Resolution update: May 2010

/

In an effort to achieve my yearly goals, I post my monthly progress here.

Below are my sixteen New Year’s resolutions and my progress thus far.

1.  Lose seventeen more pounds, bringing my weight down to 185 pounds, which was my high school pole vaulting weight.

Three more pounds down.  Thirteen to go.

2.  Complete CHICKEN SHACK by April 15 (adjusted from an original target of my birthday).

Finished writing the book on April 17.  Finished final revisions on May 2.

Revisions following my agent’s input begin this week.  Planning on finishing these revisions by the end of June. 

3.  Eat three servings of oatmeal a week in order to reduce my cholesterol.

Done!  Once again, I had exactly three bowls of oatmeal per week in the month of May.

4.  Try liver.

Not yet.

5.  Publish an Op-Ed in a national newspaper.

Not yet. 

6.  Participate in The Moth as a storyteller, at a live show or on their radio broadcast.

Not yet.

7.  Complete the rock opera.

Still complete, and I’m wrapping up the latest round of revisions this week.  Looks like we’ll have a reading with real actors and musicians in the fall!

8.  Read at least six novels that were published in 2010.

Two more done, bringing my total to five already.  This month I read SH*T My DAD SAYS and THE BEDWETTER: STORIES OF COURAGE, REDEMPTION AND PEE.  Just one to go!

9.  Organize my basement.

Summer project.

10.  Learn to use Dreamweaver with reasonable skill.

Must start this now, before my summer book tour begins.

11.  Land at least one paying client for my fledgling life coach business.

None yet.

12. Go to at least twelve movies this year, continuing to debunk the myth that the parents of newborns are no longer able to go out to the movies.

My total remains at five.  None this month.  But summer approaches, and I expect the number to rise quickly.

13. Rid Elysha and myself of all education debt before the end of the year.

Nothing to report.

14. Replace the twelve ancient windows on the first and second floor of the house with more energy efficient ones.

Nothing to report.

15. Make one mortgage payment from poker profits.

I remain about a quarter of the way to a mortgage payment.  No time to play.  Too busy writing. 

16. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.

Done.