In an effort to achieve my yearly goals, I post my monthly progress here.
Below are my sixteen New Year’s resolutions and my progress thus far.
1. Lose seventeen more pounds, bringing my weight down to 185 pounds, which was my high school pole vaulting weight.
I managed to gain another three pounds this month, for a total of seven pounds over the duration of the summer. This is likely result of days spent visiting friends and on book tour. I just couldn’t get to the gym as often as I wanted.
2. Complete CHICKEN SHACK by April 15.
Still done! The book is in the hands of my publisher, and we await their million dollar, multi-book offer.
3. Eat three servings of oatmeal a week in order to reduce my cholesterol.
I didn’t eat a single bowl of oatmeal in August. Now that I am back at work, eating oatmeal for lunch quite often, this should become much easier to accomplish.
4. Try liver.
Not yet.
5. Publish an Op-Ed in a national newspaper.
Not yet. I just workshopped a possible piece that is nearly ready for submission, and I was asked to write a piece for a national magazine. So positivity abounds.
6. Participate in The Moth as a storyteller, at a live show or on their radio broadcast.
Not yet. but I have stories, damn it.
7. Complete the rock opera.
Done!
8. Read at least six novels that were published in 2010.
Done! And I’ve raised my total to ten with SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY, THE MATCH and THE YEAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: THE UNTOLD STORY BEHIND THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL.
9. Organize my basement.
Work continues but is not complete.
10. Learn to use Dreamweaver with reasonable skill.
Done!
11. Land at least one paying client for my fledgling life coach business.
None yet.
12. Go to at least twelve movies this year, continuing to debunk the myth that the parents of newborns are no longer able to go out to the movies.
Stuck on seven after the bedbug scourge kept us away from the theaters while we were in New York. I expect to add one or two in the next week and will have to scramble a bit to get in all twelve now.
Stupid bugs.
13. Rid Elysha and myself of all education debt before the end of the year.
Waiting for that million dollar, multi-book deal to come through, or a television or movie deal to happen.
14. Replace the twelve ancient windows on the first and second floor of the house with more energy efficient ones.
Looking unlikely without a windfall…
15. Make one mortgage payment from poker profits.
I’ve built my bank back up to 25% of my goal, but with the fall quickly approaching, this one is going to be tough.
16. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
Done.
