Thursday, January 5, 2012

Anti-Resolutions

The Captain got us thinking about resolutions the standard fashion on Monday...now I'm shaking things up, just a bit!



I’m a big fan of Rob Brezny’s astrological forecasts, and yes…it is 6 days since the official New Year dawned, but this is just too good to offer as a way to welcome 2012.

Firstly, I’ve been reading Rob’s Free Will Astrology for a lotta years. Always enjoyed them and found a real serendipity to his write ups. He really nails Sagittarius and makes me think with his philosophical interpretations of what the stars say.

And this was a great challenge. He called it anti-resolutions. I suppose they are…though I see them more as personal social revolutions… I’ve been thinking a lot about his challenge here…

Time to create your New Year's ANTI-resolutions. 1. What outlandish urges and controversial tendencies do you promise to cultivate in the coming months? 2. What problems do you promise to exploit in order to have even more fun as you make the status quo accountable for its corruption? 3. What boring rules and traditions will you thumb your nose at, paving the way for exciting encounters with strange attractors?       Rob Brezny’s Free Will Astrology

Number One is intriguing and probably the one I’d most like to play with. What outlandish urges and controversial tendencies do you promise to cultivate in the coming months?  Outlandish urges? I’d like to drink a bit and actually stay at the theme parties at the Romantic Times Booklovers Conventions and … dance.

Yes, for me, that is an outlandish challenge. Why? Well, as I came to understand as I watched the ladies at Moonlight and Magnolias strut their stuff…I don’t know any of the current dance moves. It just wasn’t how we danced…uh…long ago and far away. I mean, we listened to the music and we moved, period. The more chaotic the music, the better. The louder, the better.

Sigh.

Now it’s actual moves and steps and … it’s organized!

I don’t dance organized. I mean, at the M&M convention, J. Perry was challenged to dance to “Sweet Home Alabama” and refused…said she could dance to that type of music. Now, I don’t country dance/line dance/swing/jive/disco…etc. But I could have managed that song better than the dance mix almost rap stuff.

Generally, at RT, once the music gets going, I tend to leave the ballroom. I’m…shy.

*bows my head

Really. Fear of looking a fool is my Achilles heel.

So, that is the one I’m going to tackle.

Number Two? What problems do you promise to exploit in order to have even more fun as you make the status quo accountable for its corruption?  I don’t know… I can think of a few examples where the status quo needs exploiting, whether it’s corrupt or not. But I don’t have any particular ideas on how to exploit without finding my ass in the grass. But I’m working on it… I mean, I hate being ignored as a professional, something that is status quo problem for me. How to challenge that without getting a reputation as ‘difficult’ is my trick to figure out.

Number Three. What boring rules and traditions will you thumb your nose at, paving the way for exciting encounters with strange attractors?

I know this may astound, but I do tend to follow rules. Social rules. So this one is another that I have to contemplate and consider. I do like the idea of exciting encounters with strange attractors and thumbing my nose at traditions… I have a lot of conventions I go to, with a lot of rules and traditions…perhaps it’s time to shake my adherence to them? The rules, not the conventions.

I discard writing and genre rules easily enough…

See, this why I like Rob, he makes me think!

Which of these three challenges are you up for in 2012? And if not doing, writing about… Want to see them again?

Time to create your New Year's ANTI-resolutions. 1. What outlandish urges and controversial tendencies do you promise to cultivate in the coming months? 2. What problems do you promise to exploit in order to have even more fun as you make the status quo accountable for its corruption? 3. What boring rules and traditions will you thumb your nose at, paving the way for exciting encounters with strange attractors?       Rob Brezny’s Free Will Astrology

 

32 comments:

Quantum said...

1. What outlandish urges and controversial tendencies do you promise to cultivate in the coming months?

I have just read Elizabeth Lowell's 'Beautiful Dreamer' where the hero Rio or 'Brother to the Wind' has no dreams and drifts with the wind. The heroine Hope has beautiful dreams and promises to dream for him ..... Amazing book, especially for dowsers!

I want to dream beautiful dreams of beautiful theories all being right and beautiful people all liking me. And then write about them.

As the song says:


Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!


Chance, come and join me in dreaming with about starring in 'Come Dancing' on TV. I promise not to drop you in the Latin section .... if you don't tread on my toes. LOL

Will have to think about the rest!

Hellion said...

I hate putting things into writing because then I feel I *HAVE* to do them.

But if I want to pursue something "controversial", I'd throw some energy into campaigning for equal rights for marriage for everyone. Gay marriage is probably one of the bigger issues I feel passionately about (not sure why since it doesn't technically effect me, but I guess that doesn't matter--I know it's not fair and it's hypocritical to say they would "ruin" the sanctity of marriage when heterosexuals are doing a perfectly good job of it on their own). Plus misquoting the bible irks me.

