One. There’s only one you. With one lower back. That screams at you to move!
Two. You only have two hands. That are learning too easily how to get stiff.
Three-Four. About the number of hours you can meaningfully concentrate on anything. After that, diminishing returns.
Five. Number of hours you get on a good day before the main job (parenting) requires your full attention.
Millions. The number of ideas and projects you either need to think about, research or just want to explore.
Lessons Learnt
2022 taught me a lot about myself as a worker, a writer. Or allowed me to visit ideas or possibilities that needed my attention. For example, as stated above, I can only work for so long before I can do nothing. And it varies according to the work I am doing. I can write fiction the longest perhaps, but it is also the slowest. I have to wring the words out of me. But I can focus for about 5 hours on an article. Then with translation-type work, going for just 1.5 or 2 hours at a time yields best results.
As a writer, I know more than ever that I am a generalist, which is not such an asset in this age. Experts are valued. But I’m not quite down about it.
When it comes to creative writing, I still try to avoid it, but when I get down to it, I feel accomplished.
I remain grateful that I am able to undertake this interaction with language and make more time for family at the same time.
New Year’s Resolutions
I used to be big on these, using Yearly Compass for a while. Wonderful tool, can’t recommend it enough! Haven’t done it for a couple of years. Time, maybe. This year, I’m sticking to the big goals: 1.Write 2. Get that year-round summer body 3. Pay attention to the children.