Resolution update: February 2014
/1. Don’t die. I still kick ass at not dying.
2. Lose ten pounds.
One pounds gained in February. Oops.
3. Do at least 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups five days a week.
Done.
4. Launch at least one new podcast.
Author Out Loud, my first podcast, is still yet to launch (and therefore still not my first), mostly because of scheduling issues. Once we have that podcast running smoothly, we can think about adding a second podcast.
I’m sucking on this goal, if you haven’t noticed.
5. Complete my sixth novel before the Ides of March.
Revisions on the next novel are interrupting the writing process a bit, but I’m still making good progress. I still love this book.
6. Complete my seventh novel.
I sent the first half of this manuscript onto my agent to see if I should continue work on it. I await word.
7. Sell one children’s book to a publisher.
Still working on revisions for The Little Bad Wolf and two other manuscripts.
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. These two years also include an armed robbery, the onset of my post traumatic stress disorder, my period of homelessness and the time I spent living with a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
There’s plenty of material for for a memoir in those two years, I think.
I also think a reduced scope will make for a better memoir and open the door to future memoirs from other periods of my life.
Work has begun on this project.
On the advice of a Moth producer, I have also transcribed five of my Moth stories and sent them to my agent with the thought that we may consider publishing them as well. I await word on that as well.
9. Host at least one Shakespeare Circle.
Nothing scheduled yet.
10. Write a screenplay.
The first step is to purchase Final Draft, the software required to write a professional screenplay. I have yet to take that step.
11. Write at least three short stories.
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 a Moth StorySLAM in February, bringing my total events to four. Sadly, my name was not drawn from the hat.
16. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
I’ll be competing in my sixth GrandSLAM in New York City in two weeks. After four second place finishes (including three by a tenth of a point), I’m not holding my breath.
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.
Our next show is scheduled for March 29.
22. Deliver a TED Talk.
I will be delivering 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.
Still looking doubtful.
25. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
Three days late.