Thankful Thursday, Hippo Gnu Deer, and impending Party

[mdlbear]

Let's get the party announcement out first: we're having our usual "sometime around New Year" party this Saturday, the 3^rd. It's actually on our anniversary this year, but we're not expecting presents, just presence. And food. It's a potluck -- food is always welcome.

OK, now the Thankful Thursday: Today I'm thankful for...

• Having gotten a few things done off my list from last year
• Software, gin, and a few other things that aren't exactly addictions but are nice to have.
• Coffee, which is an addiction.
• Rainbow's End.
• Cat therapy.
• Colleen. How -- and why -- she puts up with me I'll never know, but I'm grateful.

And finally, an annotated look back at last year's goals (not resolutions -- I'm too irresolute for those).

• Get back into recording. I don't think I can manage a whole album, but I can probably manage a lot of scratch tracks and a few complete mixes, and maybe build up momentum that way. Total fail.
• Eat better. I may not lose weight, much as I'd like to, but nothing says I can't have more salads for lunch. Total fail. Gained 7 lbs.
• Similarly, walk more. I've gotten horribly out of shape, but my new office is farther from my preferred bus stop than the old one. (The 70 stops only a block away, but I'd have to stand around at 3rd and Pike waiting to change busses. I'd rather walk.) I mostly succeeded at this one.
• Get the medical bills taken care of. I've been ignoring a lot of them. My sign-on bonus will probably go for that and taxes, mostly. Sort of. The sign-on bonus got squandered, but the taxes and -- I think -- the medical bills eventually got paid, out of the meager proceeds from the Starport.
• Bring some better order to my motley collection of blogs and web sites, with as much of the content as possible deployed using git hooks. Only if you count what I've done in the last week.
• Write more! Songs, fiction, essays, whatever. I haven't done any writing to speak of for, what? Two years? Mostly not. I've done written a handful of metafics and a recipe or two.
• Sell the Starport. Mostly. It did get sold, but a lot later and for less money than we needed.

So, out of seven goals, two total failures, one moderate success, and four "successes" that were mixed enough to feel like failure anyway.

May this year be better.

Comments

[amaebi]

Power to your elbow and fortune at your feet.

[mdlbear]

Thanks!

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

If you ever want to go biking sometime and can make it with your bike to Tukwila or downtown (pretty easy by bus), I'd be happy to show you the Interurban. It's a great place for long conversations.

Also, for more exercise, I'm trying one of these at work in a week: http://walking.about.com/od/treadmillreviews/fr/Deskcycle-Review.htm

A lot smaller than a treadmill desk, and doesn't require a progressive facilities department.

[mdlbear]

Hmm. That's almost plausible, though it might be tricky getting enough leg room to pedal without sitting too far down to type. Fortunately none of my desks have drawers.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

If you ever want to try mine, I'm sure that can be arranged.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

And BTW, I'm assuming you're actually not interested in meeting for a bike ride ;-). Holler if mistaken.

(I'm hoping to move back to the bay area in the next few months, job search permitting, so this is likely a time-limited invitation.)

[mdlbear]

No, I'm afraid not. And I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle a treadmill desk, or a standing one.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

No problem. Over the past few years, I've seen you allude to enjoying biking in the Bay Area, wanting more exercise, and feeling depressed/not reaching out to people proactively -- so I just wanted to offer.

The Seattle area has an amazing network of trails, mostly unknown, and I always enjoy taking people who don't bike much out on bike rides to explore parts of the city they haven't seen before. In fact, that's what I did yesterday.

[mdlbear]

I really need to get my bike fixed -- it's been neglected. I may take you up on that offer provided I can get off my arse and make that happen before you leave for the Bay Area.

I know about the Interurban and the Burke-Gillman trails, and I've seen some others.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have 3 bikes. ;)

You are absolutely welcome to borrow one (or more) for a ride.