Problems I plan to exploit...I plan to vote DEMOCRAT. That should annoy the crap out what I consider to be the problem.

As for the 3rd, I'd say I'm already doing that by dating Deerhunter. *LOL* So I'm not sure about this one. But if I were writing a character with it--I'd have her bolt out of her own wedding because she got sucked into all the dumb traditional stuff and rules and she freaks out because she's not even sure if she wants to be married now.

Hellion said...

Q, I love that song--Beautiful Dreamer--it's such a gorgeous song. *sighs* I think Laura Ingalls Wilder included it in one of her books, as something Pa plays. I've always loved it.

Bosun said...

Q and Chance on a British reality show. Dancing. THIS I would pay to see. Second the love for that song. Very pretty.

Either it's too early or I'm shallow, but I don't really understand the questions. LOL! I kind of get number one, but my urges are to ram into the other drivers with my car and tell a few people in this industry where they can stick their space key. NEITHER of those things can or should I do. So I'll have to hunt up some other urges.

That sounds way dirtier than intended.

As for #3, I DID make lasagna for Christmas, even though my sister and mother threw a fit because "We always have ham." Well not at my house. So I'm kind of ahead on that one.

Hellion said...

my urges are to ram into the other drivers with my car and tell a few people in this industry where they can stick their space key. NEITHER of those things can or should I do.

Bruhahahahahahaha!

2nd Chance said...

What a wonderful comment to wake to! I'd love to dance with you, Q! I've taken some ballroom, so I think I can resist treading on your toes... ;-)

2nd Chance said...

Hellion - Despite CA Prop 8, the area I live in would consider you controversial if you didn't support gay marriage! But it's a very worthy cause to embrace. Good for you!

Nothing on your personal front you'd like to dive into?

I was thinking I'd like to get another tattoo...not so controversial, but it's a big step for me. Since I've become a real weanie about pain...but the kraken deserves some permanent place on my bod!

I have to think about your second answer...and how that makes the status quo accountable... Hmmmmm!

The third...you rebel, you!

2nd Chance said...

Bosun, we gotta come up with some way you can express that urge to kick as at work and fit it into 'acceptable' behavior. Certainly, doing your job better than it's thought you can do it would be one way... Showing them you CAN outdo them...

But there must be some way you can express your inner rebel that doesn't involve crunching metal...

Maybe you need some 'interesting' bumper stickers...

And honestly, the first one is the easiest of the bunch for me...

Or...how about what might you write for a character to do that fits the questions...

Bosun said...

I have those little stick figure people on my back window. Doesn't get more status quo than that. Though have you seen the zombie ones? Entire zombie families. Even the pets!

I need to find a pirate magnet for my trunk lid. Used to have one but it wore off in the weather.

Hellion said...

Despite CA Prop 8, the area I live in would consider you controversial if you didn’t support gay marriage! But it’s a very worthy cause to embrace. Good for you!

Yeah, I didn't think you'd think it was very controversial. *LOL* I think I've been watching too much of the Republican faceoffs. It's irking me. Not to say either party is particularly great right now. I'd really like to scrap them both and try again, but one side IS irking me more than the other.

2nd Chance said...

I'll keep an eye out for some good bumperstickers at the con I'm attending next week... ;-)

Or just get downtown and I'm sure the stores have some interesting ones...

There is always the one about the money for the military while schools have to throw bake sales...proposing the miliatry start baking cakes... But I imagine something more 'women are powerful' would be more your style.

2nd Chance said...

It's funny, Hellion. I've lived all over California, including the most conservative areas... Depending on where I've lived at the time I've been a flaming liberal, a middle of the road liberal or not a liberal at all.

Nothing like having a grey haired old lady, working the drive thru at McDonalds, give me a hard time for my Democrat bumper sticker when I lived in Orange County. I just stared at her. "You're working a drive thru in your senior years and you think I'm the problem?"

For where I lived, having that bumper sticker was controversial!

Bosun said...

I don't to bumper stickers. I don't like putting them on my cars. But I like magnets! And have you forgotten where I live?? Trying to get me stoned?? This is only the largest military community in the Continental US. Yes, let me lambast the military on a bumper sticker.

Sheesh!

I also work for a military contractor. Yes, I'm torn!

Bosun said...

Okay, the McDonalds story is cracking me up. "...you think I'm the problem?" LOL!

2nd Chance said...

Yeah, well...I wasn't sure how controversial you might like to go! A magnet...how about one of those inside the window stickees? Magnets are harder to find!

The DH worked for a military contractor most of his career...while I was a member of Greenpeace. ;-)

2nd Chance said...

