In an effort to hold myself accountable, I post the progress of my yearly goals at the end of each month on this blog.
I appear to have failed to report my October results, so clearly I’m not doing well.
The following are the results through November.
1. Don’t die.
Solidly on track to meet this goal.
2. Lose ten pounds.
Still down ten pounds for the year.
I am attempting to lose another ten pounds during the second half of 2013 but it’s not looking good.
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.
We record our first show on Monday.
5. Practice the flute for at least an hour a week.
I still can’t find my flute. It was an expensive flute. I am upset.
6. Complete my fifth novel before the Ides of March.
7. Complete my sixth novel.
The first 60,000 words of my sixth novel are in the hands of my agent while I finish revisions of my fifth novel. It will sell before I have technically finished it, making this a nearly completed goal in my mind.
8. Sell one children’s book to a publisher.
I will send at least one of the manuscripts to my agent by the end of December. I said last month and the month before that and the month before that and the month before that.
This means that I will not be able to meet this goal by the end of the year, which is disappointing.
9. Complete a book proposal for my memoir.
The memoir of my season of golf is in the hands of my agent, and she loves it. Happy days!
The first five chapters of my originally planned memoir are also written and in the hands of my agent, too.
10. Complete at least twelve blog posts on my brother and sister blog.
No posts published in November. We remain one post away from reaching our goal.
11. Become certified to teach high school English by completing two required classes.
I remain one class and $50 away from achieving certification. Since I have no intention of leaving my elementary school within the next two years, I do not plan on taking this course in 2013. The summer of 2014 looks likely.
12. Publish at least one Op-Ed in a newspaper.
I have published three pieces in the Huffington Post and two pieces in Beyond the Margins. I’ve had several pieces rejected from The Hartford Courant and The New York Times.
Not sure if I’m going to credit myself for completion of this goal yet.
13. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
I competed in one Moth StorySLAM in November and a Mainstage show in October, bringing my total Moth events in 2013 to fourteen. I placed first in my November StorySLAM, running my consecutive winning streak to six.
I’m been exceptionally lucky.
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 a New York City playhouse. We will probably not hear anything by the end of the year.
On a side note, my writing partner has already found a performance opportunity for our next show, which isn’t actually written yet.
15. Give yoga an honest try.
No progress.
16. Meditate for at least five minutes every day.
I missed five days in November because of mornings when my son awoke before I had a chance to meditate.
17. De-clutter the garage.
I have been told that the remaining furniture will be removed soon. I don’t believe it, so I’ll be removing it myself soon.
18. De-clutter the basement.
Work continues. There is a lot of stuff down there.
19. De-clutter the shed
Work ceased on this project in August. I have not touched it since, and it’s too damn cold to finish the job.
20. Reduce the amount of soda I am drinking by 50%.
In an effort to reduce my soda intake, I allow myself two 8-ounce bottles of Diet Coke per day at work. This is a considerable reduction but in no way brings me close to my 50% target.
21. Try at least one new dish per month, even if it contains ingredients that I wouldn’t normally consider palatable.
I tried several new foods in November during my class’s Thanksgiving feast, including foods from Poland, the Middle East, Chile and more. I actually like it all.
22. Conduct the ninth No-Longer-Annual A-Mattzing Race in 2013.
No progress.
23. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
I missed October altogether. I don’t know how that happened. I’m on time for this month.
