December Goals and November Review

Goal, er, well a Try

I'm going to first go over the final review of my November goals.

1. Produce more than consume
1. Make 12 attempts to get a short story (there are several possible) and/or “Tabernacle” published by the end of the month
2. Write or Edit every day (defined as Writing = at least 1 word, Editing = at least 1 correction)
3. Make creating apps outweigh consumption apps on my phone (more time)
4. NO YouTube while working
2. Focus on Health
1. Exercise daily (defined as anything >10 pushups)
2. Yoga daily
3. Get to 1 pullup

1. Production Results
1. D- I didn't make any publishing attempts except this blog
2. A I did that 28/30 days
3. B With the limits I made I'll give myself a B for the reduction
4. A maybe about 90-95%
2. Health
1. A about 90-95%
2. B I didn't do as much yoga, but I did start physical training for my shoulder and that was a lot of stretching so I counted that
3. F I didn't really even work on this

For December I want to build on what I have already, but not reinforce failure. Additionally, a lot of these are habit builders. If I have successfully built a habit I don't need to use is as a goal for future months.

December Goals (in priority order):

1. Health
1. Physical Therapy daily (stretch goal: do it twice) 
2. Set up garage exercise stuff (punching bag, drag tires, bag toss, tires for using sledgehammer on)
2. Volunteer
1. Support Scouting America
1. Attend the Northeast Illinois Council (NEIC) Training committee meeting and volunteer for something
2. Attend the Aptakisic District Committee meeting and volunteer for something
3. Contact NEIC Council Ops Officer to see what help they need
2. Attend the Wauconda CERT meeting and volunteer for an event
3. Switch to Spanish from Dutch on Duolingo and get 15 hours (30 min a day for 30 days)
3. Produce - Make one publishing submission

Now that I've made them public you will have to hold me to them. I can't use the endorphins of posting them to make me feel like I've already accomplished something.

If there is something you would like to see me do more of, please let me know.

 

GOALS!

Apparently, the work I've set out to volunteer for is difficult to get started. I've spoken with as many people as I can to get my volunteering moving, and…

I have nothing yet to report.

SO…

I'm going to share my goals for November. A bit late, you're thinking. Maybe it is, but:

1. I'm in the last ten days and I may, just might be able to reach them if I really try and posting about them sort of puts me on the hot seat, AND

2. I made them just before November and my birthday sort of put things on their ear if you catch my meaning. I was spun around and dizzy, but I've finally got myself in the right direction.

I feel like my volunteering is important, but these goals, though not necessarily in that exact direction nor are exact fuel to get me going in that direction, are good for the same reason my volunteering is important and I will explain after I share them.

1. Produce more than consume

1. Make 12 attempts to get a short story (there are several possible) and/or “Tabernacle” published by the end of the month

2. Write or Edit every day (defined as Writing = at least 1 word, Editing = at least 1 correction)

3. Make creating apps outweigh consumption apps on my phone (more time)

4. NO YouTube while working

2. Focus on Health

1. Exercise daily (defined as anything >10 pushups)

2. Yoga daily

3. Get to 1 pullup

PRODUCING

I figure producing more than consuming is important to the support of democracy because 

1. I don't want to be a mindless consumer, doom-scroller, a side-line-attendee
2. I want to produce the kinds of things that 
1. Make people think and think good things about democracy
2. Make people feel good
3. I want to see and read
4. Make me feel empowered in the right direction.

BTW - It's green because green things grow  

HEALTH

I figure focusing on my health will

1. Keep me healthy for the fight
2. Keep my healthy longer for my children and grandchildren
3. Make my mind stronger, healthy body, healthy mind/brain for the fight for democracy
4. Help me feel powerful and empowered

BTW - It's pink for "In the pink of health"

My progress so far:

1. Produce more than consume
1. No attempts at publishing yet, but I have been doing this, and publishing my blog, and there is still time
2. I have been writing every day
3. I don't know if my creating apps outweigh my consumption apps, but I have downloaded Screen Zen for my phone and Untrap for Youtube. Both help me limit YouTube and a few other apps on my phone
4. I've been pretty successful with not listening to YouTube while working now that I've installed Untrap for Youtube.
2. Focus on Health
1. I am very close to having exercised every day at least more than 10 pushups
2. Very close to Yoga daily, or a similar activity
3. Get to 1 pullup - I'm in physical therapy for my shoulder to help me get to this

So you see it is do-able. I could use encouragement because 1.1 is a doozy yet and I could use all the kind words and suggestions I can get.

