Obaith (2017 Goals and Plans) in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

Resolutions are common at the end of one year and beginning of another. But the word resolution is an interesting one.
Resolute: admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
Resolve: decide firmly on a course of action.
Resolution: a firm decision to do or not to do something.

I honestly believe that is something that should be with us throughout the year. We should be admirably purposeful… though it can be very difficult. We should be strong in our beliefs and confident in our actions; allowing us to decide firmly on a course of action. And in every life; there are multiple times per year for people to make a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Thus, I don’t make “Resolutions.” Not really. Besides, “resolutions” as they presently exist rarely hold the weight of something we keep with us throughout the entire year. No. Instead, I like to fashion goals and (if I’m wise enough) plans… identify things that I wish to accomplish, prepare ways in which I might accomplish, and go after it. This year, I’m taking a bit of a different approach. Instead of deciding upon a few “focus matters” for the year; I’m going to split things up into the largest moving to the smallest.

Universe/Galaxy
This year there are some interesting astrological events set to take place. While various meteor showers happen every year, it has been a while since I’ve taken the time to enjoy one. But more importantly, August has a New Moon Solar Eclipse. From my present position on earth, it will only appear to be a partial eclipse (some southern states/countries will see a total eclipse) but even a partial eclipse is something to get excited about and want to make time for.

Earth/Globe
Climate Change is real. Admittedly, I still preach caution as far as massive human policy changes… simply because I remember a decade where schools were teaching Children that we were headed for another Ice Age. But that caution comes with temperance. We shouldn’t instantly try to find ways of cooling the earth… some scientists suggest we’ve passed the point where that is even possible. But we should be better stewards of this planet. Recycling isn’t a Herculean task. Canvas bags at the grocer isn’t a massive inconvenience. And opting to take public transit, bike, walk, or car pool every now and again might actually be in your best interest. Granted… the corporations of this world pollute much more than any collection of individuals could undo… but if we aren’t willing to hold ourselves responsible; we can’t hold them responsible. So, while I already recycle… I am going to be more deliberate in my use of canvas bags; and I will absolutely walk to work/errands more often (once the temperature remains consistently above 10 C… because right now, I just walk from Office to Courthouse but in -24 C (or worse) weather… it is fairly brutal.

Country/Continent
It should be no surprise that this is going to a political place. Hell, the United States Republican Party already attempted to weaken/eliminate an Independent Ethics Oversight Committee. Or to translate… the inmates just tried to get rid of the guards. Add to that the fact that our incoming President-Elect is a deranged man-child. A man who honestly openly encouraged Russian Hacking (on the record) and now denies that there even was Russian Hacking. A man who said he would defeat ISIS but called for Saudi Arabia to have more nuclear weapons.... Saudi Arabia, for those who may not remember, had an almost direct hand in the September 11 attacks of 2001. Not to mention the fact that the President-Elect said that he would beat ISIS because he “knows more than the Generals”… except for the fact that Donald doesn’t go to Security Briefings and spends so much time exploding on Twitter that the Government might have to invest in Security Features for Twitter to prevent Donald from accidentally leaking Classified Information during a Twitter Tantrum! So… every American needs to focus on the Country this year. We need to be willing to call our “Representatives” when they fuck up. We need to be active in staying informed and we need to stay active in the protection of our Country’s laws.

State
I currently work for a county in the State of Iowa. My wife (and I) are passionate about going to a different county. Frankly, I’m not sure how successful we’ll be… but we do need to make some forward progress with getting us back to a place that is thriving and growing… a place that values diversity and appreciates creativity. Or at least a place that has some form of COMMERCE!

Home
I hate writing this one because… it is equal parts necessary and shitty. My wife and I are doing better in some respects. But in many respects… she is still a selfish, ungiving, self-centered woman that spirals into a terrifying rage at the drop of a hat. And ultimately… our entire marriage thus far has been Me, moving us around for Law Purposes; Wife, moving to places she hates and tolerating it. So… part of me wants to get her to a physical location where she isn’t consumed by hating where she is… but another part of me thinks… you’ve been married for 5 years. Wife doesn’t seem too terribly interested in improving her own life… more waiting for you to make a move.... Wife doesn’t seem too terribly concerned about improving her body; even though she says “we don’t have sex, because I feel fat.” I mean… I certainly feel… conflicted on all of it. So, I suppose… what kind of rubric or metric can I use in a situation like this? Well… call it base, call it barbaric, call it immature but.... I honestly mean it when I say I don’t want much. So… I suppose… I’m saying… I want to have sex with my wife at least ten times this year. Ten Times in 12 month… Ten Times in 52 Weeks… Ten Times in 365 Days…That is only asking for Ten Hours out of 8,760 hours in a year. 0.11 % of time. And… yeah, I may bitch about it but I’m saying this to express precisely how little I ask for. Wife finds no benefit in any foreplay, has no interest in stimulating me (by mouth or hand), and ultimately treats sex as an obligation she must “show up for.” That, of course, all goes to why I struggle with this whole relationship (in a small way). If making love to your husband holds no interest for you… maybe the marriage shouldn’t continue?

Sorry… got into a thought loop there. But hopefully it is an understandable one.

Self
I’m not sure which one to go with here, so I’ll select two.
(a) I want to be 5K ready this year. Who knows if I’ll actually run one; but I want to be able to… I want to be capable of it. I used to be able to run 3 miles no problem. Then I had to go to an Elliptical instead of regular running… and I was told 5k on an elliptical “doesn’t actually count” as 5 K. Now I’m not sure if I could run a 5K on an elliptical even. So… yeah. I want to be capable of running a 5K with the possibility of maybe doing something like Tough Mudder by the end of the year?
(b) Mental Health if possible. I mentioned it before. Iowa is a vast wasteland of Mental Health providers (due to significant government cut backs). Further, in a small town environment… they still have some pretty backwards stigmas on Mental Health in general. (The magistrate didn’t know words like “bipolar” or “manic” or “DMS 5.”) On the other hand… if Wife and I move to Des Moines and I don’t have a job… we can’t exactly afford for me to seek counseling. So… this issue becomes a Goldilocks Issue. If we can get to a city that has Mental Health facilities that I could use and we have the income and/or insurance to help out with it… then mental health progress.

TL;DR (Or Quick Reference)
(1) Make time to appreciate the Stars and Astrological Phenomena
(2) Do more for the planet via recycling, reusing, and walking.
(3) Stay vigilant in matters of Politics and Activism.
(4) Move back to Des Moines, or move to Cedar Rapids or Waterloo… somewhere.
(5) Sex Ten Times with Wife
(6a) 5 K ready by end of year; if 5 K achieved early… prepare for a Tough Mudder
(6b) Personal, individual therapy.