Its time to review my 2024 New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve been doing this for a number of years now. I always set some goals for myself that have to do with my personal creative side. These goals are self improvements or creative advancements. I set 5 goals that I hope to achieve. Normally, I’d put out a quarterly review, but I’ve been negligent in that task. So here is my end of the year review and grading.

Resolution #1 CREATE – Write, record and distribute my own song(s) or write my Memoir

SUCCESS! In 2024 I wrote, recorded and released four songs to various streaming platforms and iTunes via Distrokid. I’m happy to say that people, besides my family, have heard my music. People on the other side of the world. I know, I’ve seen the data that is collected by Distrokid. People from Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, France and Italy. It’s just amazing that people elsewhere have listened to my music. I have 2699 streams based on data reported by Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes Music and YouTube Music. That equates to a whopping $6.29. But, hey, I made music, people listened, and I made some pocket change. I have pages on all these Music services and also sell my music on Bandcamp. I have a Facebook page and a YouTube Artist Channel. I should’ve done more songs in 2024. I’m looking forward to doing more in 2025. GRADE A

Resolution #2 Continue to lose weight, another 25 lbs

FAIL. I’m stuck. After getting down to 215 near the end of 2023, I’ve not been able to go lower and have gained 15lbs back, I hover around 230lbs, not a good weight for me. My BMI is still considered obese. So will this be a 2025 goal? It has to be. I need to lose more weight so I can recover from and benefit from possible hip surgery. GRADE F

Resolution #3 One YouTube video per week

PARTIAL FAIL. I started off great. Really into the whole YouTube channel thing, then it started feeling like a job. Every week I was trying to come up with new things to say on camera, and to be honest, retirement life is not that exciting. At least my retirement life. I have hobbies that I’ve blogged about and video taped, but there is only so much you can talk about before you start repeating yourself. It’s the same logic I’ve applied to Twitter. Why would I tweet every day what I’m doing? Who really cares. I recorded and uploaded 34 videos during 2024. Those 34 videos garnered 6,847 views. Two videos had over 1000 views. I ended the year with 116 subscribers. I plan to blog and YouTube post at least once per month. The blog and Youtube postings will probably go hand in hand. Create a YouTube video and post it on the blog as well. That is what I have fallen back to. GRADE D

Resolution #4 Start a side hustle – photography, music, recording, eBay store

PARTIAL SUCCESS. I had high hopes of a photography business doing portraits, senior, baby etc. but that has fallen by the wayside. I have not offered up my recording abilities to any artist or band so no traction on that. I did not open an eBay store but I did create and post Retirement Ain’t Easy merchandise and have tried selling on the YouTube and Blog, so there is that attempt. In the end I released music to Spotify, YouTube music, Apple Music, etc. and people have listened to my music and I have made money $6.29 for the four songs I released. Most of that coming from Spotify streams and iTunes Songs. I’m just happy other people, beside my family, have been listening to my music and liking it. GRADE C

Resolution #5 Blog once per week

PARTIAL FAIL. See Resolution #3 comment. GRADE D