Thanks all!

2016 Goal Review

I have only a couple of minutes left.  I know no one reads this, but I'm going to post it anyway.

I completely failed at my two goals this year:  Enroll in a Master of Education Program, and Get a New Job.

I will tell you why in the next post, but I will be rolling them over into 2017.

I also have some secret goals I'm not sharing publicly.  I read that helps keep the pressure on, because you don't feel like you've accomplished something just by sharing the goals.

Wish me luck.

Identity Crisis (or GOOOOAAAA er no, no goal)

This blog has had an identity crisis.  I've tried several approaches and I thought I had settled on making it a professional product where I could share some of my fiction writing and opinions.  I thought I would share some of my writing goals, trials and triumphs.

Other things kept creeping in.

I realize now, I have about 5 loyal readers, but they are all family and friends.  Why do I have only 5.  I think it is because of all that creep, the identity crisis.

This is really no place for my personal goals.  Those 5 people care, but no one else.  This is no place to whine, or talk about family; not if I want even only 5 other readers.

In June and July of 2014 I rededicated this blog to writing, changed the background and pledged to make it more professional and writing oriented.

Then I went astray.

In December 2014 I promised my goals and I never delivered them.  I talked about my Greek goals, but the only people who care about those are those 5 readers I have and other people who study second or more languages.  Those language people have their own forums and since I'm not providing any insight on how to do it (possibly how not to do it) then they don't need this blog.  I can go to those sites dedicated to language learning if I want to share.

This blog is for writing, my fiction and non-fiction.  The only goals this blog should cover are any writing goals I have.  I don't particularly have any this year.  I've got so much other stuff on my plate that I didn't and couldn't make any writing goals.

That's okay for here.  I don't need writing goals, at least not now.  What I do need is to write.  That's what you are going to get.  In December I said it might be messy, and it certainly will be.  What it won't be is personal, non-writing related goals or issues.

I know, I know, but non-goals in Rugby are difficult to picture
and can never feel as sad as this image.

Over the Limit

If it's not one thing it's ten things.  I've gotten myself into another fine mess.

Don't tell them how much he
weighs, Stanley

I weighed myself and I'm over my own self imposed limit.  I told myself I should never go above 250 lbs, and now I have.  This is unacceptable so I began an exercise program yesterday.

This is health related so I'm going to have to make Greek study a 1B priority.  Speaking of which, I should have been reporting on my progress.

I read on Lifehacker and am trying a program of habit sprints.

Here is the habit plan I set up on 19 Jan 15:

1. What is the habit:    STUDY GREEK 90 MINUTES DAILY
2. What is the trigger
1. IMMEDIATELY AFTER WORK AND/OR BREAKFAST
3. Reminders:
1. TooodleDo reminder
4. Accountability
1. Tracking sheet
2. Weekly Blog Reports (for report review)
5. Consequences
1. Positive
1. Ice Cream
2. Negative
1. undecided

You are supposed to do a weekly review and adjustment.  I failed to do that, but here is the one for this week:

1. How many days did you do the habit?
1. 8 (out of 46) x 90 min
2. 38 x <90 min="" span="">
3. 3 days at the beginning with no study at all
2. What worked?
1. Anki flashcards
2. Recording spreadsheet
3. What got in the way?
1. Daily prompt on day planner
2. Remembering the exact number of minutes
3. Doing a weekly review
4. Can't have ice cream with new exercise routine
4. How can you adapt your plan to overcome your obstacles?
1. Pimsleur CD to and from work
2. Record minutes by pen in my notebook
3. Get Skype to work and have Skype conversations

Here is my plan for this coming week:

1. What is the habit:    STUDY GREEK 90 MINUTES DAILY
2. What is the trigger
1. Driving
2. After exercise
3. Reminders:
1. Not needed
4. Accountability
1. Tracking sheet
2. Record minutes in notebook
3. Weekly Blog Reports (for report review)
5. Consequences
1. Positive
1. If I get 90 minutes in a day = IDK
2. If I have a skype conversation = IDK
2. Negative
1. undecided

My Greek study has had very slow progress and I really think what I need to do is engage in conversations.  That is the main thing that will really get me going, and I'd better get going because the rest of my life can't wait any longer.

I've got to find a workout program that only take about 30 minutes a day.  Also, SEL and I are signing up for pool access at our park district.  It's the exercise she wants to do.  I'm going to have to do more.  Any suggestions?

Did you see how slow this guy's Greek study is going?

