One year ago, in this column, I put forth my resolutions for 2009, making them public as a means to motivate me to actually follow through with them.
My list included four resolutions: to actually write down my resolutions, to lose weight, to write something other than the journalistic items I write for The Gazette, and to read a stack of books by my bed that had been gathering dust.
I’m proud to say I fully accomplished two of those resolutions and partially accomplished the other two.
Obviously, I fully accomplished the resolution to write down my resolutions, as that was done with the publication of my column last year. Putting it on paper, and then making it available to people who read the paper, including all of my relatives and friends, was instrumental in getting me to accomplish them.
Although I know most people don’t have the ability to put their resolutions in a newspaper like I can, other options are available. Start a blog and make it available to others online. Numerous Web sites, like www.blogger.com, are available free of charge for people to do this. For those who may not be computer savvy or for those who don’t want to share your resolutions with others, put them in a journal. Just don’t let it gather dust.
Speaking of dust, those books by my bed that had gathered it are now gathering dust in my bookcase, since that’s where they are now located after I read them during the first half of 2009, allowing me to fully accomplish that resolution. I read them, enjoyed them and then read many other books during the year.
I purchased two books in November I still need to read, but they haven’t gathered any dust, yet. My family and I are going to Florida for a week in January, so I’m guessing they’ll get read then.
As for my other two resolutions, I did lose 30 pounds, which is a great feat and technically accomplishes what I set out to do; however, my goal was 50 pounds. I didn’t quite reach that goal, but I’m off to a strong start and am healthier than I have been in eight years.
I hope to lose those 20 pounds I didn’t lose in 2009 in 2010. That’s one of two resolutions I’m putting forth, and I’m pretty sure it’s one I will surpass.
My final 2009 resolution that I only partially accomplished – to write something other than the journalistic items I write for The Gazette – is my other resolution for 2010, as I started the process in 2009 and want to finish it this year.
I started it late in 2009 when I enrolled in an online screenwriting course through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While researching possible online programs to get a master’s degree, a resolution I hope to make in 2011 or 2012, I discovered the course, which is not bound by time limits or deadlines, and realized it could be instrumental in helping me write material I’ll need for a graduate-program portfolio when I do move forward with getting a master’s degree.
I enrolled in the course in October and read all of the valuable online material I need to get started with writing an actual screenplay. I took a similar course in college nearly 13 years ago and wrote the first act of a screenplay, but after graduating I never finished it.
Rereading that screenplay, a comedy about a guy searching for Elvis Presley whom he believes didn’t really die in 1977, I came to the realization that it seems dated now, although I could update it by changing Elvis to Michael Jackson, which could give me a wealth of material to work with.
I told my wife I’d rather start over, though, and coming up with an idea that I’d spend a good chunk of the year working on has been difficult. I have come up with several ideas, and now I just need to hunker down and work on them in 2010. I know other writers can sympathize with this, as writing isn’t nearly as easy as non-writers might think. My making this my most important resolution – even more important than losing 20 more pounds – I believe I can accomplish it.
Readers will know a year from now when I give another update and set my 2011 resolutions.
Showing posts with label New Year's resolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Year's resolution. Show all posts
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Public resolutions could lead to success
By writing this column, I’m accomplishing the first of a number of resolutions I have for 2009 – resolutions I’m making public in order to help myself accomplish them.
The first resolution I have is to actually write down my resolutions. I’ve made resolutions in the past, but I never wrote them down and thus never cared about following through with them. But now, in the form of this column, my resolutions are not only written down on paper but also available for thousands of people to read. I figure peer pressure can sometimes be a useful tool.
My second resolution, one I share with millions of others, is to lose weight. Since getting married five years ago, I have let myself get out of shape, partially because of my wife’s wonderful cooking but also because of my love for food, especially sweets, and my general aversion to regular exercise.
My goal in 2009 is to lose 50 pounds, which would put me near a weight I was when I graduated from college 11 years ago. Although many may consider that a goal that is too high, I once lost 70 pounds the summer between my junior and senior years in college, simply by exercising a lot and eating properly. I should have never got off that regimen, but I allowed a lot of other things to come between me and it, and as a result my body is the one that has had to suffer. For that, I apologize to it.
I have two tools at my disposal I plan on using to accomplish this resolution. The first is “Wii Fit,” a video game unlike any other game ever made in that it requires people to work out. I used it in August and lost 12 lbs. initially, but I stopped using it after I once again let other things come between me and it for a week. When I started using it again, the game scolded me for avoiding it for a week and for gaining back 5 lbs. Scared of it, I haven’t used it since then, although my wife continues to use it on a regular basis, and it has helped her lose weight.
