January 7: Be It Resolved

As many of us do, I came up with a list of "Resolutions" for 2017, the year I will turn 56 years of age. And as in past years, some of the resolutions didn't make it a week. I tend to be overly ambitious with such endeavors. Hell, I tend to be overly ambitious with many ventures in life; from trying to build my own house to attempting to backpack in not-the-greatest-of-shape. Same for the resolutions.

My resolutions take up around four pages of paper, double spaced. They include everything from finances, to health, to work, to my intellectual life. Funny, I guess my social life isn't important to me as it didn't even occur to me to "resolve" something around that.

So how'd I do for the first week? Not so great.

But let's not let a thing like a first week failure in getting 10,000 steps a day at least five days a week impede our progress. So how many days did you get 10,000 steps or more? Three!? In my defense, it has been raining forever. An atmospheric river of water not seen in decades has descended on northern California.

But didn't you have an alternative exercise plan for days when it was raining in your Resolutions? Yes. I was to ride the exercise bike. Did you? No. Room for improvement.

To write about my finances is boring. Let's skip that.

How about the Physical Health part? Well, there is the 10,000 steps a day, recorded on my Fitbit (feel free to friend me). And then there is the resolution to take a long hike every weekend and/or work on this House of Mud I built. Again, the rain...

I resolved to cut down to one Latte' a week. I think I had two last week so we are doing better. And as is my custom, I always have a bagel and cream cheese with that latte'. Nearly everyday. Which resulted in my cholesterol being a bit higher than I wanted it to be. I only had one bagel with cream cheese in the last week. A minor victory!

And then there is that scale thing. Suffice it to say that when I stepped on the nasty bugger on January 1, we set a new record. Breaking into all new territory never experienced by me! I can't even type it out (I do share such information with my son). So how much weight did we lose the first week? One pound.

Again, the rain.

Job Health:

I work home health. The hours required for travel and charting are monstrous. I resolved that I would get up and start my charting at 6 every morning. That I have done with some reasonable success. I also resolved not to fall as far behind in my work. I am better there too. I want all my charting done within 48 hours of the home visit. So far, so good.

Plus I resolved to make my desk more attractive at work.

Intellectual Health

I usually read before bed. I've been doing that since I discovered books in the Third Grade. But lately my reading has been a bit more haphazard and, generally, I fall asleep before getting more than a page or two into the book. Besides, when I'm getting up at 6 to work, I have to be in bed pretty early. Something that doesn't come naturally to me.

I guess one of the resolutions is a bit social: I resolved to write three e-mails a week to one of my smart friends. I wrote two this week.

I also resolved to write everyday. As in a journal or a writing project. Besides the e-mail, it took me until the 7th to sit down and do that. That's part of the purpose of the blog----to write. I have other blogs that I advertised a bit more. You know, had  a Facebook page for it. This journal is mostly for me. You are welcome to read along, if you want. Might be kind of boring.

So anyway, I haven't completed any new books. I did vow to write an Amazon Review about the books I do read. I will start with Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. I read the sucker twice because I couldn't believe how bad it was, I wanted to see if my first impression was correct. It was. You'll have to read the review. (I'll post it here too).

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So there it is: the first entry. From the Mud Hut. Angel, Little One, Kylie (half time) and I say Happy New Year! from our Household to Yours. Let's get this journal going!