This Is It!

The last post of 2014 happens in the last half hour of the year.

I've decided to shut down Flowers of Mundelein.  I'll leave the blog up, but I won't be posting there anymore.  I can't keep up with multiple blogs.

I've been spending the last three months trying to ratchet up my Greek studies in an attempt to become conversational in three months.  I've failed, but I'm renewing my efforts in 2015.  I'll go into my goals for the new year in the new year.

I will post any thoughts and efforts here in this blog.  I still want to keep it professional and about my writing, but I'm also going to share goals, highlights and my thoughts.  I find this the best way to share and to organize original fiction and long form essays.

I owe you all the rest of the chapters of "Hate to Say I Told You So."  I do have them outlined, but not written.  If I can get in at least an hour of studying Greek and some other requirements and still have some time I will finish the story.

On the other hand I just may leave that up to the readers.  Maybe I should put up a poll to see how many want me to continue.  I think I need at least 10 people to want me to finish.

So here's the deal.  If I get 10 likes and/or Google+ pluses and/or comments on this post I will continue and finish "Hate to Say I Told You So."  

If there isn't even that much interest I will stop.

VOTE!

Goal Slide Into the Box

I've completed my story, "The Figurine in the Box."  I've sent it copies to some people for review and comment, but I already know I'm going to make at least one major overhaul.  I'm going to edit it down about half of the 15,000 words it is now.

If you don't already have a copy and would like to read it please leave me a comment with an address to send it.

I think it is a good story.  It pretty much did what I intended it to when I started out.  My inspiration was listening to The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft.  I wondered why Lovecraft's gods always had to be so ugly.  Of course they are alien and un-understandable, but why does that always have to equal ugly, hideous and frightening.  Can't something be beautiful, desirable and utterly frightening?

Bradbury explored this same question in "Something Wicked This Way Comes."  Bradbury didn't make it incomprehensible though.  Also, I think it took it in a different direction than where it went for me.

It took much longer than I had anticipated to finish it, and there is still a long way to go in editing it before I can submit it.  I needed to finish it, and it was a good exercise.  Now, it may be an equally useful exercise to edit this smaller story before I try to tackle editing Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods.

This is why I am not completely disheartened by my progress toward this year's writing goal.  My steps are different and smaller, but still headed in the right direction.

MY GOAL:  
Get Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods published by the end of the year.

STEPS:

1. ProNoFiMo in January
2. NaNoEdMo in March
3. Research publishing in April
4. Send it out to publishers starting end of April.

I'm going to have to add some steps:

1. Write "The Figurine in the Box" - DONE
2. Edit "The Figurine in the Box" - MARCH
3. Submit "The Figurine in the Box" for publication - APRIL
4. ProNoFiMo (Prop Novel Finishing Month) - MAY
5. NaNoEdMo - JUNE
6. Research publishing - JULY
7. Send it out to publishers - AUGUST to DECEMBER

And where does that leave you, dear Illini6 reader?  I've promised Mondays as writing day.  Mondays are the day to come here and see a new post.  If I am seriously dedicating myself to these steps what will there be for readers of this blog to read?

I could write more jokes.

I could report on my progress.

I could be completely ambitious and write stories or chapters just to be read here on this blog, from a story that will only appear on the blog.

Something tells me the last option is the preferred one, but only if I can pull it off.  There is the gist, the crux, can I pull it off?  I say I can, but I must offer one caveat, it will be simple and unpolished.

I will promise this, I will never again publish anything on this blog for which there is no ending which can be posted here.  I have posted parts of stories that had no ends.  I've posted parts of stories for which there was an end, but I had no intention of posting the ending here.  That won't ever happen again.

Pens, Polls and Goals

Energel and Piccadilly 

In my last poll I asked how you like your literature served, hot or cold, er no.  I asked, "How do you consume written material?":

1. Dead Trees (paper)
2. Magically (electronic devices)
3. Other

Three responded with dead trees and one responded, "Other."  I have no idea what other they meant, perhaps smoke signals, carved in stone perhaps by a bird ala the Flintstones), or maybe fiery letters writ by the Hand of God.

Our next poll is along a similar vein:

What writing instrument do you prefer?

I ask this because I've recently become interested and in the possession of fountain pens.  It all began on a warm summer evening.  I had been selected to mentor in Tanzania through a charitable foundation at work called Abbott Fund.  I thought it would be prudent to bring an analog, non-electronic (there are analog electronic systems, don't forget) system to record thoughts and such.

