I can’t imagine yet what 2018 holds but I’m trying to.

One thing’s certain – without goals and effort, I’m at the mercy of shifting winds and shiftless people.

So, I’ve started with some new habits, practices and ambitions this year as many of us do around January 1. Some thought about my own values, my priorities, and my goals preceded all of this and I’m certain I’ve got it all right now – at least on paper. This will be the year I finish the works of Plato, the year I run my longest run and the year I keep a complete journal of my fishing. Along with these, I also aspire to find a box of jewels and money.

I have realistic goals too pertaining to projects that may be of interest to followers of my blog. Here’s some of what can be expected from the year ahead:

• I’ve begun work on the next book, a project that certainly won’t take anything like the 9 years required to research and write The Dying Fish. It’s being built from material I’ve addressed in brief here on the blog and attempts to answer the question, What is a libertarian environmentalist? What does he do and what does he think about? It’s proceeding under the working title: “Best Life.”

• I’ve collected most of my survey/sampling equipment for a year-long survey of a portion of the upper Pine Creek watershed here in north Pittsburgh wherein I see potential for the return of native fish following a century or so of degradation. Nature has done wonders for this place – re-planting a linear riparian forest that’s doing much to counterbalance the ill-effects of shopping centers, a highway and new home construction. We’ll see what the sampling shows.

• The blog I started two years ago will continue to chronicle the things I’m doing and thinking about. Most of the things.

• In this uniquely busy year I also hope to take much time for fishing. I think this hinges on excellent time management. I’ve got a plan – can I execute it? I particularly want to spend time on the little streams nearest to where I live. There are unexpected treasures to be found within sight of my back door, I’m sure.

• I’ve breached a couple of great writer’s hurdles in the last couple of years: I’ve written a long-read book and I’ve been published. More writing to come in 2018 – that much is certain. I have a few articles in the works; now we’ll see which ones make it into print. Watch for an article before the end of the year on my friend Nigel’s first season of fishing American waters and don’t miss Libertarian Park in the journal Confrontation in the months ahead.

• I’ve saved the best for last though. I have something genuinely unprecedented up my sleeve. I’ve had a vision in recent years for something better in the wide realm of American recreation – something that could only flourish in a free state. Right now I have a couple of talented business partners and we’re fleshing out a plan that will make this big idea a reality by 2019. Can’t wait to break it to you – stay tuned.