Neal was here

Here’s a short list (potentially updated) of things I’m hoping to accomplish in 2009.

1. Increase savings to $15k. That’s about $1000/mo saved. $500/paycheck. $125/wk. $25/workday. Etc. Done end of June 2009. Whoop.
2. Travel. I don’t really care where, but I travelling is something I want to be doing. [went to Sedona/Grand Canyon/Flagstaff with Connie in September! not quite 'travel', but a good start]
3. Get my passport. Crucial for #2. I have been telling myself I was going to do this since 2006. (done Feb 2009)
4. Tile my house. I almost did it this year but bailed at the last second to sort the office instead. It’s going to be a lot of work. [DONE! January 2010.. almost within 2009]
5. Paint more of the house. Maybe a bedroom. [front room done June 2009]
6. Cook more.
7. Read more. At least a book per month. I want reading to be my fun hobby again, and I’ve got plenty of books to explore. And I live near a library.
8. Open up better; be warmer. Have to think on this one.
9. And a vague one: decide where I want my career to go and start working toward it. I’m thinking advertising and graphic design classes. [july 2009 update] -Decision more or less made : now just gotta get to work
10. Not get a significant haircut; just trims. I think I’m going to be stubborn and keep it long. At least for awhile. Or until a pretty girl tells me it looks better short. I’m a wuss. [amendment. It's July and I'm kind of sick of this hair.] [amendment 2: FAIL, hair cut in mid July.]
11. Live a little. Live a little more intentionally.
12. Go on a date with a beautiful woman.[Done! Aug 10, 2009]
13. Redesign this site again. And get the bohlingfamily.com set up and running. But that’s more a January goal. (done Jan 2009)

Some of these are easy and specifc, some not so much. I’m planning to get that Passport paperwork in before the end of January, which means I need to get the passport photo done as soon as possible. I’m excited.

I, sad as I
Sit I, sad as it is?
I sad? Ask! Sad as I.
O, she said I as eh. So?
Lob my sad ass; sad a symbol.
I sit, sad as tis, I.

Don’t ask. It’s just backwards and hilarious.

After all that hype, I still just got busted for being about an hour late today.

Sonofabitch.

next time, gadget! next time!

As I half suspected, I failed to chronicle my failures and successes at morning times for the remainding 15 days. It is now about a week past the last day and I don’t remember significant failures or fantastic successes.

Except for one day: I don’t remember which specific day it was, but I had a definite sense that I was losing control of the mornings. I had woken up quite late. I think I still made it ‘on time’, but not to the extent I had been hoping.

Otherwise, the remainder of the days were average successes. I was not exceptionally early, but I never missed any meetings and made it to everything I needed to make it to in the mornings, which was my real ultimate goal. So success.

However, since I’ve stopped pressing for it, I’ve seen myself slipping. Today I returned from a short vacation and was not able to get in here as early as I should have. 10am. A bit too late. Tomorrow is a new day. This will continue to be an area of effort. But now I don’t have to record about it online anymore. For now.

Day 14 : Tuesday. Felt like crap when I woke up around 8am so worked from home. So I was up and succeeding by 9, so win.

Day 15 : Wednesday. There is a phenomenon in my life labeled “Tuesday Nights” which is a glorious weekly meeting of minds, hookah, friends, and beer. Right now, I would not trade it for anything. Unfortunately, this Tuesday led to some great conversations that kept me up very very late. But I made into the office by 10. Technically a failure.

Tonight, I need to go to bed much before midnight. Should be very doable.

Day 9 : Nov 13 : Worked from home and was up on time. But napped for a bit.
Day 10 : Nov 14 : Friday, was on time. Don’t remember exact time.
Day 11 : Nov 15 : Saturday, slept till 11:30. Felt great.
Day 12 : Nov 16 : Sunday, was up at at church by 8. Felt great.
Day 13 : Nov 17 : Monday. Got here around 10. Been fighting a bit of a cold and staying out a bit too late which made getting rolling today quite difficult.

Lessons learned: go to bed on time. It’s ok to be asleep before midnight.

not my actual coffee

Wednesday morning comes too quickly when Tuesday nights are gloriously long. I showed up at 10 today. I had no meetings and so nobody cared, which is part of the reason I had trouble with mornings in the first place. Coffee, however, is required and next on my agenda.

Am I really going to keep this up all the way through 30? I think I have to.

Day 7 – here at 9:04. Felt good, but the meeting I was supposed to attend appeared to be cancelled.

Yesterday, another habit I’m trying to break won, and it has reminded me that I really like the feeling of not being ruled by a habit.  The feelings of defeat and disappointment are much better to do without. And I’m not discouraged; it’s just a downer to see the progress you’ve made destroyed temporarily. You have to start all over. Again. When other things ride on the progress, it’s worth it to succeed. Immensely.

And these jeans are dirty and it’s bugging me.

Day 4: up for traffic school at 6:00am

Day 5: slept till 2. Weekends are grand.

Day 6: Arrive in time for my 9:30 meeting. Great success!

A positive attitude toward mornings seems to be crucial to the success of the operation. That takes a bit of preparation.

9:00am. I win.

And with a lot of late nights this week. If I can get myself to bed earlier, I should be golden.