mon Jan 01, 2007 at 12:37:45 AM PDT