In case you've forgotten or missed that entry here's my goals for this year:
On the second goal, here are some of the other ground rules I've added to just "read 50 books." I won't count (nor read) books that I've read before unless I never read the whole book or it has been so long ago that I don't remember any of it. I also won't count the children's books I read to the boys at night for their bedtime stories, I might in the future but in general I read things to them that I've read before so it's discounted by the first "rule." I will attempt to read a wide(er) variety of works. I generally read nonfiction, but there's some worth to some fictional works so I've tried to add some to my reading list. If you look on the right border of my blog you'll see my current reading list. It's in the order that I added them to the list so they're not in any real preferencial order or anything like that; basically, they have been added as I find them and decided to read each one. Also, I won't quit reading any book I start. I have only done that a few times anyways so it shouldn't be a problem. I quit Hugo's Les Misérables because it was just too heavy and long, maybe I'll finish it someday. I also quit Nabokov's Lolita because it made me sick to my stomach. I DO NOT recommend that book to anyone. It was sickening. My progress is quite behind schedule on that front also. I should be at about eleven books and I'm only at four! I am about half-way through one other and I'm told Red Phoenix will be a quick read.
On the triathlon preparation... This is turning out to be the most difficult one of all. I know that may not be a surprise to most of you but that is a bit surprising to me. I've done sprint-distance triathlons before (two of them, about four years ago) and I am an avid runner and I, prior to my trip to Southwest Asia, regularly rode with a serious biking club. I couldn't keep up with the club, but I was working on it before my duty so rudely interrupted me. Since I've returned little inconveniences have gotten in the way of me rejoining that club. Namely, sleep and the desire to do sleep rather than ride on Saturday mornings. I'm doing okay with my running preparations though I need to do more long runs. My desire for sleep has hampered that as well. Also, the club that I was meeting on Sunday mornings seems defunct. I'm considering starting my own club or seeking out a new one. I hope I can find one closer to home as the previous club was about a 30 minute drive (one way) to meet up for the run. I'm signed up to do a half-marathon on 7 April, though I'm really not ready I'm sure I'll at least be able to complete it. Though I'm intending to do it barefoot and that'll be the first time I've attempted that distance barefoot. I've done as much of my training runs barefoot but unfortunately I can't run barefoot for official unit physical training because of the uniform rules. Over this week I'll try to get in more barefoot time to be completely ready for the half in two weeks.
One last thing not really related to my goals for 2013. I would like to start working on a book. I've mentioned it before and I've been encouraged by my friend Steven Specht's success with Notes from Afghanistan. I think I'd like to just start with writing about 100 words a day about learning a new language. I'm a bit worried that it'll be very easy at first, then I'll completely run out of things to say long before I get anywhere close to enough to fill a book. My attempts to work on updating that other book, How To Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own, have hit a dead-end. That is, I have NEVER heard anything back from the author or publisher about my desire to write an update to that work. So, I've decided that I'll just start work on my own book and with the goal of writing somewhere around 100 words a day hopefully I'll have something to start with next year sometime.
So there you have it, I'm doing okay on one of three of my new year's goals. How are you doing? Did you even make any goals?
- Read through the Bible cover-to-cover and post about it on Facebook
- Read 50 books throughout the year
- Train for and complete at least a half ironman triathlon
On the second goal, here are some of the other ground rules I've added to just "read 50 books." I won't count (nor read) books that I've read before unless I never read the whole book or it has been so long ago that I don't remember any of it. I also won't count the children's books I read to the boys at night for their bedtime stories, I might in the future but in general I read things to them that I've read before so it's discounted by the first "rule." I will attempt to read a wide(er) variety of works. I generally read nonfiction, but there's some worth to some fictional works so I've tried to add some to my reading list. If you look on the right border of my blog you'll see my current reading list. It's in the order that I added them to the list so they're not in any real preferencial order or anything like that; basically, they have been added as I find them and decided to read each one. Also, I won't quit reading any book I start. I have only done that a few times anyways so it shouldn't be a problem. I quit Hugo's Les Misérables because it was just too heavy and long, maybe I'll finish it someday. I also quit Nabokov's Lolita because it made me sick to my stomach. I DO NOT recommend that book to anyone. It was sickening. My progress is quite behind schedule on that front also. I should be at about eleven books and I'm only at four! I am about half-way through one other and I'm told Red Phoenix will be a quick read.
On the triathlon preparation... This is turning out to be the most difficult one of all. I know that may not be a surprise to most of you but that is a bit surprising to me. I've done sprint-distance triathlons before (two of them, about four years ago) and I am an avid runner and I, prior to my trip to Southwest Asia, regularly rode with a serious biking club. I couldn't keep up with the club, but I was working on it before my duty so rudely interrupted me. Since I've returned little inconveniences have gotten in the way of me rejoining that club. Namely, sleep and the desire to do sleep rather than ride on Saturday mornings. I'm doing okay with my running preparations though I need to do more long runs. My desire for sleep has hampered that as well. Also, the club that I was meeting on Sunday mornings seems defunct. I'm considering starting my own club or seeking out a new one. I hope I can find one closer to home as the previous club was about a 30 minute drive (one way) to meet up for the run. I'm signed up to do a half-marathon on 7 April, though I'm really not ready I'm sure I'll at least be able to complete it. Though I'm intending to do it barefoot and that'll be the first time I've attempted that distance barefoot. I've done as much of my training runs barefoot but unfortunately I can't run barefoot for official unit physical training because of the uniform rules. Over this week I'll try to get in more barefoot time to be completely ready for the half in two weeks.
One last thing not really related to my goals for 2013. I would like to start working on a book. I've mentioned it before and I've been encouraged by my friend Steven Specht's success with Notes from Afghanistan. I think I'd like to just start with writing about 100 words a day about learning a new language. I'm a bit worried that it'll be very easy at first, then I'll completely run out of things to say long before I get anywhere close to enough to fill a book. My attempts to work on updating that other book, How To Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own, have hit a dead-end. That is, I have NEVER heard anything back from the author or publisher about my desire to write an update to that work. So, I've decided that I'll just start work on my own book and with the goal of writing somewhere around 100 words a day hopefully I'll have something to start with next year sometime.
So there you have it, I'm doing okay on one of three of my new year's goals. How are you doing? Did you even make any goals?
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| This place has such beautiful flora |