I had tried to keep a journal when I was deployed to Afghanistan with disastrous results.  It was 2003 when we were alerted and back then flash drives did not come cheap.  I killed several, including the "huge" 500 MB one I was keeping my journal on.

I started researching notebooks and pens.  I ended up taking a Pentel Energel as my primary pen and a Piccadilly 5.5" x 8.5" notebook (see image above).  The Pentel was a great pen and I ran it out of ink.  I ended up with my backup, a Pilot G2.  I did not like that one as much.

As I was looking into pens I realized I wanted a quality pen.  I also wanted one that was nice to write with.  I started seeing that fountain pens are making something of a come back, and thought I wanted to try them when I got back.

Image courtesy of JetPens.com

I like the idea of fountain pens, like watches they are collectible little machines that, when high quality can last several lifetimes.  Unlike watches they can be a bit cheaper.  It's also more common for people to have more than one pen, while watches are less so.

Image courtesy of eBay

I have three fountain pens now. The first is a Pilot Varsity.  It's a disposable and possibly my favorite.  The second one I got I haven't used yet, because I didn't realize it didn't come with ink.  It's a Bauer.

Image courtesy of JetPens.com

The one I got for Christmas from Mrs. Prop is the most expensive and potentially the nicest.  It is a Lamy AL-Star.  I've been  having trouble with that one.  I'm either not writing with it correctly, I haven't loaded the ink properly, or it's broken somehow.

I'd like to review my writing goals.  This is my third consecutive Monday-ish posting.  Hooray for that.  I have not done any editing of Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods however.

I may have a valid reason though.  I have been working diligently on a "short" story called "Figurine in the Box."  It's a Lovecraftian cosmic horror story.  I started it last month and have shown some of it to some coworkers.  I feel obliged to finish it so I have not shown an unfinished piece that will never be completed.

Inspiration for my figurine

I put quotes around "short" because it has been expanding and threatening to become a novella.  This is mostly a function of the fact that I'm enjoying writing it.  It is close to 15,000 words right now and will probably end up just over 16,000.  This is before any pruning and editing though.

There is some value in this story though.  It is in the same genre as Hidden Temple so I'm in the right mood.  I've been writing it in a similar way as I wrote Hidden Temple.  I think I may have hit on a comfortable way to work the long form.  Finally,and second only to the fact that I must finish a story I shared with some one is, I think I have a market for it that will pay fairly well (as far as these things go).

I'm going to try to submit "Figurine in the Box" to Lovecraft eZine.  I will keep my dear readers abreast of how it goes.  Wish me luck.

Altered Goals

I thought I would be posting a lot this month with an in-depth discussion about my goals for 2014.  As I've struggled to get almost anything done this moth I've realized that I need to make my goals very, very limited.

Things that are important to me include a lot of things, but I just can't do everything.  In fact, I can't really do very much since I am pretty slow in developing skills / learning and reading.  I also do not have very much time to myself.

I'm interested in (in no particular order):

• Archaeology
• Anthropology
• Sports (watching)
• Hockey
• Rugby
• Football
• Sports (participating)
• Swimming
• In-line skating
• Rugby
• Hockey (wish I could)
• Joining some sort of team
• Sailing
• Short fiction writing
• Horror
• Fantasy
• Mystery
• Sci-Fi
• Comedy
• Audio Drama
• Novel writing (same genres as my short fiction)
• Bike commuting
• Podcasting
• Old Time Radio
• Pets
• Getting another Bearded Dragon
• Getting a dog
• Pond fish
• Gardening
• Camping
• Boy Scouts, specifically Commissioning
• Girl Scouting
• Deism
• Forestry
• Staying healthy and doing things that will help me prolong my life
• Romance
• Family
• Music
• Ukulele
• Bass (wish I could play)
• Sax
• Wish I could join a band
• History
• Military in general
• WWII era
• Chicago
• Greece
• Astronomy and star gazing
• Greek and Greece
• Family vacation
• Reading

So you can see that there are a lot of things.  A lot of these things have additional expansions below them.  A lot either need a huge investment of time, money or both.  Some of these things are very personal, some are charitable and some are involved with others in a mutual nature.

Even when I start to narrow down the list or prioritize it so that I can develop goals I end up adding more and more.

Previously I listed five areas for goals:

1. Greek
2. Archaeology
3. Writing
4. New Job
5. Commissioning

I left off a health oriented goal, but two weeks ago I weighed myself and clearly I need to exercise on a regular basis.  You can see that the goals keep getting scope creep. If I want to change these six to areas of importance rather than goals it might help, but I'm not completely convinced.

