1. I resolve to be nicer in 2010 and for the rest of my life. This is part of a gradual transformation from being a cranky, sarcastic, negative young man to trying to be a more pleasant and compassionate old man. I think I can turn up the effort a bit here coming up.
2. I need to get in shape. I don't know how, just yet. I really, really want to run one more marathon before I die. Working against me in fitness goals is the fact that I have one shoulder and one knee that are just about shot. Getting old blows. However, I know I can do more than I'm doing now. In fact, just walking a little bit every day would be better than I'm doing now.
3. I will play more music. I fought like mad for the first 30 years of my life to be able to play more music, and who knows... maybe it was the slow realization that I'd never really play professionally, but I eventually started giving up. However, my resolution is to play at least a little guitar every day. Sometime during 2010, I also intend to finally buy those API Preamps and start doing some recording.
4. I will start diversifying my business holdings and product offerrings. Now that I've gotten the minority business certification, I need to start competing for more contracts from businesses that are looking for minority contractors. Ultimately, my macro-level business goal is to start up the aircraft leasing business unit, but that requires capital, which I had, but which got all wiped out with the terrible performance of my business in the 2nd half of 2009. So, this goal will be a bit hazy: to simply expand business holdings to the degree I'm capable of. At the least, to get the lawn-care business unit up and running for next year.
5. I will learn to golf with Logan and spend some time with him on the links. We both need lessons and this is something I want him to develop as a lifelong sport. Any time spent with my son is time well spent. This is a great chance to do something that we can both enjoy, and that will serve him well later in life. In this same spirit: to continue to fully experience and share the joys of raising my son. This is a big year for him. We're going to be doing travel baseball and that'll be an adventure. I also would like to provide him with some more experiences that would provide for a more well-rounded upbringing, but not sure what I should do. He's been expressing interest in building things and I will try and nurture that interest with some simple projects for him to build.
6. To get myself deployable with the Navy Reserve. The Supply Corps BQC-NR program has been really difficult for me. As folks know, my study skills aren't the best and I probably fried the few brain cells I had that were capable of this sort of thing when I went to Case. However, it's possible to get through this program. Plus, I'm so fond of the folks in my original class that I'm really busting my hump to do the final 2 week graduation with them in March. After that, I look for a unit and can deploy. My goal is to deploy as soon as possible, but the opportunities are drying up pretty rapidly. I hear the National Guard is short of Junior Officers, though. I may check with them.
7. I will visit my friends again. It's been a long time since the last manly-man-cation I had with Patrick and Horne. Need to do something bigger this time. Maybe at the beach or something. Maybe even a father and son type dealie. So, my goal is to make sure I see all my good friends sometime in 2010, and to make at least one trip to DFW to see folks there that I haven't seen in decades.
8. Next year I will go to Hawaii for the first time ever. Not so much that I chose it, but Servpro's convention is there. Still, it's a first for me. May as well make the most of it.
9. Will shoot in 2009. Ironically, my participation in the Navy Reserve has kept me from doing competitive shooting in 2009, but I'm ready to get going again. It's an expensive and time-consuming hobby, but I've already borne most of the expense and I have the time. This is one of those longstanding goals I've had, to get the designation "Distinguished Marksman". It is especially poignant if I can do it while serving in the Navy. If memory serves, there are fewer than 2,000 distinguished marksmen in the entire history of the Navy. It would be a heck of a thing if I could be one of them.
10. I felt like I should have a debt-related goal, but it was hard to think of an appropriate one. I'm not one of the "zero debt" zealots. Debt is a tool, like any other. If you can't wield it soundly, then you should avoid it. However, it can be used prudently and productively.
I have debt, but most of it doesn't concern me. Primarily because most of it is at interest rates that are either 0% or less than 3%. However, I have a few notes that are at higher interest rates. Three of them are business related. Two Isuzu Cabover notes and one note for a large equipment purchase I made a couple of years ago. I also have my home mortgage, which, tax-adjusted, is less than 3%, but it is also on an ARM, which, if interest rates rise, could adjust to a rate that's more expensive.
(Unlike the well-publicized evil ARMs out there, mine is extraordinary. It is limited to no more than 8%. At the current time, it is at something like 3.15% for 2010. So, including the tax consequences, it makes absolutely no sense to pay the thing off.)
So, my goal is to have enough money that I COULD pay off all the notes that are over 3% interest. That's more money than I can save in a single year, but I think I'll start by saying I should try to save enough that I could pay off the Isuzu trucks. The next year, enough for the trucks and the large equipment note. The year after that, enough to pay off the mortgage if interest rates should skyrocket.
So, ultimately, my long-term goal would be to have enough cash on hand that I could pay off ALL my debt if I needed to.
That is a good compromise, because I don't think resolving to pay off, say, the handful of notes I have at 0%, or debt I hold at 1.9% or 2.9% really makes much sense. Liquidity means a lot more than that, and 2.9% is a great price to pay for liquidity.
So, that's that. All the resolutions I have for next year.
