2014 - A year of what?

What are your plans and goals for 2014 ye loyal readers of the Beat Bike Blog.  Simple stuff or grand schemes?  Were you happy with your 2013?  How will 2014 be the same or differ.

Personally I’ve been doing an inordinate amount of navel gazing as 2013 draws to a close.  2013 brought some very interesting “firsts”, but at the same time felt a bit lacking.  The time I spent engaged and animated, fulfilled really, seemed too short when compared to the grind.   I have some thoughts on how to rebalance.  We’ll see if 2014 is the year for a new direction.  If so, you’ll probably see it here.

The themes of my introspection circle around global impact, community involvement, and preparedness for an uncertain future of global weirdness.  It seems that within my lifetime we may see some serious upheaval and challenges to our current state of civilization. 

The timeframe probably isn’t 1-5 years, but as with car free living,  I expect that building more resilience into my life – and that of my community – has near term benefits.  There really isn’t a reason to delay transitioning to a more fulfilling, happier, and less fossil fuel dependent future state.  Clinging to the status quo may have some  financial benefit as the US rides what may be the final cresting wave of frack’d oil and gas.  Staying on that wave, as greater society seems intent on doing, seems irresponsible at best.  At worst it appears catastrophic, globally and economically.

Instead of getting discouraged and carrying a dour outlook into 2014, I resolve to make what incremental changes I can.  Teach more Traffic Skills courses.  Expand my garden plot.  Can more preserves and vegetables.   Engage in community focused bicycle and pedestrian education and advocacy.  Maybe even make some more radical life changes. 

Any resolutions of your own?