I think I need to tighten this very much, man up and focus.

My will make just two goals:

1. Learn Greek
2. Get published

However I will measure everything I do against 7 priority levels:

1. Staying healthy
2. Learning Greek
3. Staying employed
4. Family support (things my family needs me to do)
5. Commissioning
6. Getting published
7. Archaeology

I'm going to talk about my priorities more on Flowers of Mundelein.  I'll track my Greek goal on Flowers and my publishing goals here.

Number Three!

I gave a list of my anticipated goals for 2014.  I'm not sure if I should keep 5, but I'm not really sure how I'm Mundelein rather than in Illini6.
going to narrow it down.  I will recount it here now, but know that I'm only going to cover professional type material here on this blog.  As such many of my goals will be covered in Flowers of

1.  Learn Greek - that is a must, and I've placed it above and before all else.  If I do nothing else this year, even if I lose my job, I must finally learn Greek.  What I do with this however will not be tracked here.  I'll track this in Flowers of Mundelein.

2.  Archaeology - I can see how I might drop this, however I've volunteered to "help" run a Archaeology Merit Badge clinic.  At long last I  have a legitimate reason to pursue Archaeology and someone relying on my to produce.  If I didn't commit to helping I could slid this down on the priority list again.  I'll have to see on this one.  It is a maybe.  Also, I think this will probably be covered in Flowers.

3.  Writing - this belongs squarely in this blog and I'll come back to this one.

4.  New Job - I can't really control if I need this or not, but if I do it will certainly move very high up the priority list.  At this point I may have to keep it very high anyway for piece of mind.  I may track that here, as it is professional, but I may not.

5.  Commissioner - This is not really a goal, but a general catch-all for my Scouting function.  It is personal and will be covered in Flowers, but it is also a commitment I made to others and they are relying on me.  I'm going to set goals for others, so I had better keep up my end.

Let's go back and look at number three.  I want to keep a couple of rule sets in mind:

.HEINLEIN'S RULES FOR WRITING
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
4. You must put the work on the market.
5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.

SMART Goals are:

1. Specific – target a specific area for improvement.
2. Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.
3. Achievable - state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.
4. Relevant – stresses the importance of choosing goals that matter.
5. Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

Last year I used Results-oriented for #4, but what I mean is something that is really important and the results matter.

I highlighted Heinlein's rule #2 because I think it may be the one I most often break and the one that is certainly easiest for me to break.  I'm going keep that in the forefront of my mind and work on it.

With these in mind, I want to take January as Prop's Novel Finishing Month (ProNoFiNo) for Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods.  By, "finished" I mean a complete first draft with nothing in it like [put something here] or [explain something] or even [rewrite this].   This will be a adding month and not a refining month.

In March I'm going to sign up for NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month).  This is like NaNoWriMo, but in this you must spend 50 hours editing.

Once I've edited Temple to a good second draft I'm going to start marketing it.  By the end of April I will have it out to at least one publisher.  I will keep putting it out until I do get it published.

GOAL:  Get Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods published by the end of the year.

STEPS:

1. ProNoFiMo in January
2. NaNoEdMo in March
3. Research publishing in April
4. Send it out to publishers starting end of April.

There you go, simple.

Oh, and Robert J. Sawyer added a sixth rule:  Start Working on Something Else.

I like this a lot and I do find this easy.  I almost always do this, and sometimes I've done it before #2, which is less good, or more ungood.  

On the other hand I might have to do this to follow Ray Bradbury's advice to write 400 words a day or Terry Pratchett's advice to write 500 words a day.  I don't know which should override the other.  This one is important, but I think actually FINISHING a novel overrides it.

Once I get that done, then maybe I can make a goal as simple as, average 400 words a day for a year.

Doctor Who Had Ink (and other things you probably already knew)

I was just watching a DVD of the first Jon Pertwee story for Doctor Who, "Spearhead from Space."

At one point he was hiding by taking a shower and I saw a very peculiar thing.  At first it looked like a question mark, then I realized it is a snake.  Jon Pertwee had a tattoo:

Still my middle Propette doesn't think he's cool.

In this story there are a group of aliens called the Nestenes.  They are intelligences that inhabit plastic spheres at first, but buy a manikin factory to build plastic bodies to house themselves in.  This is what happened to Rory while he was waiting for Amy and why he was plastic (you probably knew that)!