When winter ends, and hopefully I’m down in weight, I plan on starting a jogging routine again. I had one for a number of years, and it allowed me to stay at a reasonable weight, but, to no surprise now, I let a lot of things come between me and it.
My second tool is my wife, who is intent on losing more weight with me. We’ll make sure each other sticks to our game plan, which includes more exercise, the cutting off of all sodas and eating smaller portions. It’s easy to eat too much when we eat out at restaurants, given the big portions they dish out, so we’re also cutting back on those, which should also allow us to save more money.
My third resolution is to write something other than the journalistic items I write for The Gazette on a weekly basis. I majored in English in college in hopes of becoming a writer, which I am by means of this job, but I originally intended on becoming a writer of fiction.
Since graduating I haven’t written one piece of fiction, although some of the things politicians have told me over the years could be considered fictional.
For the lack of a better excuse, I allowed a lot of other things to get between me and fiction writing. This excuse ends in 2009, and my goal is to write something that could be published. Whether or not it actually gets published is partially out of my hands, so I’m not making that my goal.
My fourth and final resolution is to read a stack of books by my bed I’ve purchased during the past year but never seem to read. I’ve always been a reader, but 2008 was a slow year for me doing so. It started out well, but by the time summer arrived I lost all interest. I’m in the middle of a book I should have stopped long ago, mainly because it’s not that interesting, but now I’m at a point I want to finish it to find out what happens. Since I’m not really into it, I’ve found plenty of other things to do.
If I could find a way to read or write while working out on the Wii, then maybe 2009 could be a successful year for me.
The first resolution I have is to actually write down my resolutions. I’ve made resolutions in the past, but I never wrote them down and thus never cared about following through with them. But now, in the form of this column, my resolutions are not only written down on paper but also available for thousands of people to read. I figure peer pressure can sometimes be a useful tool.
My second resolution, one I share with millions of others, is to lose weight. Since getting married five years ago, I have let myself get out of shape, partially because of my wife’s wonderful cooking but also because of my love for food, especially sweets, and my general aversion to regular exercise.
My goal in 2009 is to lose 50 pounds, which would put me near a weight I was when I graduated from college 11 years ago. Although many may consider that a goal that is too high, I once lost 70 pounds the summer between my junior and senior years in college, simply by exercising a lot and eating properly. I should have never got off that regimen, but I allowed a lot of other things to come between me and it, and as a result my body is the one that has had to suffer. For that, I apologize to it.
I have two tools at my disposal I plan on using to accomplish this resolution. The first is “Wii Fit,” a video game unlike any other game ever made in that it requires people to work out. I used it in August and lost 12 lbs. initially, but I stopped using it after I once again let other things come between me and it for a week. When I started using it again, the game scolded me for avoiding it for a week and for gaining back 5 lbs. Scared of it, I haven’t used it since then, although my wife continues to use it on a regular basis, and it has helped her lose weight.
When winter ends, and hopefully I’m down in weight, I plan on starting a jogging routine again. I had one for a number of years, and it allowed me to stay at a reasonable weight, but, to no surprise now, I let a lot of things come between me and it.
My second tool is my wife, who is intent on losing more weight with me. We’ll make sure each other sticks to our game plan, which includes more exercise, the cutting off of all sodas and eating smaller portions. It’s easy to eat too much when we eat out at restaurants, given the big portions they dish out, so we’re also cutting back on those, which should also allow us to save more money.
My third resolution is to write something other than the journalistic items I write for The Gazette on a weekly basis. I majored in English in college in hopes of becoming a writer, which I am by means of this job, but I originally intended on becoming a writer of fiction.
Since graduating I haven’t written one piece of fiction, although some of the things politicians have told me over the years could be considered fictional.
For the lack of a better excuse, I allowed a lot of other things to get between me and fiction writing. This excuse ends in 2009, and my goal is to write something that could be published. Whether or not it actually gets published is partially out of my hands, so I’m not making that my goal.
My fourth and final resolution is to read a stack of books by my bed I’ve purchased during the past year but never seem to read. I’ve always been a reader, but 2008 was a slow year for me doing so. It started out well, but by the time summer arrived I lost all interest. I’m in the middle of a book I should have stopped long ago, mainly because it’s not that interesting, but now I’m at a point I want to finish it to find out what happens. Since I’m not really into it, I’ve found plenty of other things to do.
If I could find a way to read or write while working out on the Wii, then maybe 2009 could be a successful year for me.
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