Resolution update: 2020 in review
At the end of each month, and now at the end of the year, I report on the progress of my New Year’s resolutions (or lack thereof).
This has been a difficult year in terms of my goals. As always, I failed to complete some because I did not apply the effort and attention required for success. But the pandemic also made the completion of some goals incredibly difficult or impossible.
Some of these pandemic effected goals included performing standup, hosting a fundraiser, completing my Eagle Scout project, winning a Moth GrandSLAM, refinishing our hardwood floors, and planning a Heavy Metal Playhouse reunion. All of these goals were either made incredibly difficult or impossible due to factors related to the pandemic.
Conversely, the pandemic also had its share of silver linings. I wildly exceeded my expectations in some cases because of the pandemic.
For example, I planned to cook 12 meals for the family in 2020. Not only did I cook more than 100 meals, but I learned to cook. I can make a couple dozen dishes now, and I understand fundamentals of cooking like never before.
I even enjoy cooking a little.
This has also led to many more fruits and vegetable in my diet, so much so that I stopped keeping track midyear.
I also planned to take my kids on 25 bike rides in 2020, but we stopped counting by late spring. I also fell in love with my bike again when the gym closed, so much so that we purchased a Nordictrack indoor cycle for the winter months when biking is impossible.
With the absence of travel, live shows, Patriots games, and other events that typically filled my weekends, I played more golf than ever before and became a much better player. I’m now only a below average player as opposed to a poor player, which represents significant progress for me and resulted in a personal best.
My goal to move my speaking and storytelling business online accelerated during the pandemic, and I ultimately began teaching and consulting online regularly, making friends and finding clients all over the world. I thought I would never want to consult remotely, but I now have clients all over the world who I will only consult with via Zoom moving forward.
I also shifted some goals in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. My goal to write a memoir became a solo show instead, recognizing that when theaters can open again, they will need content, so having a ready-to-go show might allow me access to venues that might otherwise be booked.
Similarly, my goal to write a screenplay instead became a musical for similar reasons.
I also started (and nearly finished) a second storytelling book, which took away time that I would’ve spent writing my next novel.
I also abandoned one goal (transcription of my podcast) and nearly completed two others that will be finished within the month.
Overall, I completed 27 of my 50 goals for a completion percentage of 54%.
This matches my average completion rate over the past ten years of 54.3%
Considering the challenges of the pandemic, I feel pretty good about this.
2010: 44%
2011: 62%
2012: 30%
2013: 60%
2014: 60%
2015: 59%
2016: 59%
2017: 71%
2018: 50%
2019: 48%
2020: 54%
Here are the result through the end of 2020.
PERSONAL FITNESS
1. Don’t die.
Still alive!
Unlike previous years, this one proved to be slightly more challenging in 2020 in light of the pandemic.
2. Lose 20 pounds.
There was a point in 2020 when this goal had been achieved, but thanks to a number of factors, including the colder weather, the inability to access the gym, necessary repairs on our Nordictrack, and my own stupidity, my 20 pound weight loss is now just an 11 pound weight loss for the year.
I’m so annoyed. It’s my biggest disappointment in myself in 2020.
3. Eat at least three servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day, six days a week.
Done! I’m eating more fruits and vegetables than ever before. This has been a huge change in my lifestyle in 2020, thanks in part to the pandemic, which has me eating at home and cooking all the time.
4. Do at least 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 3 one-minute planks for five days a week.
Done! Sit-ups have become crunches at my doctor’s request, and I missed 5 weeks in 2020 with a back injury, but otherwise complete.
5. Set a new personal best in golf.
Done!
On August 9, I shot a 45 on the back 9 at Rockledge Country Club, producing my best round ever.
Naturally, it was the one time when we failed to snag a scorecard, so this epic achievement is recorded on the inside of a box of golf balls.
A month later, I shot five over par on a par 31 executive course. I repeated that score on the same course in November.
WRITING CAREER
6. Complete my seventh novel before the end of 2020.
Failed to complete. I started writing another book, which stole a lot of my time.
