PERSONAL FITNESS
1. Don’t die.
I managed to contract COVID-19 in August – probably while traveling back from the West Coast, but I handled it fine. A pesky cold, though I also passed it on to Elysha.
So still alive, despite an insidious little virus infecting me.
As always, I plan on living forever or die trying.
2. Lose 20 pounds.
I gained two pounds in August, primarily thanks to vacation and COVID-19. Some good eating while away combined with a lot of list exercise time.
This brings my total weight down to 33 pounds in 2023. Still well ahead of the original goal of 20 pounds.
I won’t declare victory until I get through the year with sustained weight loss, but at the moment, the goal to lose 20 pounds, as well as my revised goal of 30 pounds, have been achieved.
Now that I’ve hit my new goal, I’m setting my sights on another 10 pounds, which would bring my total weight loss to 40 pounds. This might be difficult but not impossible.
I’ve replaced most of my wardrobe as a result of the weight loss.
3. Do at least 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and three one-minute planks five days a week.
I missed seven days in August because of COVID-19.
4. Cycle for at least five days every week.
I missed a total of 16 days in August. Eleven were missed while I was on vacation on the West Coast. Another five were missed because of COVID-19.
None of this was in my control.
In an effort to make up for the missed days, I also rode the bike (stationary and actual bike) two or more times on a single day for ten days in August and three or more times on three days in August
5. Improve my golfing handicap by two strokes.
My handicap at the start of the year was 17.6.
I played about a dozen rounds of golf in August, and my handicap is holding steady at 20.9.
I played poorly on the West Coast, but I improved each round and putted especially well. I also recently shot a six-over 31 on a par 37, including two birdies.
I also played a round of golf with my coach and shot a 46 despite falling apart on the last two holes.
Great improvement is happening. I need to hit my driver consistently and hit all of my clubs longer if I hope to improve significantly.
WRITING CAREER
6. Complete my eighth novel.
The book is about half complete, but I haven’t made any progress in 2023 as I focus on my nonfiction first. I will begin work on it this month.
7. Write my next Storyworthy book.
Done. Sending it off to the editor!
8. Write/complete at least three new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
My agent still has my beaver-related picture book for review.
I’ve also started two new ideas. Short, incomplete, and very much in the rough draft stage.
Now that my storytelling book is finished, I can look to these projects.
9. Write a new solo show.
Done.
10. Perform a new solo show.
Done. Performed July 30 and 31 and August 1. I look forward to performing it again.
11. Write a musical.
My friend Kaia and I are writing a musical that we will also perform, even though I cannot sing. She writes the music and lyrics. She and I write the story.
We brainstormed ideas in August and came up with some exciting ideas. A new concept and some ideas for songs.
I need to write some of the story in order for Kaia to begin writing music. I haven’t done that yet because we were immersed in the solo show, but now that it’s done, I’m hoping to turn my focus on this next staged project.
12. Submit at least five Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
No progress.
13. Write at least four letters to my father.
I wrote a birthday note to my father in March.
One letter has been sent in 2023 so far.
14. Write 100 letters in 2022.
Done.
Another 59 letters were sent in August, bringing the total number to 165.
Recipients included Politico, Delta Airlines, CVS, Ron DeSantis, former students, friends, colleagues, and two business owners.
15. Convert 365 Days of Elysha into a book.
No progress. There is probably a company that does this sort of thing.
16. Read at least 12 books.
Done. Five books were read in August. A total of 13 books so far in 2023.
Hooked: How to Produce Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
Tough Sh*t by Kevin Smith
From Saturday Night to Sunday Night by Dick Ebersol
The Ship Beneath the Ice by Mensun Bound
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield
I’m in the middle of reading the following books:
“The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore
“Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty
“The Groucho Letters”
“Million Dollar Maverick” by Alan Weiss
13 books read so far in 2023.
“Sapiens” by Yuval Harari
“Life’s a Gamble” by Mike Sexton
“The Sea We Swim In” by Frank Rose
“Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah
This Will All Be Over Soon” by Cecily Strong
“Magic Words” by Jonah Berger
“The Science of Storytelling” by William Storr
“Slayers and Vampires” by Edward Gross and Mark Altman
“Hooked: How to Produce Habit-Forming Products” by Nir Eyal
“Tough Sh*t” by Kevin Smith
“From Saturday Night to Sunday Night” by Dick Ebersol
“The Ship Beneath the Ice” by Mensun Bound
“Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t” by Steven Pressfield
17. Read TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time.
I didn’t read any of these books in August. Reading will resume this month now that school has begun.
A total of 15 so far.
I’ve read many of the other books on the list in the past, but I am only counting those books that I have read in 2023 toward my goal.
18. Write to at least six authors about a book I love.
No progress.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
19. Complete the re-recording of Storyworthy For Business.
“Storyworthy” for Business is complete and available for purchase. Find it and much more at storyworthymd.com.
I want to produce a much-improved version of the course ASAP. Module 1 is now re-recorded. A lot more needs to be done.
20. Record the next Storyworthy course.
Done.
Two brand-new courses have been added to the Storyworthy platform:
Finding Stories
Anatomy of a Story
Humor: Volume #1
I’m proud of all of them. You should check them out.
