Resolutions

This might be more appropriate for my "Stephen Can't Run Good" blog since both this post and that blog deal primarily with goal-setting, but I really prefer the title of this blog in general and I'm trying to stick with putting all my writing on one. So yes, I have some resolutions. I figured that publishing them would make them more likely to stick. As far as I know, I have never actually followed through on a single New Year's resolution in my life. Somehow this has inspired me to be even more unreasonably ambitious in my goals.

Because my resolution ideas are rough and multifarious, I decided I should categorize them. I think twelve is a nice number, as there are twelve months in a year.

Health

• Phase out all processed foods (especially flour, sugar, oil, salt, alcohol, caffeine)
• Work out every day (at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity)
• Strive to maintain a weight of 140 pounds (considered "ideal" by Dr. Fuhrman for my height, and it's the weight I hovered around after I cut out unprocessed foods for a few months early last year)

Academics

• Enroll in ACC program to complete my CDA (Child Development Associate) certificate
• Finish my teacher certification
• Re-take the LSAT and consider applying again for law school

Intellectual

• Read 50 books (I'll really have to find ways to make myself accountable on this one if I have any hope of completing it. I'm starting with Peter Singer's Animal Liberation since I just found it on a bookshelf and it's one I should have read by now.)
• Learn Spanish (My hope would be to learn enough to pass an exam to be a translator.)
• Enter an official Scrabble tournament and win at least one match

Creative

• Write a novel of at least 50,000 words
• Learn to play the guitar (I'm not sure how to define success with this. Maybe someone who plays could give me a more specific modest goal.)
• Paint something I wouldn't be embarrassed to keep in my living room

Athletics

• Increase my bowling average to 200 by the end of the year and lead my team to the playoffs in my league
• Play enough basketball that I wouldn't be afraid to participate in a pick-up game in my neighborhood (Riverside/Montopolis area)
•  Place in a disc golf tournament (There's one every Saturday at Waterloo.)

So that was 15 resolutions. I made them specific and measurable. I was going to write in more detail about these goals, and maybe throw in some other unrelated musings, but I'm tired now.

I can take concrete steps on two of these before bed. I'm not going to eat anything else today (therefore nothing processed) and I'm going to read Animal Liberation as I fall asleep.

I, Stephen Bollich, hereby declare today, January 3, the first day of the year.