My resolutions for 2020: The halfway assessment

I mentioned to The Foxy Lady a few days ago that I had no clue what I resolved to do at the beginning of the year. She suggested that I revisit my resolutions to refresh my memory and assess my progress—a great idea!

I’m sure this assessment will be brutal.

1. Drop below 180 pounds ... and stay there.
I have not done this. My weight is going in the wrong direction, too. I tipped the scale at 193.8 this morning. Not good. I need to get on that. Despite not losing weight, though, I seem to be doing part of my second goal.

2. Get stronger, slim down, and stay loose.
I think I am getting stronger. Excess calories help with that, unfortunately. One can slim down while getting stronger and eating excess calories, but that has not happened to me ... yet. I have stayed loose, so that’s a good thing.

3. Keep running.
I am doing this! I kept running every other day through much of the winter and have consistently pounded the pavement and trails after the ice and snow melted.

4. Keep cycling and get involved in the local cycling community.
I have not cycled once. My issue down under returned and it is not a good combination with sitting on a bike seat for extended periods of time. However, cycling did not give me any issues after I bought a new seat and had a procedure last year; I even did five days of RAGBRAI without issues. I’m leery, though, even after having the problem treated again recently. But I miss cycling and want to do it. Leigh needs new pedals, so I need to take care of that before I get rolling again.

5. Play cards more often and learn euchre.
I’ve been doing this to an extent. The Foxy Lady and I have played a few games of rummy (or gin, or gin rummy; I can’t remember which variation I like), and I played the Pokémon card game with CP a few days ago. I expect to play more Pokémon, but I need to branch out and play other games. Euchre is still a possibility this year. A lack of family get-togethers has meant no Polish poker, but hopefully those will be an option later this year (fingers crossed).

6. Visit a state I’ve never visited.
It doesn’t look like this is happening this year. #Pandemic. My conference in DC was canceled, and I highly doubt I’ll be traveling much outside of Eastern Iowa for the foreseeable future. This was one of the few resolutions I remembered, and The Foxy Lady said we should go on a road trip. However, I told her the closest states I have not visited yet are Wyoming and West Virginia. “I guess those are pretty far away,” she conceded.

7. Watch more sunsets.
I have watched a few good sunsets, especially recently while driving or walking with The Foxy Lady. The pic at the top was taken by her on July 1.

8. Write.
I have not been doing this. I need to make time to do it.

9. Continue my professional transition.
This is happening. My last day with the JRS was June 30, so the transition is underway. My funding stream moved, and I am still gainfully employed by the association, working on its two journals, but I still need to venture into freelancing.

10. Say no.
I have not been doing this.

11. Continue getting the Led out.
I have not done this once this year. My next album is what I’ll refer to as Led Zeppelin IV (I think it is officially untitled), so I plan to pick up where I left off last year. In doing Zep-related research, I realized that In Through the Out Door is the band’s last studio album. I always assumed it was Coda.

12. Continue to purge.
I think I’ve gotten rid of stuff. I don’t think it’s been much, but I’ve gotten rid of stuff. This is obviously an ongoing thing.