Q1 Resolution results are mixed

I’ll say right off the top that my Q1 resolutions were way too ambitious. That being said, I made a little headway. I’ll have the Q2 resolutions up by April 1st.

• eat better:: eh. I did technically eat better, but I need to do better still. I lost about 5 lbs. in the first quarter. I plan to lose 20 lbs in Q2, mostly by eating better. We’ll see how it goes. I’m getting back on the whole grains - fruits - vegetables - lean meats bandwagon. We’re about to start remodeling our kitchen, so maybe I’ll eat more salads (since I won’t have a working stove).
• exercise more: yeah, right. I can blame it on the bad weather all day, but the truth is that I’m just lazy. I’ve stepped it up a little, though, and I hope to continue that. I’m shooting for 30 minutes, 3 times a week.
• read more good stuff: Sorta happened. I read six novels in Q1, though only one or two might qualify as “literature.” Still, I’d call this one a success.
• get offline more: I got at least one “computer-free” weekend in, and reduced my time online on other weekends. Weekdays were still pretty busy, though.
• sleep more: Not enough.
• Go fishing!: Not NEARLY enough. But, I did spend more time tying flies and at least THINKING about fishing. I should be able to achieve this goal in Q2, so it’s staying on the list.
• make some music: Didn’t happen, but I’m okay with it. I got to express some creativity via some other outlets, so I’m okay with it. Not a focus for Q2, either.

So, overall, I’d give myself a D+ for Q1. Let’s see if I can improve in Q2. Those resolutions coming up soon.

Kitchen remodel

So, we’re remodeling our kitchen. Earlier this year, we sorta started looking around at houses and discovered that the housing market in Northwest Arkansas is nearly as crazy as it is in other areas of the country (like California). We could probably get close to twice (TWICE!) what we paid for our house in 2000 if we sold it. Of course, we STILL wouldn’t be able to afford to replace it, so we’ve decided to stay in it for another 5-7 years (which was the original plan in the first place — to live here for 10-15 years).

But, in order for us to actually enjoy living here during that time, we need a new kitchen. We love our little mid-century modern abode, but it’s 42 years old and parts of it are showing its age. Since moving in, we’ve remodeled both bathrooms, added central air conditioning, replaced the furnace, added new flooring to all the common living areas, changed some light fixtures, etc. The last big interior thing we want to do is fix the kitchen. And so it began last weekend.

I’ve posted some “before” pictures to my Flickr account, and I’ll be adding construction photos, and “after” photos as the project progresses. It’ll be stressful, but we’ll be SO happy when it’s over. Stand by…

Catching Up

It’s been a while, so I should update my status a bit:

1. RPGs: Haven’t been roleplaying for the last few weeks due to sundry other commitments for members of the group. It’s been a nice break, but I’m anxious to get back to it and soon.
2. Viewing: Just moments ago finished watching the first season of Deadwood. It’s one of the best shows on TV, right up there with Battlestar Galactica. It (like BSG) is a great example of what great stories can errupt when you throw a lot of characters that are full of conflict into a confined space and force them to confront their issues. To combine this item and the one just previous, I want to play some Dust Devils sometime soon. Deadwood also has two odd, almost competing effects on my speech. On the one hand, it strains mightily my efforts to rein in my pottymouth. On the other, it makes me want to talk (and blog) in a somewhat archaic and formal manner, which may permeate to some small extent this very post. Those of you who are fans of the show will most certainly know what I mean.
3. Weather: We’re about to get our first round of heavy weather tomorrow. For those of you that don’t live in — or, rather, near as is more accurate — Tornado Alley, that might not mean much. Those of you that do know that anticipation of a big storm system is complex. Having never faced war, I’d liken it to anticipation of a battle, maybe a battle against a stumbling blind idiot god.
4. Reading: Been re-reading a lot lately, actually, and enjoying the hell out of it. I’ve got a longer piece percolating about a handful of books with related themes that really shaped certain aspects of my personality. You’ll probably recognize just one of them, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. It’s the only one of the three that’s still widely available in print. I just discovered last week that another one is now available from a boutique publisher in my very own state who is trying to revive the author’s list. I’m sending him some money (via the wonder of the Internets) today. I’ll report back at length when I’ve received and (re)read that one.
5. Sickness and health: After a weekend of gastronomic debauchery, my digestive system rebelled. It was a painful twelve hours but I hope to have learnt my lesson. if nothing else, it’s gotten me back on the clean livin’ bandwagon. In partial effort toward that end, I’ve joined the Mr. Bento Fan Club, enjoying my first meal with his assistance just today. See my Flickr stream (linked hereabouts) for the details.
6. Water: My primary means of recreating or hobbifying for the last ten years or so has been through flyfishing (and other outdoor activities like hiking and birding), mostly for warmwater species (especially smallmouth bass). The unfortunate downside to liking to chase the basses, though, means that there’s precious little to do during the winter (when about all you can catch on the fly is trout, which are plentiful herebouts but stocked, not native). However, the season usually kicks off in early March with a bang: the white bass spawning run. When the water temperature hits around 56F (the exact number is in question and the subject of much heated debate) they charge up out of the depths of the local Army Corps of Engineers impoundment (i.e., big-ass lake) and up the rivers that feed said big-ass lake. The run is on. I aim to do some fishing as soon as the big weather passes, as standing in a river waving a nine-foot length of graphite is generally discouraged when lightning is about.
7. Family: The Boy is three years old now. It goes fast, folks. Make no mistake about that. Lots of friends and family in town and around this past weekend for the Birthday Party. Much fun was had by all, not the least of which The Boy, who slept in his new tent in his bedroom that night. He’s a funny kid. He’s currently visiting The Wife’s grandparents in the care of The Wife’s parents. He’s only been away for 30 hours, but I miss him like crazy. I can’t even begin to imagine sending him off to college.

I guess that’s about it. If there’s anything else of note, I’ll let you know.