PERSONAL FITNESS
1. Don’t die.
I was in Manhattan last night, producing and hosting a show for the Yale Alumni Association, and I was nearly hit by a kid on a skateboard in the middle of 8th Avenue, but that’s as close as I came to death in February.
2. Lose 20 pounds.
I lost one pound in February. Slightly less than the 12 pounds lost in January but still moving in the right direction.
13 pounds lost in all.
3. Eat at least three servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day, six days a week.
Done! I’m still counting orange juice as a fruit, and the vegetables in soup are also quite helpful in achieving this goal.
4. Do at least 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 3 one-minute planks for five days a week.
Done.
Also, after learning about a 62 year-old man setting the new world record for a plank at more than 8 hours, I’ve begun extending my plank time. I did a 5 and 6 minute plank last week, and I’m up to 2 minutes of the others.
I’m hoping to reach 10 minutes in March.
5. Set a new personal best in golf.
The golf courses were not open in February.
WRITING CAREER
6. Complete my seventh novel before the end of 2020.
I met with my new editor, Alice, in February to confirm that she doesn’t think the next idea for my new novel is stupid, and she doesn’t. She seems to like it quite a bit, so it’s full steam ahead.
Also, I’m working on revising my first middle grade novel, too, so between my adult novel and my middle grade novel, I’m feeling good about finishing at least one of these books in 2020.
7. Write/complete at least five new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
No progress.
8. Write a memoir.
Writing continues. Rather slowly.
9. Write a new screenplay.
No progress.
10. Submit at least five Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
None submitted in February.
11. Submit one or more short stories to at least three publishing outlets.
None submitted in February.
12. Select two behaviors that I am opposed to and adopt them for one week, then write about my experiences on the blog.
I’ve identified a behavior to try in March:
I’m going to read Twilight or 50 Shades of Gray. I’ve always assumed that both books are terrible, but at a recent party, I listened to friends disparage these books, which automatically made me want to defend them based upon their commercial success and hints of literary elitism.
I have an oppositional disposition which makes me a joy to be around.
Suggestions on which book I should read?
13. Increase my newsletter subscriber base to 5,000.
I added 78 subscribers in February for a total of 4,124.
If you’d like to sign up for my newsletter, you can do so here:
14. Write at least six letters to my father.
One letter written in February. One written in total in 2020.
15. Write 100 letters in 2020.
Zero letters written in February. Four letters written overall.
Not great.
16. Convert 365 Days of Elysha into a book.
No progress.
17. Complete and release my limited episode podcast on “Twenty-One Truths About Love.”
The podcast is nearly complete. Episodes with my editor, the cover designer, and more are ready to go. I need to record the first episode with Elysha and finish editing the last one and it will be ready to launch.
I may wait to launch the podcast in conjunction with the paperback release of my novel.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
18. Produce a total of 12 Speak Up storytelling events.
Three shows produced in February:
- A charity event at the school where I teach in West Hartford, CT
- A show at District in New Haven in partnership with Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
- A show for the Yale Alumni Association at The Greene Space in Manhattan
Four shows in all in 2020
19. Pitch myself to at least 5 upcoming TEDx events with the hopes of being accepted by one.
I helped two clients get accepted into TEDx events in 2020 ands 2021, but I made no progress of my own so far.
I’ll be speaking at a TEDx event in the Berkshires in April, but I booked that gig last year.
20. Attend at least 15 Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
I competed in the Moth GrandSLAM in Boston in February. One Moth event so far in 2020.
21. Win at least three Moth StorySLAMs.
No Moth StorySLAMs attended in February. Hard to win if you don’t play.
22. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
I completed in a Moth GrandSLAM in Boston in February and finished in second place.
Deservedly so.
23. Produce at least 40 episodes of our new podcast Speak Up Storytelling.
Elysha and I produced four episodes in February. Eight in total.
Our latest dropped on Wednesday! Subscribe today!
24. Begin providing transcriptions of each episode of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast.
No progress.
25. Explore the monetization of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast.
DONE! Kind of…
I set up our Patreon page in January, and in February, without officially launching the campaign or finalizing possible perks, managed to land two Patreon contributions.
Monetization achieved on an exceptionally small scale. But a good sign of things to come!
26. Perform stand up at least six times in 2020.
No performances in February.
27. Pitch at least three stories to This American Life.
No stories pitched in February.
28. Pitch myself to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast at least three times.
I sent a pitch to Marc and his producer last week. One so far in 2020.
It occurs to me – just now – that I work with a comedian who knows Marc Maron and has even appeared on his show. Perhaps I have another way of reaching him…
29. Produce at least one new video for my YouTube channel each month.
I posted a brand new video that shows me using an improv activity called First Last Best Worst. I realized yesterday afternoon that I had yet to post anything to the channel in February, so I recorded the video in my car while sitting on 8th Avenue in New York.
It came out pretty good considering the circumstances.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel here.
Watch me model First Last Best Worst here.
30. Find a means of producing my storytelling instruction for an online platform.
No progress in February but at least half a dozen requests for this service.
HOME
31. Print, hang, and/or display at least 25 prints, photos, or portraits in our home.
Walls were painted in our backroom, and Elysha is currently purchasing new art to blend with the old. Progressing well.
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.
Contract signed. We’ll be replacing 14 windows in March.
33. Clear the basement.
No progress.
34. Refinish the hardwood floors.
This might be a problem. Hardwood floors require at least a few days to be completed, and we have cats. The cats will absolutely not stay with anyone else while the floors are being done, so what the hell are we going to do? Anyone?
35. Purchase a new television.
Done! It’s large and beautiful and professionally mounted to the wall.
FAMILY/FRIENDS
36. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
I missed 5 days in February. Twelve days in all so far. I need to somehow make this a habit.
37. Take at least one photo with Elysha and myself each week.
Done! Including this one:
38. Cook at least 12 good meals (averaging one per month) in 2020.
No meals cooked in February. One meal so far in 2020.
39. Ride my bike with my kids at least 25 times in 2020.
No progress. It’s February in New England.
Actually, Charlie rode his bike in the driveway one day before I got home from school, but it was 30 degrees, so he’s insane.
40. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
No progress.
41. I will not comment, positively or negatively, about physical appearance of any person save my wife and children, in 2017 in an effort to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done.
42. Surprise Elysha at least six times in 2020.
No surprises in February.
I sent Elysha a bouquet of flowers to her workplace on her birthday in January.
One surprise so far.
43. Play poker at least six times in 2020.
The poker game that I scheduled in February was cancelled because of the death of Elysha’s grandmother.
One game played so far in 2020.
44. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
No progress.
NEW PROJECTS
45. Understand Instagram better.
No progress.
46. Listen to new music via the Billboard Hot 100 Spotify playlist at least four times per month.
Done!
Songs that I especially liked in February were Memories, Good as Hell, Blinding Lights (a Duran Duran ripoff), South of the Border, and everything by Billie Eilish and Lizzo.
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.
No progress.
48. Complete my Eagle Scout project.
No progress.
49. Scan and send photos of Laura to her daughters.
No progress.
50. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done.
