2007 is upon us

the first entry of the year for my blog should be something meaty. something of consequence. a chance to start off with something to say and a fresh take on life.

unfortunately, what you're most likely to get is a rambling account of my new year's eve and some resolutions that i don't intend on keeping...if you are still interested, please read on...

christmas was whirlwind. over before it really got started but that shouldn't suggest that it wasn't very merry. the family here in taipei did our best to drum up as much christmas cheer as we could muster in 25 degree weather. we spent christmas eve listening to carols, opening presents, watching christmas vacation, drinking and eating. it was a great christmas eve and probably my favourite part of the 2-day event. leesh and i even cooked up a special surprise for our peep's which you can watch below.



christmas day saw the return of turkey and trimmings at the girls' place and i pretty much had to roll myself down the stairs to get home. i seemed to have a problem moving under my own power. god i love a turkey.

the next week was really just the big countdown to the countdown. we went to a house party @ kiwi dave's who has a spectacular view of taipei 101. each year the folks @ the tallest building in the world throw a magnificent fireworks display where the whole building goes up. takes weeks of prep to get it just so. being the photog that i am, i nabbed a rooftop front row seat and got the whole thing on video.



isn't it something? there are a lot of people around me so 'plogies for all the ruckus but we were 3 sheets to the wind after all.

now that the holidays are once again over and a new year has begun, what's in store for 2007? i thought before i could look ahead i needed to take a look at some of the things i promised myself as resolutions for last year. going down the list i'll say i was disappointed(but not surprised) that i hadn't kept most of the things i said i would do. i didn't go back and study chinese, nor did i save more money. i didn't practice guitar or really develop a waistline. i haven't stopped biting my fingernails or started to write my first novel which will let me retire @ 35. nor have i quit smoking or given up drinking coke. i didn't make it to 5 countries this year, but i did make it to 4, of which 2 i hadn't visited previously. i also managed to get a killer tan and i do eat much healthier than before.

so, why wasn't i able to keep these promises to myself? not even the 50% i said i would be happy with. the problem was or is, that it's easy to have all these great ambitions but without a plan to see them through, they become just empty promises.

in light of this, i have decided to concentrate on one skill which will eventually allow me to conquer this mighty beast of a list. 2007 is going to be the year when i work on my willpower. that's right, willpower. if i can learn that most of the things i want to do are just a simple case of mind over matter, i can come out on top. so that's what this year is all about.

the first test of this started on january 1st. i am in a self-imposed, alcohol exile. i'm not touching a drop for 31 days as a personal test of mental muscle. there are other reasons as well, mostly to do with weight loss, saving money but more or less i just want to see if i can do it. i'm not meaning to sound like an alcoholic or anything, because i don't believe i am but not drinking excludes me from most of my social life and friends. so, not only am i saying no to drinking but also no to friends. another test. in addition, i won't be spending money so i'm going to find myself with extra cash in my pocket at the end of the month and i loooooove to spend money. yet another test. so, in this seemingly simple test of spiritual strength i am well on my way to wielding my willpower.

and there you have it. ryan david campbell's only true new year's resolution of 2007. it's going to be a long month but i think in the end i'll be the better for the experience.