J: 2013 Resolutions

Um, so I was 0 for 3 on last year's resolutions. I think I'm going to ditch #2 (watch Breaking Bad - I still may, but not going to make it a resolution since I doubt I'll have the time to get through 5 seasons) but keep the other two. So here's an updated list. 

1. Read Anna Karenina, Middlemarch, and Atlas Shrugged (repeated from 2012). I also just want to make more time to just sit down and read more in general. This year I've pecked away at books just pages at a time here and there which somehow isn't as satisfying.
2. Finish watching Angel (repeated from 2012). I own all the DVDs, but even easier, it streams free with Amazon prime.
3. I really liked Mira's TV resolution - watch only the essentials - so I'm going to copy it. I've always been kind of a "completist" who wants to watch all series from the beginning and stick with them but I've increasingly just found this to be a drag. If I don't want to watch something, I don't want to watch it. If I find myself wanting to catch up with it later on (like I did with Parenthood recently), I can. I shouldn't feel stressed out because I'm behind on a TV show!
4. Ever since I cancelled Netflix, I've become even worse at watching old releases. I compiled a list of  movies I missed in 2011 (I did watch 6 of them), so I updated my post for 2012 with a similar list. I don't really have a plan for tackling this except just try harder?
5. Figure out what to do about my music problem. I used to be so good at this - I'd listen to Internet radio at work and discover new music, download and put stuff I liked on my iPod, and listened to it in the car. Now I can't stream music at work anymore, my iPod broke, and I actually listen to the radio (and not even music, mostly NPR) in the car. I'm just not happy with this situation...

M: Concert Hopes for 2013

I'm not a major concertgoer, but I like to go to concerts when the right opportunities are present.  As much as possible, I strive to see artists that I like perform live at least once. Afterward I can determine whether the artist falls onto my a) must see every single time I can, b) not bad and worth seeing if they're touring with someone else I want to see, c) don't bother seeing them again, or d) stay away from any concert they are associated with list.

I think only one artist is on my A list -- Ingrid Michaelson.  But I think any a capella group I've ever liked would also fall onto that list as well.  Most groups are on B or C, depending on how much I like their subsequent albums.  On my D list -- well only Taking Back Sunday comes to mind.  I have a strong suspicion that Taylor Swift would also be on the list given that any live TV performance I've ever heard her sing on has been beyond disappointing.  However, given the fact that her concerts sell out everywhere in 5 minutes flat and in big venues and by repeat concertgoers, I am a teeeeny tiny bit curious.  Not enough to actually shell out the money and go, though.

In 2012, I picked up a whole slew of bands I like, most of them new bands. So I'm hoping to catch them in concert sometime soon... My fingers are crossed that I can make it to some of them in 2013!

Really want to see:

- The Lumineers: Performing in DC at DAR Constitution Hall on January 30 (tickets on sale tomorrow morning -- fingers crossed!) or England in late February (all sold out).

- Of Monsters and Men: They were here in November but I was traveling in South Korea. They are in England in late February or early March (all sold out). Or Paris in June. Or maybe I can catch them in their native Iceland one day. I do want to go to Iceland...

- Mumford & Sons: Saw them at Merriweather in Summer 2011.  Would like to see them again, but not enough to go to the Patriot Center on 13 or 14 February. Since they're an English band, perhaps I can catch them in the UK at some point...

- Imagine Dragons: Their February concert at the The Fillmore in Silver Spring is already sold out and prices are astronomically marked up on StubHub.  They are in England on 2 or 9 April, so... maybe?
- Pentatonix: At The Fillmore in Silver Spring on February 18. What I mentioned above about a capella groups on my A list? Yeah, they're included!  And we're going. :)

Less so: 

- Walk the Moon

- AWOLNATION

- Grouplove

Note: I am not really traveling internationally to follow bands around.  My husband and I are planning to move to England sometime this Spring. 

M: 2013 Resolutions

Not that I am particularly good at following through on my resolutions, but at least achieving a small portion of some of the resolutions is better than nothing, right?

1. TV - Watch only the essentials.  I've already started doing that this past Fall, but I need to work on not watching shows because I've committed to watching them and instead watch shows because they're just that good.
2. Movies - I'm proud of what I achieved in 2012 and want to keep it up.  Aim to watch at least one new release movie per month.
3. Books - Read books worth blogging about. Then actually blog about them. Aim to blog about at least one book every quarter.
4. Music - Blog about live music. I do go to at least a handful of concerts a year, it's a shame I'm too lazy to blog about any of them.