So begins another year. I am not a big New Year's resolutions guy. I have never had too much luck with them. Instead, I have, for the last 20 years, been big on to-do lists. I write down everything I would like to do that day. Usually, I skip workdays because I have another to-do source there. I know there are some things I won't get to, so I push them to the next day. Eventually, if I keep pushing a task, it drops off. I used to write the activities down on scraps of paper, but about 10 years ago I started using small notebooks. I have kept them, and in a way, they serve as mini diaries. I've sometimes referred back to them to remember a date on a specific action. Here's a page from July 2015 in a very nice notebook that Sarah gave me:
Having a to-do list makes things happen for me in the wintertime especially. Because in the winter, I would rather be doing this, without the skiing part:
Much of my winter involves a lot of preparation for spring. For example, I will be starting the vegetables indoors pretty soon. I try to have a reason for running through the winter. This year, it's another springtime 50K. I like this distance - 31 miles. I can train for it without having every day dominated by a running schedule. I will be up to about 80 miles per week when I am ready to do it. Last week, the runs were crazy cold and slippery. I had to protect my nose, which had some cancer surgery lacerations still healing. I know I am a visual spectacle when running. I think it's what people expect and I enjoy it. Even if someone is laughing at you, you still made their day a little better.
I have had to stop and take pictures a lot. It slows me down, but really I'm not going that fast anyway.
What else is on my list besides running this winter? I need to get the poetry book to the publisher. My friend Eve, the editor, went through it, and now I need to get moving on putting the book out there (a little fear maybe?). For my job, I have been studying more and learning more (sometimes the two don't correspond). I want to branch out from watercolors to oils and acrylics in painting. I've been playing the ukulele for 12 or so years but have not done much lately. I want to change that. I'm going to eat better and drink more water. I am going to get rid of "stuff" - declutter. Sarah and I are going to see more movies. We're off to a good start on this. Watched Star Wars - the force awakens and The Danish Girl last week. I am working on more short stories and poems. I recently joined the hazmat team, and there are some things I've been working on to make things easier for all of us hazmateers. Sauna more. Stretch more. I am going to be able to do a hundred yards in tall grass walking on my hands with my feet strapped to the powerwheel. Yesiree.
And it all starts with a to-do list!
