Every month, I record my progress toward my yearly goals to hold myself accountable and, occasionally, seek help and advice from readers willing to offer insight, ideas, and solutions.
Here are my results from July 2026.
PERSONAL FITNESS/ATHLETICS
1. Don’t die.
I battled a respiratory virus for more than two weeks in July, but I powered through. Devoured cough drops and drank fluids and coughed a lot, but I kept getting on stages and playing golf and vacationing with my family.
I was robbed on the subway in London, but I suspect the criminal didn’t have a weapon, so not real danger there.
I had blood work done in July, too, as part of my yearly physical.
A specialized cancer screening was clear.
My cholesterol is a little high.
I’m vitamin D deficient.
I have work to do.
2. Lose 10 pounds.
I lost 3 more pounds in July.
A total of 17 pounds lost in 2026 so far.
3. Do a targeted push-up workout at least three times per week.
I took off two weeks due to illness and a week while vacationing in London. I only did push-ups on nine days in July.
Understandably so.
4. Complete 100 sit-ups three times per week.
I took off two weeks due to illness and a week while vacationing in London. I only did push-ups on nine days in July.
Understandably so.
5. Cycle or ruck for at least five days every week.
I rode my indoor bike for only seven days in July due to illness and vacation.
I did not ride my outdoor bike, and I did not go rucking in July.
But I also played ten rounds of golf — 9 holes each time — walking the course and carrying my bag, which isn’t part of my exercise regimen but should be counted. I’m walking about 3 miles and taking about 6,000 steps while carrying a 22-pound bag.
We also walked seven miles per day in London.
I didn’t exactly meet my goals this month, but I didn’t sit around either.
6. Try at least three new vegetables I have never eaten before or do not like.
No new vegetables in July, but I tried black pudding while in London.
I tried arugula and zucchini thus far.
Two vegetables down.
7. Average 2.1 putts per hole by the end of 2026.
Current average putts per hole is 1.96.
8. Average 180 yards per drive by the end of 2026.
Current average drive distance is 154 yards, which is about four years better than June but also pathetic.
WRITING CAREER
9. Complete my ninth novel.
Work continues.
10. Write, edit, and revise my golf memoir.
Work has begun on the revision.
11. Write a proposal for my next storytelling book.
Done.
12. Write a proposal for my Substack memoir about the summer of 2007 that can be pitched to editors.
My agent doesn’t think it will sell. I’ll need to convince her otherwise. Or maybe self-publish?
13. Exceed 100 paid subscribers to my Substack.
I lost 4 subscribers in July. Makes sense. I still did nothing.
A total of 35 paid subscribers.
I haven’t done anything yet to promote the Substack, so the slow growth is not surprising. I also purchased an online class on paid newsletters that I will watch this month.
I also plan to begin posting in August once these two weeks of travel are finished. I will begin by posting writing sessions so readers can see what professional writing actually looks like.
I have 4,898 unpaid subscribers, too. That’s an increase of 95 in July.
I’ve lost 10 paid subscribers so far this year.
14. Read and process The Heavy Metal Playhouse notebook.
No progress.
15. Write my “Advice for Kids” book.
Progress continues.
16. Find an idea and begin writing my next middle-grade novel.
Done. The idea has been identified, and progress has begun.
17. Revise at least two of the picture books in my pile of unpublished picture books and prepare for submission.
No progress.
18. Write/complete at least three new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
Lots of new ideas.
No writing yet.
19. Explore the possibilities for publishing “The Gimme Tree” — my satirical take on “The Giving Tree.”
After determining that no publisher wants my book, we have begun looking into self-publishing options.
Sadly, the two people whom I trust most don’t love the book, either.
20. Write about my childhood in partnership with my sister, Kelli, at least once per month.
Kelli and I have begun exchanging texts about childhood memories. I need to formalize this on a platform of some kind and build consistency.
21. Write a new solo show.
Topic and story chosen. Work in my head has begun. Since I never write my shows on paper, this represents real work.
22. Submit at least three Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
A piece was published on the front page of The New York Times in February about backing into parking spots, for which I was interviewed and mentioned often.
I count this as one submission in 2026.
23. Write at least four letters to my father.
No letter sent in July.
One so far in 2026.
24. Write 150 letters.
I wrote 18 letters in July — to students, friends, clients, my financial advisor, and colleagues.
A total of 128 letters have been written so far this year.
I have many, many more letters to write in August, thanking friends, colleagues, and students for celebrating my retirement from teaching with me.
25. Write to at least six authors about a book I love.
No progress.
But last year, I wrote to the great George Saunders, and in April, he wrote back to me.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
26. Record and publish at least 25 videos on my YouTube channel.
Done!
One video was published in July.
A total of 20 so far for 2026.
27. Record and produce at least one new Storyworthy course.
No progress.
28. Produce a total of six Speak Up storytelling events in 2026.
We produced our first show of 2026 on January 31 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
We produced our second show on May 9 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
We produced another edition of “Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” on July 11 at the Merryall Center in New Milford, CT.
We also have shows scheduled for October 17 and 24 and December 5. Save the dates!
A couple more shows may also in the works.
29. Submit pitches to at least three upcoming TEDx events, hoping to be accepted by one.
Done!
I submitted a pitch to TEDx Charleston, and it was accepted. I did that talk in April.
Huzzah.
30. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
Done!
