In an effort to hold myself accountable, I post the progress of my yearly goals at the end of each month on this blog. The following are the results through April.
1. Don’t die.
Done. Unless we’re all living in a simulation, at which point we were never alive. But that is a post for another day.
2. Lose ten pounds.
I lost another pound. Four pounds down, six to go. To be honest, these 10 pounds should be gone already.
3. Do at least 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups five days a day. Also complete at least two two-minute planks five days per week.
Done.
4. Launch at least one podcast.
Preliminary work continues. I’m still picking at my manuscript, which is holding me back a bit. But I’m nearly ready to begin.
5. Practice the flute for at least an hour a week.
The broken flute remains in the back of my car.
6. Complete my fifth novel before the Ides of March.
Done!
7. Complete my sixth novel.
I have decided upon my next book. If I could just stop fiddling around with book #5, work on book #6 would commence.
8. Sell one children’s book to a publisher.
I’ll be reading my manuscripts to my students this month in order to get their feedback. I will revise a little, and then I’ll send one or more to my agent with hopes that she adores them as much as me.
9. Complete a book proposal for my memoir.
Work will not begin on this goal until the summer.
10. Complete at least twelve blog posts on my brother and sister blog.
No blog posts written yet for the year. My sister has moved, though, and ensures me that work will commence post-haste.
11. Become certified to teach high school English by completing two required classes.
I am now just one class and an inexplicable $50 away from achieving certification. That class will be taken in the summer.
12. Publish at least one Op-Ed in a newspaper.
I’ve had two pieces publish in the Huffington Post and one in Beyond the Margins. Both of these publishing outlets exist online but might actually be better in terms of audience and publicity than an actual newspaper. Still, I’d like to get something into an actual newspaper this year before they all go extinct.
13. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
I attended one Moth event in April, bringing my total to six. Three days ago I told a story at a StorySLAM at The Bitter End about a time when I made a plane of passengers wait so that I could ensure that my luggage was onboard. I finished third behind two more deserving stories.
14. Locate a playhouse to serve as the next venue for The Clowns.
The script, the score and the soundtrack remain in the hands of the necessary people. We have begun talks on a new musical as well. As much as I don’t want to be excited about a new project like this, I am excited.
15. Give yoga an honest try.
Though I’m ready to try this whenever possible, the summer might be the most feasible time to attempt this goal.
16. Meditate for at least five minutes every day.
Done. After a year or so of meditating, I have gotten quite good at clearing my mind. Shockingly good, in fact. I’m not sure if it’s doing me any good or making a difference in my life, but it’s always rewarding to master something.
17. De-clutter the garage.
Work continues.
18. De-clutter the basement.
No progress. Summer job.
19. De-clutter the shed
No progress. Summer job.
20. Reduce the amount of soda I am drinking by 50%.
I will begin recording my soda intake starting this morning (8 ounces thus far). This will allow me to set a guideline for future reduction.
21. Try at least one new dish per month, even if it contains ingredients that I wouldn’t normally consider palatable.
I did not try a new food in April, but I tried two new foods in March, so I’m counting it.
22. Conduct the ninth No-Longer-Annual A-Mattzing Race in 2013.
I can’t believe I set this goal for myself. The races are fun, but they are a ton of work, too.
23. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
Done.
