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January is a time when many people make resolutions, but I stay away from such things as they’re frequently made in haste and almost pre-destined to fail. When making a decision to take on something new, or striving for some new target I have discovered that, for myself at least, presupposing failure is always the best plan.

• I will mess up.
• I will lose interest.
• I will not succeed.

That way, at least in my psychology, I then think ’sod that’, and actively strive to spite myself and wind up achieving my goal in a strange bit of reverse psychology on myself. Well, anyway, it makes sense - and works - for me at least

So last year, regular readers will have seen that I took up running, and have now been doing it for about four months. Unfortunately, a few niggles and beginner-type injuries (which required rest), as well as a fair bit of travelling, meant that my routine got screwed up last month, and things dropped off from the 3-4 times per week, to a miserly once per week at the very best. But I’ve been going out when I can this week, and am working to improve my pace and stamina again, as well as get back into my routine.

Anyway, I think it’s been a great success and I feel a lot better for it, takes my mind off of things (and therefore more able to concentrate when I get back). I genuinely find myself looking forward to getting out on a run around the lovely park I have on my doorstep. I just wish I could go more often, but that way lies further injuries, so taking it slow is the plan.

What else? Plans plural. I decided a month or two ago that I’d like to learn the piano. I’ve been thinking about it on and off over the years, but thought I either didn’t have time, was too old, or wouldn’t have the patience or discipline to learn. It’s certainly something I’ve always wanted to do, but various things got in the way when I was younger and had the opportunity.

The reason for my interest in the piano is primarily down to the part in my childhood visits to my grandparents had, where my grandfather, Paul Leyton, would play pieces on the beautiful piano he has (and my uncle now looks after). Music was an important part of his life, and it rubbed off on me, and I figured that it would be fun to do some learning. My friend Nick, before the kids turned up, also decided to learn an instrument (the guitar in his case), and seemed to get a lot of satisfaction from it, as well as make rapid progress. So you don’t need to be at school, just have the determination and passion to progress.

I expect it’ll be a bit like the first week of ski lessons at first, which is probably the last structured lesson environment I was in after University. More mistakes than successes, and it’ll - of course - require a lot of practice. But that’s half the attraction. Something to do that isn’t sitting in front of a computer/tv/pint-of-beer on a regular basis, and - in a departure from ski lessons - hopefully doesn’t involve falling down icy slopes, holding the class back, and having trouble with chairlifts. Unless my piano teacher has a very unique teaching style.

On that note I’m very fortunate to have found a piano teacher just around the corner who has agreed to take me on. Also, one of the benefits of working from home, and being your own boss, mean I can take a proper lunch break at least once a week now and go do some strumming at a convenient time to herself with her time packed with post-school lessons. She’s also found this website and hasn’t run away screaming in horror at the prospect of a paid up atheist geek with a bad dress sense and (I fear) no substantial music skills, appearing every week to make horrific mistakes in her house on her piano.

It all starts on Monday. But, as before, I’ll take it week by week, and month by month and see where I wind up. Stay tuned (ahaha!) for news

This is also the first post of 2007, so here’s wishing my readers old and new all the best for the year ahead. In fact, you’re growing in numbers every week; This is proving scary. Hundreds of people are actually reading things I write here… And if you do make a new year resolution, I hope my approach is of use to you