I did not attend a Moth StorySLAM in July. A week in London, a week in Nashville, and a week in Victoria, BC and Seattle have kept me away.
A total of 9 so far in 2026.
31. Win at least one Moth StorySLAM.
Done!
I won a Moth StorySLAM in San Francisco, making it my fifth city to win a StorySLAM. Previous cities include New York, Boston, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
32. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
No progress. I was forced to decline an invitation to a Boston GrandSLAM because I was already booked, so I await the next one.
33. Pitch “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks” or “Shovel” or my new show to at least six theaters in 2026.
Done!
I pitched “Shovel” to nine theaters so far in 2026, including:
The Hartford Stage
The GoodSpeed Opera House
The Seven Angels Theater
Blackfriars Theatre
CenterStage Theatre at the JCC
The Focus Theater
The Duke at The Mercantile on Main
Arial Arena
JCC Ballroom
I also met someone at a conference this week who gave me excellent Fringe Festival advice.
I’ll be submitting more in the coming weeks and months.
34. Produce at least 24 episodes of our podcast, Speak Up Storytelling.
No progress, but I think August is the month!
35. Perform stand-up at least six times.
I performed stand-up in the library in Monterey, MA, on January 30.
I performed stand-up in Orlando, Florida, while stuck because of a snowstorm.
I performed stand-up at an open mic in Victoria, Canada, while attending a conference.
Three performances thus far in 2026.
36. Pitch three stories to This American Life.
No progress.
HOME
37. Organize the basement.
No progress.
38. Replace the floor in my office.
I’m looking for a new person to do the job.
FAMILY/FRIENDS
39. Text or call my brother or sister once per month.
I texted with my sister and brother (who didn’t reply) in July.
40. Bring my brother, sister, and me together at least once in 2026.
We have a date in September. We’ll meet at a zoo in Massachusetts that we visited as children.
41. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
Done.
42. Take at least one photo with Elysha and me each week.
Done! Lots taken, though Elysha has many on her phone that she still needs to send to me.
43. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
No progress.
44. I will not comment positively or negatively on the physical appearance of anyone except my wife and children to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done. Simple and automatic now.
45. Surprise Elysha at least 12 times.
Done!
No surprises in July that I can recall, but I have at least two planned for August.
A total of 13 surprises so far in 2026.
The list:
- I sent flowers to Elysha at her school on her birthday.
- I delivered pastries to Elysha’s school for her team to share.
- I sent flowers to Elysha on Valentine’s Day.
- I planned a weekend getaway for August.
- I planned an anniversary surprise that couldn’t happen.
- I planned a surprise vacation to NYC.
- I sent flowers to Elysha on the Friday before Mother’s Day.
- I gifted three weekends of spa treatments for Mother’s Day
- I arrived in Elysha’s classroom with books and Clara
- I brought Elysha and her friend Pellegrino and pastries
- I brought Elysha into Boston for dinner with friends
- I bought Olivia Rodrigo tickets for Elysha and Clara
- I planned a wonderful anniversary evening that did not happen
46. Play poker at least six times.
One game played in July.
Four poker games so far in 2026.
47. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
I had dinner with Bengi twice in July.
Those dinner, plus my retirement party, brings the total to three in 2026.
We have another dinner planned for August.
MUSIC
48. Memorize the lyrics to at least five favorite songs.
I’ve decided to memorize the lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors.” I know many of them already, but I don’t know them all, and I don’t know any songs entirely. But my musically wise children love this album, so listening to it should be easy.
49. Practice the flute at least four times per week.
No progress. I heard a member of Chicago play the flute at the concert last week, but that definitely doesn’t count.
MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS
50. Host at least one dinner party where I cook.
No progress.
51. Develop a course on self-confidence.
I plan to run a free six-week workshop on confidence in the fall.
52. Develop a list of strategies to help people deal with loneliness and produce it in some form.
No progress.
53. Read at least 12 books.
I finished reading “Regime Change” by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
I’m currently reading “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf.
I’m currently reading “Before and Laughter” by Jimmy Carr.
I’m currently reading “Daily Rituals” by Mason Currey.
I’ve read ten books in 2026 thus far:
“Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King
“The Skyscraper Doom” by Norman Zierold
“The Dark Tower” by Stephen King
“Griffin and Sabine” by Nick Bantock
“Sabine’s Notebook” by Nick Bantock
“The Golden Mean” by Nick Bantock
“The Wind Through the Keyhole” by Stephen King
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
“This Is Strategy” by Seth Godin
“Regime Change” by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
54. Read “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf.
I purchased a beautiful copy of the book. I read the first six pages.
This is going to be hard.
55. Read “The Skyscraper Doom” by Norman Zierold.
Done!
I read the book — the first book I ever checked out of a library — on a plane to Charleston, South Carolina.
I had fond memories of that book from reading it circa 1982.
It did not hold up. Not even close.
56. Finish reading TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time.
No progress.
57. Edit our wedding footage into a movie of the day.
No progress.
58. Memorize three new poems.
I am memorizing “Oh me! Oh Life!” by Walt Whitman.
I’m also making a list of all the poems I have memorized to reinforce them.
59. Explore the possibility of earning the rank of Eagle.
No progress.
60. Complete at least five Duolingo lessons every day.
Done. I far exceeded this goal, completing 282 lessons in July, for an average of nearly 10 per day.
61. Post my progress regarding these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done.
