yndigo

Speakers of French, Italian and some other languages will know that a page of a book would have made a more fitting image for this blog post (tourner la page, voltare pagina, etc.) than a leaf of a tree. The leaf suggests a seasonal metaphor rather than a new beginning.

Whichever image you have in mind, the New Year often inspires change. A desire to change and improve. Resolutions. Most years I don’t make any resolutions. That’s not because I lack self discipline; it’s because I think the behavior changes a person declares (eating less, exercising more, or my wife’s favorite: stop interrupting) isn’t really something they really want or they’d be practicing it already. Right, honey?

But there are three things I really enjoy, and for which I want to take more time:

(1) Cycling: I love going on short rides through the city or long rides through the country. Rides alone, rides with my family. I want to find time every day to get out, rain or shine.

(2) Learning the harmonica (better): I own several harmonicas in many keys, and love listening to blues harmonica players (Little Walter, Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield). I’ve taught myself quite a bit but I know I will continue to be a frustrated player until I take lessons from a pro.

(3) Blogging: I enjoy writing and I have always wanted to get better at it. Starting a blog felt very natural. I read blogs, mostly those of other translators, and I admire their disclipline. Like everything that is worthwhile, it takes some work, mostly just to get started… and restarted.

Happy New Year!