It’s the end of the year. Everyone’s either looking forward or looking back. Reflecting on the previous year seeing what lessons they’ve learned or dreaming of a even better one coming. I fall in with the looking ahead crowd. Magic is surely a hobby where looking forward has its benefits.
Some folks make one resolution. They focus on one thing and seek to achieve it. Some folks poo poo the whole thing and say you should be on point all year all the time. The first group is too narrow, the second group… Well those are the same folks the write, “It dies to Doom Blade.” on every post for every creature during a spoiler. No Heart.
I’m the other extreme. I have a lot to get done and I’m eager to set goals for myself. I have 5 Magic related resolutions and 4 Life related resolutions. I’ll weave them both back and forth as this process is as much for you as it is me.
1. (Magic) 5 top 8s in competitive non FNM magic events this year.
I’ve been playing a lot more MTG on competitive levels this year. Next year I’m focused on result over reps. For the sake of this resolution I’m taking about IQs and local events that cut to top 8, Grand Prix Trials and such, I’ll consider a day 2 at a Grand Prix a positive result for this as well. Don’t get me wrong I’ll gladly take a top 8 at a Grand Prix but I’m being a realist here. This is a very achievable goal, and it’s very likely I’ll over shoot it.
2. (Life) Spend more time developing my business.
2014 was the first year in 11 years I haven’t been a bartender. I’m a full time photographer now. Mostly I’m shooting weddings and assisting, I supplement my income with a part time job with a gaming company, but really my know how of photography is getting me by. It’s a good feeling, being your own boss. Next year I’m going to try to work on spreading the word through hard work and informed advertising. It’s worth putting as much effort into my work life as I do my hobby life. I’m well known in my social circles for being the guy that takes pictures and plays games. It’s time that everyone outside my circles knows that too.
3 (Magic) Start and maintain a podcast by February.
I’ve been looking for ways to expand our content. Streaming is an obvious way to add content. Other folks have that arena in the works. I’d like to work on a Podcast with our style of content. We’ve become known for tackling more than just the metagame here at Hipsters and I’d very much like to continue that Legacy into a new medium. It’s about time I put my money where my mouth is.
4 (Life) I’d like to be a better boyfriend.
Let me start by saying I don’t think I’m a particularly bad one. But there is always room to improve on this part of my life. Playing a lot of Magic doesn’t mean I should be ignoring my lady. I try to make sure that if I’m playing a lot/ or just out working a bunch I make sure to calm down a bit and spend time with her. Even still for someone that cooks for me, calms me down when I’m freaking out (about life and Magic) and knows where to find all my stuff is… well I’m just saying I don’t do enough to make her happy. In my mind Ill probably never fully succeed here, but it’s important to try.
5 (Magic) Watch more Streams, listen to more Podcasts.
I read a lot about Magic. A LOT! I try to read just everything that hits my blog. Then I follow plenty of writers at Star City, Channel Fireball, Gathering Magic, Thought Scour and a couple others I can’t rifle off the top of my head. I do a lot of scholastics for Magic. And I play. I’m actively trying hard to get to the next level of my game. One thing I don’t do much of is watch streams. Do you know the best way to get good at this game? Watch someone better than you play. Watch them play and see what they do differently. When they do something you don’t understand ask questions. I’ve found that when you have a forum as responsive as Twitter and a community as inviting as MTG you’ll find your answer more often than not. Watching the pros play and asking questions is likely to help me learn about that elusive Sasquatch inbetween low level grinder and … Mid level grinder. Honestly, I doubt I’ll be one of those household named pros. I’d like to be well regarded within the community though.
6 (Life) Start a healthier lifestyle.
I bike daily, for the most part. I try to take the stairs over the escalator. I also sit around on my days off. I haven’t worked out in over 4 years. I’m 34. That’s gotta change if I want to maintain a comfortable style of life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to get pumped. I’m just trying to get into a habit of being physical a few times a week. Eating healthier is also part of that goal. No gimmick diets or juice cleanses, I want to eat balanced and cut down on my fat intake. If I can get active and eat well without having a major lifestyle change I think I’ll feel much better when I go off the deep end and drink/eat a little more than I should. It’s about the middle road, I was in my best shape at 30. With a little work 35 could be the best shape of my life.
7 (Magic) Play one Deck in Modern for a month.
I’ve always had mixed luck in Modern. Some days I just can’t lose other days I couldn’t win if my opponent conceded. Seriously though I think it’s because I have so many options. I think I need to just pick a deck and bear down with it. Instead of metagaming my deck each week I should just tweak my sideboard. That’s where the real game is played or at least no less than 50% of a tournament is played after board. If I learned my deck more intimately I’d be better equipped to play that 50% of games. I think I have my deck for January chosen, I just need to figure out the other 15 cards.
8 (Life/Magic) Figure out how to not be terrible at Solforge.
This one is not really magic but it relates and it sort of falls into Things that aren’t Magic.
Man, I love this game. Great use of the Mobil platform. Awesome art and a really amazing Metagame. I just cannot knuckle down and get good at it. In the same ways I want to get better at Magic I really want to get better at Solforge. I’ve been playing since it came out and when I don’t have time to play MTGO, Solforge is the perfect CCG fix. If you play I’d like to know how you find the game. I’ve yet to 4-0 a tournament draft or Constructed. Normally I 2-2 and there are some times I pull a 3-1 but mostly I just want to compete and discuss this game like I do MTG. If you have some tips for Solforge please do not hesitate to shout me out.
That’s not it, but I think I need to stop somewhere. Too many more and I’ll have trouble focusing on this when I look back on it.
What camp are you in? Do you resolve in real life?