2016 Goals
Last year's goals went pretty well. What about 2016?
1. Commit Not Particularly Random Acts of Communicative Kindness. I like sending people birthday greetings on Facebook, but it feels somewhat impersonal. However, I personally love getting cards, and I'm guessing most other people do too. Therefore, I intend to send a birthday card (complete with handwritten greeting) to everybody on my Facebook friends list (and select non-FB friends) whose birthday I know and who is willing to give me their address.
Stretch Goal: Use the compiled list to send these people a Christmasy type card.
If this works, next year I'll add in anniversaries or something.
2. Stop eating junk food at work. In the past I've done things like "only eat home made desserts my coworkers brought in" or "only eat things I buy." Those work far better than what I've done in the past, but given my persistent pre-diabetic blood sugar, it's not enough. I'm now working out as much I can feasibly unless I stop giving my body recovery time, and the sugar levels aren't dropping. Fixing my diet is the only reasonable thing left to try. At home, I already eat very healthily. I pack my lunch to work most days, but I often eat extra crap. Peanut M&Ms, slices of pizza, donuts from Jack Frost, you name it.
I'm not really hungry most of those days, I just think I am. Therefore:
- Any time I eat food at work beyond what I brought with me, I will donate $25 to charity (above and beyond my usual donations). This donation will be made at the end of each month.
- I will allow only two exceptions: First, if my team has a lunch outing (3-4 times a year, including the annual meeting, the release party and the departmental holiday party) I am allowed to get lunch with them. This does not cover the ice cream truck. Second, I am allowed to spend no more than $50 at the restaurant at work over the year in order to cover those few cases where I am unable to pack a lunch, which almost always was because I flew in the night before. Any money spent over $50 will be donated to charity on a dollar-for-dollar basis. So if I spend $75 over the year, I have to donate $25 to charity at the end of the month where I go over the limit.
If I succeed in this goal and my blood sugar still doesn't go down, then it's time to get evaluated by a doctor.
3. Stop Chewing My Nails. I failed at this in 2015. By the end of January I will try the "paint your nails with disgusting flavors" method. If that fails, I'll try getting pretty princess nails ala theferrett.
4. Super Secret Resolution. I'm not listing it here because I want it to be a surprise.
5. Cook for People. I really like feeding people. There are many friends who live near me who I don't see often enough. Therefore, at least once a month, invite friends over for dinner.
6. Active Decluttering. I will go through one thing every month and declutter. Candidates: my file cabinet, my clothes, my books, my music, my kitchen equipment and pantry, my garage, etc.
7. Maybe: Bike MS: Buckeye Breakaway (formerly Pedal to the Point). I have never ridden a century. Someone I respected more than just about anyone else I know lived with MS for a long time. Assuming my annual BWCA trip doesn't conflict, ride on.
Let's see how this goes.
1. Commit Not Particularly Random Acts of Communicative Kindness. I like sending people birthday greetings on Facebook, but it feels somewhat impersonal. However, I personally love getting cards, and I'm guessing most other people do too. Therefore, I intend to send a birthday card (complete with handwritten greeting) to everybody on my Facebook friends list (and select non-FB friends) whose birthday I know and who is willing to give me their address.
Stretch Goal: Use the compiled list to send these people a Christmasy type card.
If this works, next year I'll add in anniversaries or something.
2. Stop eating junk food at work. In the past I've done things like "only eat home made desserts my coworkers brought in" or "only eat things I buy." Those work far better than what I've done in the past, but given my persistent pre-diabetic blood sugar, it's not enough. I'm now working out as much I can feasibly unless I stop giving my body recovery time, and the sugar levels aren't dropping. Fixing my diet is the only reasonable thing left to try. At home, I already eat very healthily. I pack my lunch to work most days, but I often eat extra crap. Peanut M&Ms, slices of pizza, donuts from Jack Frost, you name it.
I'm not really hungry most of those days, I just think I am. Therefore:
- Any time I eat food at work beyond what I brought with me, I will donate $25 to charity (above and beyond my usual donations). This donation will be made at the end of each month.
- I will allow only two exceptions: First, if my team has a lunch outing (3-4 times a year, including the annual meeting, the release party and the departmental holiday party) I am allowed to get lunch with them. This does not cover the ice cream truck. Second, I am allowed to spend no more than $50 at the restaurant at work over the year in order to cover those few cases where I am unable to pack a lunch, which almost always was because I flew in the night before. Any money spent over $50 will be donated to charity on a dollar-for-dollar basis. So if I spend $75 over the year, I have to donate $25 to charity at the end of the month where I go over the limit.
If I succeed in this goal and my blood sugar still doesn't go down, then it's time to get evaluated by a doctor.
3. Stop Chewing My Nails. I failed at this in 2015. By the end of January I will try the "paint your nails with disgusting flavors" method. If that fails, I'll try getting pretty princess nails ala theferrett.
4. Super Secret Resolution. I'm not listing it here because I want it to be a surprise.
5. Cook for People. I really like feeding people. There are many friends who live near me who I don't see often enough. Therefore, at least once a month, invite friends over for dinner.
6. Active Decluttering. I will go through one thing every month and declutter. Candidates: my file cabinet, my clothes, my books, my music, my kitchen equipment and pantry, my garage, etc.
7. Maybe: Bike MS: Buckeye Breakaway (formerly Pedal to the Point). I have never ridden a century. Someone I respected more than just about anyone else I know lived with MS for a long time. Assuming my annual BWCA trip doesn't conflict, ride on.
Let's see how this goes.