And yeah, people in Orange County can be...odd. Though Place County can be just as bad. Which is where my Mom lives, amidst the uber conservatives while she's a middle of the road Democrat. Though I'm sure they consider her a flaming liberal.

I just love these labels and how they change according to situation!

2nd Chance said...

And I'm outta my instant iced coffee here at the house, so...off to Starbucks!

P. Kirby said...

Once upon a time, when I was a rebellious young thing, I was a Republican. Then I grew the f*ck up.

My husband works for a contractor on Sandia Ntl. Labs. What he and I found most baffling, is the sheer number of anti-government, tea party loons, who work there and in various forms of public employment. His co-workers, in particular, who are more than happy to wax Rush Limpballs-esque, about the evil government and its environmental regulations that are squashing--squashing, I tell you--free enterprise.
...
...
...
Wait for it...

All the while taking home a government (-funded) paycheck for enforcing environmental regulations.

Oy, the hypocrisy, it burns.

Anyway, it's no secret I'm now a liberal, feminazi, marriage equity-supporting, environmentalist hippy. I embrace all those labels with pride. I think that, more than anything, has been for the last few years something that is important to me. Being a loudmouth liberal who doesn't back down in the face of aggressive ignorance.

So I guess my resolution would be to keep being me. Proudly.

2nd Chance said...

We love ya the way ya are, Pat! And I know what you mean...the disconnect between funding gov programs by paying taxes and then saying keep the gov out of my welfare...

Just boggles the mind...

So, for you to buck the establishment, you'd have to shift to the right...

Nah, not worth it. But maybe you can ride your horse backward or something?

Me? I'm gonna dance at RT! After several drinks...

Bosun said...

And you're going to dance at Nationals. If I can get us into something that involves dancing...

Bosun said...

My anti-resolution is to be Pat.

2nd Chance said...

I'm not dancing at Disneyland...but if we find someplace at Nationals where folks are dancing, I'm in!

P. Kirby said...

"So, for you to buck the establishment, you’d have to shift to the right…"

By my way of thinking, the right (authoritarians) are the establishment, so, uh, no.

Bucking the establishment, I suppose could mean, cleaning my house with greater frequency, showing an interest in a grown-up 8-5 career, playing nice with others, not running with scissors...

Naah!

Bosun said...

I think the establishment also changes depending on where you live. I spent 7 years in Arkansas. What I refer to as the buckle of the Bible Belt. Not that Republican Virginia is perfect, but getting away from that belt, especially the epicenter of it, saved my sanity.

How liberal are they in Costa Rica? I think we should all move there.

Janga said...

Chance, I understand the relative labels. Most of my academic friends chide me for being too MOR, and my church friends pray for me to see the error of my ways on social issues and in the voting booth.

I've decided that I'm going to let my Inner Bitch loose more often and stop playing nice so much in 2012. That's about as rebellious as a harmony-lover can get.

Bosun said...

Huzzah for Janga!!!

Hellion said...

I’ve decided that I’m going to let my Inner Bitch loose more often and stop playing nice so much in 2012. That’s about as rebellious as a harmony-lover can get.

LOL! Go get'em, Janga!

Hellion said...

My anti-resolution is to be Pat.

Mine too.

Scapegoat said...

Sorry I'm late to the party - super busy day at work today!

Hmm...outlandish or contorversial going against my normal...

I'm going to learn to say No. Seriously - it's hard for me. I always say "Yes, I'll take on more work. Yes, I'll do that extra report. Yes, you need a party planned at work I'm your girl."

I will learn to say No at work but do so in a way that I still wow them with my current projects and real work instead of being the NICE GIRL that just always does "the stuff".

Bosun said...

Let me know if you figure out how to make that happen, Scape. LOL!

2nd Chance said...

Sorry, sorry, sorry! Been out to the movies. Saw Tinker,Taylor, Soldier, Spy... Lovely. Just lovely. Spent most of the movie watching the actor who played Peter and trying to figure out who the hell he was... Sherlock!

Anyway, for those of us who watched Alec Guineess portray George Smiley on Masterpiece Theater...this was a real treat.

And I just opened my new issue of RWR...uh, hey! They have the same initials as us! Had lunch...so, I'm back!

And laughing at Scape saying no...after she said yes to joining our ship. Bwah ha ha!

And I get yer point, Pat...that would be bucking your establishment and who the hell wants to do that... It's more about asserting our personal establishments in the face of the established establishm...ent...

Where the hell was I going with that one?

Love your anti-resolution statements, Janga. We all need to rebel in the same way.

I'm working on kicking that woman from the later half of 2011 to the curb and tackle this year with more free-wheeling...Or more of a free-wheeling as I did in early 2011.

2nd Chance said...

Okay, that should have been Tailor... I'm a bit fixated on the character named Taylor on Terra Nova... Sorry!