Month to Month Resolutions: July 2012

Categories and Goals for July 2012

Well, June was a bit of a trying month.  I started off by attending four high-school graduations in one week, an epic and time-consuming feat of polite sitting-still.  After that it was, as it has been for the last three years, the exciting peak of the work year, and was the month I finally discovered the joys of sneaking into the building on Saturdays so I could do more work without the boss, who takes her employees' work-life balance seriously, being in on the secret.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Cat5000 essentially died, or at least did everything a cat can do in that direction without actually shuffling off this mortal coil.  For a week, Mrs.5000 and I churned cat food into slurries that we would then laboriously squirt down his throat with syringes purchased for the purpose at the art supply store.  I don't think I will ever forget the look on Mrs.'s face when the syringe popped open one morning, sending a runny streak of potted meat across the front of her roughly from her left knee to her left ear.  Then, unexpectedly, the old boy started eating again.  Now, he's basically back to normal, and pretty much obligated to live a few more years to justify his veterinary bills.

All of which underscores the problem with resolutions in particular and project-based living in general: there's all this messy business of interpersonal relationships that gets in the way of a well-designed schedule.  And it's for this reason that, yet again, I am in the position of having to start my resolutions basically from scratch.

Weighing-in: Per my June goal, I finally implemented the 10 cents per tenth of a pound over 200 pounds penalty.  It actually took a while before any penalty was assessed, but as the month wore on and less and less time was spent other than behind a desk, I slid up a bit.  The total assessed damage was about ten bucks.  I still don't know what that penalty is supposed to go towards, other than a vague sense that it should somehow benefit you, the readers of this blog.

• July Goal: The penalty threshold drops to 199.  (which means that if I don't lose a pound, I'll end up forty bucks in the red.  Hardball.)

Push-ups: I must start from scratch.

• July Goal: I wish to perform 40 push-ups a day. 

Cola: I managed to hold out on cola until the sun was over the yardarm for a couple of weeks, and then I snapped like a twig under the schedule.

• July Goal: After the 11th, no cola before the sun is over the yardarm.

Veggies: It is probably time to bring back the concept of veggie units.

• July Goal: After the 11th, at least a veggie unit every other day.

Paper Mail Sent: None.

• After the 15th, at least 4 pieces of written mail a week.