21. Produce a total of six Speak Up storytelling events in 2023
Three shows in 2023 so far:
- April 22 at the Connecticut Historical Society
- May 4 in partnership with Voices of Hope
- July 29 at Hartford Flavor Company
We have a show scheduled for September 30 at Wolcott School.
More to come!
22. Pitch myself to at least three upcoming TEDx events with the hopes of being accepted by one.
Done!
I spoke at a TEDx event at the University of Connecticut in January. It went well despite a malfunctioning clicker that sometimes advanced two slides instead of one.
You can’t imagine how annoyed this made me.
Also, due to the delay in posting a TEDx Talk from more than a year ago, my University of Connecticut talk will not be loaded onto the TED platform for reasons I don’t quite understand.
I also spoke at a TEDx event in Natick, MA on April 13. It went quite well.
I pitched myself to TEDx events in Harlem, Roxbury, and on the campus of Yale University. Harlem has declined. I await word from the two others.
23. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
No Moth events in August. Vacation plus COVID-19 interrupted the schedule.
A total of ten Moth shows attended in 2023 thus far.
24. Win at least one Moth StorySLAM.
Done. I won the Moth StorySLAM in Boston on March 29.
25. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
I competed in a Moth GrandSLAM in Boston in May and did not win. I also had to go first, which is not exactly fun or conducive to winning.
I was invited to compete in the Seattle GrandSLAM in March and again in October, but traveling cross country was not possible at those times.
I will be performing at the Moth GrandSLAM in NYC on November 1.
26. Produce at least 24 episodes of our podcast Speak Up Storytelling.
No progress.
27. Perform stand-up at least six times in 2022.
No progress.
28. Pitch three stories to This American Life.
No progress.
29. Pitch myself to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast at least three times.
No progress.
30. Send a newsletter to readers at least 50 times.
No newsletters were sent in August.
A total of 41 newsletters have been sent thus far in 2023.
HOME
31. Clear the basement.
Progress continues and is going well. One more large piece of furniture to remove. Many more items need to be removed.
32. Clean and clear the garage.
A much-needed dumpster, a trip to the dump, or perhaps a neighbor’s tag sale will be key to completing this task, but it’s nearly done. There are large items that need to be discarded, and a pile of school supplies needs to be organized or eliminated, but otherwise, almost complete.
33. Furnish and decorate the studio.
Done!
34. Eliminate clothing not being worn and closet bins.
Just two bins left to go through with Elysha.
FAMILY/FRIENDS
35. Text or call my brother or sister once per month.
Done.
36. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
Done.
37. Take at least one photo with Elysha and me each week.
Six photos were taken in August.
38. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
No progress.
39. I will not comment – positively or negatively – about the physical appearance of any person save my wife and children in order to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done.
40. Surprise Elysha at least six times in 2023.
Seven surprises in August, including:
- First-class tickets on the flight back from DC (from July)
- First-class tickets on the flight to Everett, WA
- Pusheen gift box
- Tickets to “Back to the Future” on Broadway
- Tickets to “Mrs. Doubtfire” at the Bushnell
- A collection of simple syrups from Whidbey Island
- Rhode Island and Boston weekends planned with friends for the fall
18 surprises so far in 2023, including:
- Half a dozen birthday cards, all handmade, scattered throughout her life on her birthday
- Tickets to the upcoming Lizzo concert
- A Pusheen Mystery Box
- Goodie bag of Trader Joe’s delights
- Coat from Canyon Ranch
- Visit from Kathy
- Surprise dessert delivered personally to her school
- Another surprise surprise dessert delivered personally to her school
- Another Pusheen Mystery Box
- Tickets to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Tina Fey/Amy Poehler, and Jenny Lewis
- Flowers following Clara’s dance recital
41. Play poker at least six times in 2023.
No progress. It’s ridiculous since I love this game so much.
42. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
No visits in August. Scheduled one canceled because of COVID-19.
MUSIC
43. Memorize the lyrics to at least five favorite songs.
I memorized the lyrics to “Lay It On Me” by Vance Joy.
I memorized the lyrics to “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans.
I’m still working on Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” and “Renegade” by Styx (with Charlie and Clara).
Others, too.
44. Learn to play the piano by practicing at least three times a week.
Done.
MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS
45. Learn the names of every employee who works at my school.
I learned the names of four paraprofessionals and two certified staff members this week. Two new and four existing staff members.
46. Convert our wedding video to a transferable format.
Done! The wedding video, along with a great deal of other content, was successfully extracted from my ancient Apple laptop. The footage was not removed in perfect order, so some work will need to be done to reassemble the parts of the video, but at last, this goal has been completed.
47. Memorize five new poems.
No progress. But there is a show in Hartford called Other People’s Poems, where you read (and perhaps recite poetry) from memory.
I plan to attend in September.
48. Write to at least three colleges about why they should hire me.
I have begun writing the letter, though I’m starting to wonder if I would still want the job.
49. Complete my Eagle Scout project.
I’ve reached out to the folks who manage the cemeteries in Newington for assistance on this project in March.
No response.
Still need to reach out again.
50. Post my progress regarding these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done!