So, how are you.  I'm doing better after hurting my back, oh, about a week back (ha ha).  Seriously, I hurt my back, but I feel much better now.

Can you show me where it hurts?  Yes.

I've been behind on my Greek study, but Mrs. Prop and I did go on a date for our anniversary (23 years).

I still haven't found anything on the job boards, but I have a new and exciting opportunity to network that came my way in the last two weeks.  I don't want to say too much yet, but it includes another continent.

Just tonight I had a meeting with some of the Assistant District Commissioners.  I'm getting back into scouting shape and mindset so I can hit that District goal running.

First Revamped Goals Review

Kicking off the second half of the year I've adjusted my goals for this year down to four.  This is my first goal review with the renewed goals.

1. Learn Greek
2. Gold Commissioner JtE
3. Get a New Job
4. Quarterly Dates 

 First, I'm working on expanding my flashcard pack.  I'll have over 400 words in the pack when I'm done.  I'm going to have to get serious about setting mid-term goals and benchmarks.

Second, my biggest concern is making sure we have enough commissioners.  I haven't really worked on recruiting this week, but I have been working some issues that, if resolved correctly could help, if resolved incorrectly will be very damaging for sure.  These issues are top of my list for this category right now.

Third, I've been learning some new things and have scheduled a tour, so I am working this goal, but there are no prospects right now. 

As a sort of side note to this, I found out this week that I can NOT transfer any of my Post 911 GI Bill to anyone.  I had to have done it while still active in the Guard, and after 2009.  I retired in 2007 so that was never really an option and I found out this week that I can't go back unless they call me back.  I had been under the impression that I could become active again if I needed to.  Since that option is off the table I have to make a renewed effort to use that benefit myself for school.  After April, 2020 I won't be able to use it either.

Last but not least at all, are dates.  We have not had one and we don't have any plans right now, but we are talking about it.

This wasn't a very exciting report, but reporting keeps me honest.

I think my next post will be a bit more exciting.  I'm going to go on a rant about the use of the word, "scrum"  by sports broadcasters when they are describing something other than Rugby.

Καλό Καλοκαίρι! Happy Summer!

Wow, Greek again.  That is indicative of my renewed efforts.  I think the only major goal I'm going to have for 2014 is to learn Greek.  I'm going to have to get serious about this.  It has been going on far too long for me to not know it better.

I rode my bike to work four days this week.  That's the most in one week so far this year and I finally hit 25 commutes.  That's very far off the pace I set two years ago when I rode my bike to work over 75 times (that's about 1/3 the workdays in a year and several hundred dollars of savings in fuel alone).  I got rained on very much yesterday and a little earlier in the week.

Let me review my goals:

1. P90X - done
2. Learn Greek - behind
3. Quarterly Dates - No dates so far this year.
4. Get a New Job - I've been checking the job boards, but haven't found anything yet.
5. Get Girl Scout Training - done
6. Gold Commissioner JtE - working on it.  I have to, others are depending on me, especially scouts.
7. Fortnightly History Podcast - Although I'm far behind in my original schedule,  I've been reading up on Chicago History and podcasting.  I set up my podcasting equipment in anticipation of recording a podcast and of recording the guidebook for the Chicago Lincoln Avenue Trail, but I'm having some trouble getting it to work right.  I think I'm going to tank this as a goal because I need to work on the CLAT more and the others.
8. Learn the Trees  - I am going to put Learning the Trees and Participate in an Archaeology activity on hold for this year.  By not fretting over these I think I can concentrate on my Greek studies.
9. Participate in an Archaeology Activity
10. Join a Club - We'll see.  If it helps to concentrate on Greek to skip this one too, then I will.

For the second half of the year here are my goals in order of importance:

1. Learn Greek
2. Gold Commissioner JtE
3. Get a New Job
4. Quarterly Dates

Four goals, six months.  Think I can do it?

Late Report Again

Let's see, I last posted on 12 May 13 and it is 22 May 13 today, that's 10 days and I'm supposed to be reporting my progress on my goals weekly.  Also, if I want readership then I have to post regularly, but I'm not.  You can't see it, but Sister Mary Agony of OLBA (Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration) has a yard stick (Sister don't truck with no metric) ready to crack my knuckles, as well I deserve.

I did start Exercise Across Abbott, and that's a good thing.  From 6 May 13 to 9 June 13 I have to track my workouts and try to increase the number of minutes each week.  The first week we went to Boston to pick up Little Propette #1 so it was easy to keep the minutes to a minimum.  I increased the next week by 53 minutes.  This week I am on track to increase again, even though I had a cold the end of last week through yesterday / today.

