So, here's the year-end thing for 2009, and some goals for 2010. They will probably look somewhat similar to 2009's goals, but isn't that how it goes?
2009:
-Lose 16 pounds (to 195)
Well, I am hovering around 205, So I guess I lost a little bit of weight. That could be within the realm of the statistical variability of my terrible scale, though.
-Get to 80% done on the thesis (to first draft status)
I have what I think is a solid topic now, I just need to dig in and do it. 80% it is not, but I should have less distractions next year (hopefully!)
-Finish Stress Test. Whatever state it's in at the end of the year, it's done.
It's done, and I have album art. The next step is getting it released through Bandcamp and CDBaby, which I am working on now.
-Pay off credit card debt entirely (potentially doable this time)
Done. It's such a relief to be completely out of credit card debt. It was mostly house-related stuff, and not totally frivolous, but still. Additionally, we totally paid off the loan on the Civic. So no car payments either!
-Volunteer 10 times in 2009
1. Harvesters distribution center
2. Bridging the Gap recycling center
3. Children's Mercy game night
4. KCUR spring funding drive
5. Bridging the Gap Arbor Day tree planting
6. Manheim neighborhood cleanup
7. Hyde Park graffiti cleanup
8. KCUR fall funding drive
9. Kansas City Marathon course monitor
Almost made it. 9 is still pretty good, right?
-Do RPM Challenge in February
Done! Get the record here.
-Do NaNoWriMo in November
I signed up, but didn't deliver. One of these years, perhaps.
-Get involved in the KC Fringe Festival in some capacity
Epic fail. Didn't volunteer, didn't go. To be fair, my father was dying at the time.
-Paint the porch and deck
Paint mostly removed from deck. Need to rent a power washer, power wash, and then prime and paint.
-Install the new windows
Done, just need to finish up the trim, caulk and touch-up paint
-Do at least one other home repair that improves my home repair knowledge
I think the complete bathroom remodel more than suffices here.
-Get more involved in public transit advocacy and improvements
I've talked at least one person at work into riding the bus. Does that count?
-Spend at least one entire month without driving to work
This just didn't work out, unfortunately
-Read 20 books, courtesy of time spent on mass transit
1. Alan Weisman - The World Without Us
2. Banana Yoshimoto - Lizard
3. Chuck Klosterman - Downtown Owl
4. Neil Gaiman - Stardust
5. Dave Eggers - What is the What
6. Mark Kurlansky - Salt: A World History
7. John Updike - Trust Me: Short Stories
8. Maira Kalman - The Principles of Uncertainty
9. Dave Eggers - How We Are Hungry
10. Frank Schaeffer - Crazy for God
11. Alex Beam - A Great Idea at the Time
12. Haruki Murakami - What I talk about when I talk about running
13. Brent Runyon - The Burn Journals
14. Don Thompson - The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
15. Neil Gaiman - Smoke and Mirrors
16. Remy Stern - But Wait! There's More!
17. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr - Armageddon in Retrospect
18. Dave Eggers - You Shall Know Our Velocity!
19. Haruki Murakami - After The Quake: Stories
20. Michael Pollan - In Defense of Food
21. Bill Ayers - Fugitive Days
22. Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart
Two bonus books!
-Run 5 races
1. Love 2 Run 2/14
2. Westport St. Patrick's Day Run 3/14
3. Olathe Marathon 4/4
4. Brew to Brew 4/5
5. Trolley Run 4/26
-Participate in Carrot Mob
I'm not sure these guys are still active. I've tried to contact them a bunch without much luck.
-Damn the man, save the empire
Man damned. Empire's more or less ok.
So now, for the 2010 goals, with some carry over from 2009:
-Finish the bathroom remodel. The hard stuff is done (other than the shower tile, I guess).
-Release Stress Test. Give 100% of sales to United Way of Kansas City.
-Volunteer 10 times in 2010
-Paint the porch and deck
-Get involved in the KC Fringe Fest
-Read at least 25 books
-Run at least 7 races
-Build a linen closet at the end of the second floor hallway
-Either substantially complete my thesis or switch to a non-thesis degree for the sake of getting it done.
-Take the bus or carpool for at least 50% of my commutes
-Pay off at least one student loan and substantially pay off another one.
-Expand my musical tastes beyond what Pitchfork sells me. Listen to more Jazz, Neoclassical, and Soul music.
1 comment:
Argumentum ad Hominem
The subtitle should have read, Every Negative Fact and Innuendo I Could Dredge Up
Although he was not particularly unkind to me in the book, I found virtually every page to be a smart-alecky and snide diatribe of the worst order against the Great Books, Adler, Hutchins, et al. Plus the book is replete with errors of commission and omission.
As an effective antidote, I prescribe Robert Hutchins' pithy essay, The Great Conversation.
If the Great Books crusade is as bleak as Beam purports, then happily, not many will read his invective book.
Max Weismann,
President and co-founder with Mortimer Adler, Center for the Study of The Great Ideas
Chairman, The Great Books Academy (3,000+ students)
Post a Comment