How did I do? A look back at 2017's goals
/It's no use just making goals. You need to assess them.
How did I do with last year's New Year's Resolutions? Let's find out.
I scored myself a pass or fail for each one...
2017's goals were:
1. Blog more
I published 26 blog posts in 2017, up from 11 in 2016.
That's not the one a week I planned (it's literally half that!) but I'm still pretty happy.
I was helped along the way by an adorable twitter bot created by my student @EliteFreq which tweeted at me when I didn't blog that week:
@stepupjapanese What am I meant to read today?! You've not posted a blog post! 😱 (❤️🤖) — David Sharp (@EliteFreq) August 25, 2017
@stepupjapanese Cats in exchange for blog posts? 🐈 (❤️🤖) — David Sharp (@EliteFreq) September 22, 2017
This was genuinely very motivating.
Conclusion: PASS.
Tell your friends your goals, so they can support you along the way.
2. Finish some books
My plan was to read more fiction and to actually finish a book instead of getting excited and moving on to the next one. This didn't exactly go to plan. However, I reckon I read Japanese news every single day in 2017. I'm pretty proud of that. I also completed Zero Escape Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, and two (nearly three) Ace Attorney games. Visual novels are reading too...
Conclusion: FAIL…but maybe that's fine
3. Watch more drama with my students
This goal didn't come to fruition either. I was on the lookout for things to watch but never found anything "just right".
I planned to use Terrace House (Netflix's Japanese reality TV show - think Big Brother circa 2003), but the logistics of showing Netflix in class got the better of me...
We did watch some Japanese TV ads in class though. That was a lot of fun.
Conclusion: もうちょっと! (KEEP TRYING!)
4. Have more parties
From Origami Night, to the Summer Barbecue, to the end-of-year Christmas Party, this year has been really busy. Good busy!
We definitely had more parties and attended more events this year. Onwards and upwards!
Conclusion: PASS
And in case you missed it, here's a link to my round-up of 2017, featuring lots of event photos.
5. Be reflective
I think I have actually spent less time reflecting in 2017 than in previous years, and more time actively doing things. This is probably a good thing.
Conclusion: いいじゃないですか? (That's ok, isn't it?)
How did you get on with your New Year's resolutions in 2017?
And have you made this year's yet? I'm still whittling down my list...
Like many people in the UK, I studied French in school. I liked French. I thought it was really fun to speak another language, to talk with people, and to try and listen to what was going on in a new country. (Still do!)
When I was 14 we went on a school exchange to the city of Reims, in northeastern France. I was paired with a boy, which I’m sure some 14-year-olds would find very exciting but which I found unbearably awkward. He was very sweet and we completely ignored each other.
That was nearly 20 years ago, and I didn’t learn or use any more French until, at some point in lockdown, I decided on a whim to take some one-to-one lessons with online teachers. Here are some things I learned about French, about language learning, and about myself.