I've also been studying Greek a bit more.

I'm feeling extra guilty though because I let the deadline for two writing contests slip by and I didn't submit anything, although I had started stories for both.

I know that both Terry Pratchett and Ray Bradbury say that you need to write daily.  I think Pratchett said 400 words and Bradbury said 500.

Not an excuse (or maybe just a little excuse, please don't tell Sister) but one thing that has me a bit flustered is that I've stirred up interest in Howlina, and while I am interested in that story, it is just a bit too involved to get into right now.  Also, I really want to write a mystery story, but I'm not really sure I can do it.  All the previous mysteries I've written just don't seem to work.  I'm also fidgeting with wanting to write a fantasy, and a horror story (two different stories), but those come easy and they feel like cop-outs, but on the other hand the better fantasy stories and better horror stories don't come easy.  I suppose that seems like several (excuses) but it really comes down to state of mind.  I'm not sure what state of mind I want to put myself into and keep myself in long enough to write a story.

I know I can throw 1,000 words on a page a day, but I have to stop doing everything else to do it and in the end I have a pile of pages each with a pile of words.  I've done it multiple times and I have multiple unpublishable novels to show for it.  I don't think that's the answer.

And anyway, that's not a goal I set for myself this year.

I suppose I should go off to check the job boards and do ten Hail Mary's.

Goal Poll, and Poll and Goal

My April poll was very simple.  Are you still working on your New Year's Resolution?  I'm the only one who answered and I said, "Yes."

I don't know how much easier the polls can get.

The May Poll will be about super powers.  Which one would you like to have?

This week my goal work is as follows (I'm only going to cover the goals that are not finished yet):


2.  Learn Greek = I am back to about 50% of the days, so I'm improving.  I'll have to continue to get better
3.  Quarterly Dates = I need to work on this for this quarter
4.  Get a new job = I'm checking weekly for an appropriate position
6.  Gold JtE = too early to tell
7.  Fortnightly History Podcast = nuthin' yet
8.  Learn the trees = I am going to have to start this this week
9.  Archaeology activity = I am going to learn the trees and learn to start a fire the way the Amerindians in this area did it, by hand rubbing two sticks.
10.  Join a club = I have joined the on-line group for The North Shore Ukulele Society. I will probably start meeting with them next month.

Late Καλό Mήνα Again

Good new month everybody.

I'm going to give a quick rundown of my Goal progress for April.

1. P90X = Done
2. Learn Greek = fell back some in April, but I will get better
3. Quarterly Dates = Fail
4. Get a new job = I got nuthin'
5. Get Girl Scout trained = DONE
6. Gold JtE = too early to tell
7. Fortnightly History Podcast = nuthin' so far
8. Learn the trees = not yet, but we're getting close with the warm weather and new buds
9. Archaeology activity = I got one picked out, but haven't done anything about it, yet
10. Join a club = actually this one is probably the most interesting.  I volunteer with someone who also plays ukulele.  He's part of The North Shore Ukulele Society.  They meet and jam once a month.  I may join them.  This month's meeting is on Πάσχα so I won't be going, but coming soon...

Late Report

It's been two weeks since I posted.  That's a shame, but since I've finished two big goals I didn't think I had too much to report, but it turns out I do.

I started riding my bike to work.  Not too much to start, I rode one day two weeks ago, but that was a very rainy week (more rain than most entire months of April).  Last week I rode two days.  This week I'm hoping to ride three days.

I think I'll more fully report those rides in a later post.

I took a week off of exercise for the most part, then last week I worked out 4 days (down from 6), but back to pretty intense workouts.

I went looking for a second yogo DVD.  I have a Kathy Smith one from Beach Body, but that is only 20 minutes.  The P90X one is 93 minutes.  That's too much of a drop.  I guess I'll keep using the P90X DVDs but in my own mix, and only on days I don't ride my bike.

We went camping with the Girl Scouts last Friday.  We were in one of the leaders backyards but, it was pretty intense since we were out from about 18:30 until 09:00 the next morning and we squeezed in three meals and a snack.  Everybody got a chance to light a fire, learn some knots, erect a tent and cook. 
Next Friday we are going to the local Council's Camporee, but that's in cabins with dining hall meals.

I had been working on quite a bit of Greek too, spending my lunches with electronic flashcards.  I'm building my vocabulary at a glacial pace, but now I need to practice.

