Resolution update: January 2014
/1. Don’t die. I kick ass at not dying.
2. Lose ten pounds.
Three pounds lost in January.
3. Do at least 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups five days a week.
Better than done. I completed six days a week in January.
4. Launch at least one new podcast.
Author Out Loud, my initial podcast, has yet to launch because of technical and scheduling issues, but my February vacation is now the targeted date for our first recording. Once we have that podcast running smoothly, we can think about adding a second podcast.
5. Complete my sixth novel before the Ides of March.
I’m writing as fast (and as well) as I can. I love this book.
6. Complete my seventh novel.
I’m also writing this one, which may or may not be a mistake.
7. Sell one children’s book to a publisher.
I received feedback from a children’s book editor on my latest attempt at a children’s book, The Little Bad Wolf. I’m working on revision now.
8. Complete a book proposal for my memoir.
I made a decision to reduce the scope of my memoir and focus primarily on the two years that encompassed my arrest and trial for a crime I did not commit. Those two years also include an armed robbery, the onset of my post traumatic stress disorder, my bout with homelessness and the time I spent living with a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I think a reduced scope will make for a better memoir and open the door to future memoirs on the other times of my life.
Work has begun on this project.
9. Host at least one Shakespeare Circle.
Nothing scheduled yet. Probably a good summer project.
10. Write a screenplay.
I have looked into purchasing Final Draft, the software required to write a professional screenplay. Thanks to a friend, I also know what my first scene will be. So that’s progress. Right?
11. Write at least three short stories.
I can’t believe that I included this on the list. I was ambitious. Perhaps overly ambitious. No progress.
12. Write a collection of poetry using existing and newly written poems.
No progress.
13. Become certified to teach high school English by completing one required class.
One class and $50 away from completion. Hopefully a class that I can find and complete over the summer.
14. Publish at least one Op-Ed in a physical newspaper.
No progress.
15. Attend at least 10 Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
I attended three Moth events in January. Two events were GrandSLAM championships (where I told stories), and the other was an event at Trident Books in Boston where I told a story at the opening of a program designed to promote their book.
16. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
I competed in two Moth GrandSLAMs in January. I finished in second place by a tenth of a point in the New York slam and was randomly chosen to go first in the Boston slam, dooming any hope I had for victory.
I have future GrandSLAMs in both Boston and New York based upon previous StorySLAM victories, but after five GrandSLAMs and three second place finishes, I’m beginning to feel a little jinxed.
17. Give yoga an honest try.
No progress.
18. De-clutter the basement.
No progress.
19. De-clutter the shed
No progress.
20. Conduct the ninth No-Longer-Annual A-Mattzing Race in 2013.
No progress.
21. Produce a total of 6 Speak Up storytelling events.
Elysha and I produced our first Speak Up event in January. It was an enormous success. We sold out the theater again, and I think it was our best show to date.
22. Deliver a TED Talk.
I am scheduled to deliver a TED Talk in March in Somerville, MA.
23. Set a new personal best in golf.
No progress until the spring arrives.
24. Find a way to keep my wife home for one more year with our children.
Unfortunately, this is looking doubtful.
25. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
Done.