a.k.a. V.J.

I am writing this on the first day of 2025. I kicked off the year with a couple of my New Year’s Day rituals. First, Jen and I completed a short “First Day” nature hike at Sterling Nature Center. We tromped through drizzle and high wind gusts, guided by a naturalist. The weather could have been better, but I enjoy a good walk in the woods in all but the worst conditions. As an added bonus, the naturalist pointed out some interesting small details about the landscape that I never would have noticed or known to look for on my own.

After working up an appetite, I came home and devoured some black-eyed peas. When I was growing up, my father insisted that everyone in the house should eat black-eyed peas every New Year’s Day to ensure good fortune in the coming year. I am not normally inclined to superstition, and I don’t really like black-eyed peas, but I’ve enjoyed generally good luck my whole life, so I faithfully continue that tradition.

I also kicked off this year’s reading initiative by starting James Clavell’s Shōgun. Last year, I challenged myself to read something classic every day. With the exception of maybe three or four days, I did just that. It was a very rewarding experience that I am sure to write about in this space sometime soon. This year, I still plan to read every day, but I’m opening things up to include non-classics. (With all due respect to Mr. Clavell, I don’t think Shōgun has achieved classic status…at least not yet.) My Goodreads goal for the year is 30 books — a bit modest given that I completed 68 in 2024 — but I don’t want to the pursuit of an ambitious, arbitrary goal to get in the way of actually enjoying the books.

Aside from Goodreads, I don’t have any concrete goals for the year. I certainly haven’t made any New Year’s resolutions, as I have a number of philosophical and practical objections to the concept of such resolutions. Sure, I know there is always something about myself that could be improved. There are many things I could do better. On the other hand, I generally like where I’m at in life right now. I have everything I need. Rather than make this a day of vows to change something (especially when I know it probably won’t happen), I choose to focus on being grateful for everything right in life that I’d like to continue, fate willing, through 2025. And so, I have.

Happy New Year.