Finished P90X!!!!!!!!

I did it!  I finished!  I am indulging myself today and I feel kind of fat, so I think I'll save photos until I go back to doing cardio and feel thinner.

This is the chart I used to keep track of what day I was on.  I started after the first month because it got a bit confusing and this was much easier than most other formats.  I crossed off any day I did.  I circled days I missed.  The Xs are the week I doubled up so I  could make up days I missed.

I didn't get where I wanted to from this program.  After 70 days of P90 in 2008 I was down to 216.  That's the lowest I've weighed since I don't know when.  Admittedly I did a lot of other things in addition to the P90, but I expected to at least get below 220 and I only got down to 225 this year.

I'm not blaming the program.  I probably didn't do something the right way.  I suspect my bad knee and the days I had to miss were part of the problem.

Anyway, I'm done.  I did it.  I am a P90X graduate.

Now, what's next?

I should reward myself, but how?

I'll have to think about that, but for now, I have one more goal down.

P91X or Is It P87X?

Today was Day 91 of P90X or was it Day 80?  I repeated one of the hard weeks last week so now I'm on the last real week, the one with all the cardio.

I'm going to make up the most of the 10 days I missed by doing that extra week, so in the end I will have done 87 days out of the 90.  I don't think that's too bad.

I'm certainly stronger than I was and all my clothes are looser.  I am 226 still and I was about 232 when I started.  I was probably at about 24% body fat when I started.  I don't know where I am now, but I'm not going to take the final measurements and pictures until I'm all done with this week too.

Belated - Weekly Report, Kαλό Mήνα, etc.

Happy April everybody.  I missed reporting last week and I missed wishing everyone a happy new month.  To top it all off I posted my "Papa Story" in the wrong blog (I've also posted it in Papa Stories so no worries).

Let me tell you a bit about P90X.  The system is designed with 12 different exercise routines.  5 of them are cardio based (Cardio, Plyo, Core, Kempo, Yoga) and 5 of them are circuit based weight training.  Each week you do a circuit day, followed by a cardio day, circuit day, cardio day, circuit day, and finally a cardio day.  There are two more DVDs: an intro disk and an Ab Ripper X disk.

Since you have 5 cardio and 5 circuit disks each they do 3 of each type in a week.  They then divide the whole program into 3 phases.  There are three really hard weeks in each phase followed by an easier week.

I'm in the last week, which is an easy week by design.  I'm on Day 85 today.  Since I had to miss 10 days throughout the program I've decided to do an extra hard week before I bring it in with an easy week to finish.

As if that weren't confusing enough, the hard weeks are divided into a more general routine and a more specific routine.  For instance, in the general week you get a disk called "Back and Arms," in the more specific week, one of the disks you use is, "Back and Biceps."  In Phase 3 you do one general week, one specific week, one general week, one specific week and a rest week.

I'm adding in a hard general week.  BTW, I'm still at 227lbs and my knee still bothers me.

I think my knee is going to bother me forever now.  I don't think it will ever stop being something of an irritation.  I will probably have good days and bad days, but I suspect that it will be generally down hill now until I need to get it replaced some years in my future.

On a much brighter note, I DID finish my Level 2/3 Girl Scout Outdoor training.  I'm now certified and our Girl Scout troop can officially go tent camping.  So we can check that goal off as completed.  Hooray!

That gives me an idea for this month's poll: 
Are you still following your New Year's Resolution? 
I say that I am.  Is anyone else?

In my monthly goal review, I'm on track for P90X, and my Girl Scout goals.

We did not go on a date in Quarter 1, so that is a fail so far.  However, there are 4 quarters of course, so I can still get 75% in this category.

I have met with my mentor and I think I have the new jobs board at work figured out.  I attended a class on setting up your career development in our new system.  So that is all positive for finding a new job, but there is nothing currently out there for me to apply to.

I'm working on the Gold level of Unit Service for our Boy Scout District's Journey to Excellence.  It will take all year to find out how we do, but it's looking good so far.

I have not really worked on the Fortnightly History Podcast, but now that two of my primary goals are coming to an end I should be able to work on that more.  I'm also getting ready to start riding my bike to work again.  When I do that I will have more time to think about things, and I will have a better view of the trees in the neighborhood.

The weakest spot in my work on learning Greek.  I havent' done much in that vein, but I have decided that I am going to get up from my desk and walk around a bit each half hour.  When I do that I will study my Greek flashcards.  This should help me a bit.