7. Write/complete at least five new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
Failed to complete. One of my biggest disappointments of 2020.
8. Write a memoir.
Failed to complete. My efforts shifted from this project to a solo show that I am currently workshopping with friends.
9. Write a new screenplay.
Failed to complete. My efforts shifted to a musical that I am writing with a friend.
10. Submit at least five Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
DONE!
A total of six submissions in 2020.
None were accepted, but two have been published by the Hartford Courant.
11. Submit one or more short stories to at least three publishing outlets.
None submitted in 2020.
12. Select two behaviors that I am opposed to and adopt them for one week, then write about my experiences on the blog.
Done!
I listened to the audiobook version of 50 Shades of Gray in November. I’ve always assumed that it’s a terrible book, but at a party, I listened to friends disparage this book (despite having never read it), which automatically made me want to defend the book based upon its commercial success and their hints of literary elitism.
I also have an oppositional disposition, so I almost instinctually take the opposing viewpoint in many situations. I’m a joy to be around.
In December, I gave ASMR a try for about 10 days.
I’ve written about both and will post sometime in January.
13. Increase my newsletter subscriber base to 5,000.
Failed. I only grew my list by 14%. The lowest percentage of growth in 5 years.
I currently have 4,491 subscribers.
14. Write at least six letters to my father.
Done! Seven letters written in 2020.
15. Write 100 letters in 2020.
Failed. A total of 52 letters written in 2020.
16. Convert 365 Days of Elysha into a book.
Failed. This one is really disappointing since it wasn’t terribly difficult to accomplish.
17. Complete and release my limited episode podcast on “Twenty-One Truths About Love.”
The podcast is ready to go, but we will be releasing it with the release of the paperback of “Twenty-one Truths About Love” in February.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
18. Produce a total of 12 Speak Up storytelling events.
Done! Despite the pandemic, we managed to pull it off. Between IRL and virtual shows, we produced 12 shows in all.
19. Pitch myself to at least 5 upcoming TEDx events with the hopes of being accepted by one.
DONE!
I pitched myself to five TEDx events in 2020:
TEDx Salem State University
TEDx Hartford
TEDx UConn
TEDx Wesleyan
TEDx Yale.
TEDx Hartford passed. TEDx Salem State has decided to use faculty speakers only because of the pandemic. I suspect that the other TEDx events are rescheduling due to the pandemic, but I have yet to hear.
I was supposed to be speaking at a TEDx event in the Berkshires in April of 2020, but that event has been rescheduled for next year.
20. Attend at least 15 Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
Done!
Fifteen events in 2020. The pandemic made this a lot harder and a lot less fun than the live shows, but thanks to the virtual world, it was still possible.
21. Win at least three Moth StorySLAMs.
DONE!
I won one Moth StorySLAM in New York City back in February and two virtual slams in Boston. Three victories in 2020 and 51 Moth StorySLAM victories in all.
22. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
Failed.
I completed in a Moth GrandSLAM in Boston in February and finished in second place. Thanks to the pandemic, there were no other GrandSLAM opportunities in 2020.
23. Produce at least 40 episodes of our podcast Speak Up Storytelling.
Failed.
Elysha and I produced a total of 30 episodes in 2020. Remote teaching in the spring interrupted our schedule and made our original recording schedule impossible.
24. Begin providing transcriptions of each episode of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast.
Failed. I abandoned this goal when the combination of cost and lack of desire on our audience’s part made it unnecessary.
25. Explore the monetization of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast.
DONE!
Our Patreon page is up and running, and so far 28 people have been kind enough to commit to a monthly contribution. In exchange for their commitment, they are receiving bonus content on the Patreon page, including interviews with storytellers, instruction material, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.
26. Perform stand up at least six times in 2020.
Failed. Pandemic made this impossible. I had the option to try to complete this goal virtually, but I couldn’t bear the thought of standup through Zoom. It’s hard enough already without being able to hear and feel the laughs.
