Resolution update: October 2011

With just two more months to complete my New Year’s resolutions, I have started crossing off those items that are complete. 

The following is my progress through October. 

1.  Lose 23 pounds, bringing me down to my high school track and field weight.

I was two-tenths of a pound away from my goal as of this morning. 

If my gym hadn’t been closed for the last two days, I would’ve probably reached or beaten my goal already.

In an effort to avoid such problems in the future, I renewed my Bally’s membership this morning.  $64 for a year in order to have access to two different gyms within 10 minutes of my home.  This will be especially helpful in January and February when the gyms fill up with people who join for as month or two in hopes of fulfilling their own New Year’s resolutions before fading into the sunset by March. 

Bally’s is not the cleanest or most well equipped gym in the area, but it has a pool, and more importantly, it has power right now.  My gym could be without electricity for another week.   

For about $5 a month, how could I go wrong?

Stupid October snowstorm.   

2.  Do at least 50 100 200 push-ups and 50 100 sit-ups a day.

I did not miss a day in October.

3.  Practice the flute for at least an hour a week.

I practiced a total of an hour for the month of October, which is an enormous improvement over previous months but still not near my goal. 

4.  Find a wine that I can drink every night or so.

Did not drink any wine in October.   

5.  Complete my fifth novel.

I have returned to my half-finished novel after deciding (with the help of my agent) that my new idea was not working. 

It will eventually work, and I remain excited about it, but I was forcing things. The book hasn’t had the time to ferment in my mind. 

The good news is that I am suddenly much closer to finishing my fifth book.  Halfway there!  And my wife and agent like it a lot.  A positive sign.    

The bad news is that I lost a month trying out my new idea.

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), so perhaps like many hopeful novelists, I will complete my book before December.  

6.  Complete and submit one children’s book to my agent.

Still done. Revisions of both of my stories continue, and a new story underway, based upon a dream I had earlier in the month. 

By the end of the year, I should have three children’s books in various states of revision, with at least one back in the hands of an agent.         

7.  Complete the book proposal for the non-fiction collaborative project that I began last year.

My photography partner and I have ironed out our differences and are ready to move forward.  Unfortunately I am devoting most of my writing time to the new book.  But I still hope to have a proposal written before the end of the year.  Still possible but less likely.     

8.  Complete an outline for my memoir

Done. The writing of the memoir continues.  

9.  Convince my sister to write on http://107federalstreet.blogspot.comat least once a week and do the same myself.

Done!  My sister wrote four entries in the month of October and seems quite enthusiastic about the project.  In fact, she’s writing faster than I can respond. 

I couldn’t be more pleased.  

10.  Drink at least four glasses of water every day.

Done.

11.  Complete at least one of the three classes required for me to teach English on the high school level.

As I stated last month, I originally needed to complete three classes in order to receive my certification, but after jumping through some administrative hoops and providing the state with some documentation, I only need two classes now.  Therefore, resolution accomplished.

I also take my English certification test in two weeks.  I have opted not to study for this test, hoping that I remember enough from college to earn a passing grade. 

My friends think I’m crazy to attempt this difficult test without studying, but I took the LSAT a few years ago without any preparation and scored in the 89th percentile.

Maybe I’ll get lucky again.

12.  Try liver.

Nope.  But damn it, it will be done. 

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

I am submitting the piece that I have written for The Millions, an online magazine offering coverage on books, arts, and culture, this week. 

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

Done.  I placed third in the Moth’s GrandSlam last month.  I also plan on participating in one or two more StorySLAMS before the end of the year. 

15. See our rock opera (The Clowns) performed on stage as a full production or in a dramatic reading format.

Our reading is scheduled for November 5 and 6.  You can read all about it and find out how to purchase tickets on the theater’s website by clicking here.

16.  Organize my basement.

Progress continues.  I am actually approaching the finish line.  I’ll likely be wrapping up work this week (we now have the week off due to massive power outages in the area) or during December break.

17.  Land at least one paying client for my fledgling life coach or professional best man business.

Done!

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

We paid off one of our four student loans in October, and it looks as if we will have one or two more paid off before the end of the year. 

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

Still waiting on the funding.

20. Make one mortgage payment from poker profits.

No poker in October (but a live game tonight!).  I remain stuck on a little less than 25% of a mortgage payment so far.

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

Done.