27. Pitch at least three stories to This American Life.
Failed. My friend didn’t solicit many pitches for shows in 2020, and I made no attempt to pick up the slack.
28. Pitch myself to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast at least three times.
Done! I pitched Maron twice and his producer once. No response.
29. Produce at least one new video for my YouTube channel each month.
Done.
30. Find a means of producing my storytelling instruction for an online platform.
DONE! I taught multiple an online storytelling workshop since the pandemic struck, starting in April with about 70 people from 17 different states and 8 different countries in partnership with MOPCO Improv theater.
Since then I’ve taught more than a dozen online workshops.
HOME
31. Print, hang, and/or display at least 25 prints, photos, or portraits in our home.
Failed. A painter has been hired to paint some rooms and will also be hanging our prints, photos and art in mid-January.
32. Replace the 12 ancient, energy-inefficient windows in our home with new windows that will keep the cold out and actually open in the warmer months.
DONE! 14 windows replaced!
33. Clear the basement.
Done! There will always be more to clear out, so this goal will return to the list in 2021, but I removed enough material in 2020 to consider this complete.
34. Refinish the hardwood floors.
Failed. Pandemic made this impossible in 2020.
Also, we own cats. How do we get our hardwood floors refinished with cats?
35. Purchase a new television.
Done! It’s large and beautiful and professionally mounted to the wall.
THANK GOODNESS we did this early in the year. Our new couch, chair, television, and streaming services have been invaluable during this period of social distancing.
FAMILY/FRIENDS
36. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
Failed. I missed a total of 43 days in 2020.
37. Take at least one photo with Elysha and myself each week.
Failed. I missed 18 of the 52 weeks in 2020
38. Cook at least 12 good meals (averaging one per month) in 2020.
DONE! I stopped counting at 25 meals. I’m well over 50 at this point. Maybe close to 100.
This pandemic has done wonders for cooking skills.
39. Ride my bike with my kids at least 25 times in 2020.
DONE! I stopped counting at 30 way back in the spring.
40. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
Failed. Pandemic made this impossible, but a virtual reunion in 2021 might be a great solution to this problem.
41. I will not comment, positively or negatively, about physical appearance of any person save my wife and children, in 2020 in an effort to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done. Still done. Life is good when you don’t feel the urge to criticize someone about their physical appearance, both outwardly or in your mind. It took a while, but that urge has been almost entirely stripped from my being.
42. Surprise Elysha at least six times in 2020.
DONE!
I surprised Elysha two more times in December – a card placed on her dashboard while at work and one of her Christmas gifts.
All of her Christmas gifts were a surprise, but one was especially surprising.
Fourteen surprises in 2020.
43. Play poker at least six times in 2020.
DONE!
My friends and I use a combination of a poker app, Zoom, Venmo, and Spotify to play pandemic style.
Ten games played in 2020.
44. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
DONE!
NEW PROJECTS
45. Understand Instagram better.
Failed. Disappointing since this probably could’ve been accomplished in an hour or two.
46. Listen to new music via the Billboard Hot 100 Spotify playlist at least four times per month.
Done! Listening to the Billboard playlist on Spotify once per week has become a habit.
I still want to know where all the bands with actual guitars have gone.
47. Host a fundraiser for RIP Medical Debt, which would allow us to relieve the medical debt of struggling Americans for pennies on the dollar.
Failed. Though I still find this issue incredibly important, it’s hard to ask people to donate to a cause like this when there are so many needs in this work right now and so many Americans without jobs.
48. Complete my Eagle Scout project.
Failed. The pandemic made travel to Massachusetts impossible, as well as the work that needs to be done.
49. Scan and send photos of Laura to her daughters.
I have scanned the photos. I just need to choose the best time and method to send. My original plan was to meet the girls in person and deliver them. But in a pandemic? Do I just send them along digitally? Do I have them printed, too?
I’ll be contacting Laura’s sister for guidance and planning.
50. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done!