It’s time for the April Resolution Update.
1) Self Control – Money
I’m calling another month of success on this one for April. My spending has bottomed out. Aside from refusing to go out on my weekly shopping trips to buy stuff I don’t need, I’m also spending less on food (especially eating out), gas (since I don’t drive all over creation to go shopping) and even cut down on some of my subscriptions. I cancelled my Lynda.com subscription and my TheLadders.com subscriptions, I cancelled my Gamefly account, and I’ve cut my Netflix account to a 1-disc plan. I’ve managed to save about $1000 over the last two months, and that’s with my buying all the gear for my hiking trip this summer. I’m hoping to save another $800 in May. Then it’ll be time to re-evaluate my finances again because my student loans will go into repayment starting in June.
2) Experience New Things
I didn’t do a LOT of new stuff in April, but I did do a couple of new things. I drove up into the Snoqualmie Pass and went to a Sno-Park with Luke on Saturday, which was an absolute blast. Then, last weekend, I just hopped in the car and spent two hours driving around, going through some of little towns out in the country around here. Now that the weather is nicer, I’m hoping to get over to some of the smaller islands in the Puget Sound and see some parts of the area that I’ve not seen before.
3) Lose 20 Pounds
All aboard the failboat. Not only have I not lost the 20 pounds, but I’ve actually gone back to what I weighed at the beginning of the year. I have an excuse, but, as they say…excuses are like buttholes. Everyone has one, and they all stink. I’ve been working extremely hard on finishing up the Frankenstein audiobook that I’ve been working on for 9 months. Now that’s done, and I don’t have any plans to starting a new book for a couple of months. Hopefully that will give me the time to start cooking more and the time to force myself to exercise.
4) Be More Social
Meh. Not so great. April was a rough month for me emotionally, so I really didn’t feel like being around other people. I’ve decided I prefer being alone.
5) Write Music
This one was an EPIC win. I’ve been working on music at least 4 nights a week for the last 2 weeks. I’ve got a new song that I’m hoping to finish up in May that I really like, and I also wrote some music for the intro to the Frankenstein audiobook. My goal was to write at least two new songs this year, which I’ve done, but I’m extended the goal to getting those two songs full produced and released on my website.
6) Get in Shape
See #3. Failboat.
7) Be More Giving
Fail.
8) Get to Bed Earlier
I was doing really well on this until the last week, then I a) got completely immersed in some INCREDIBLE audiobooks that had me completely engrossed and b) kicked off one of those projects that makes you lose track of time. I don’t think I’ve been in bed before 1:30 AM all week. Last night, I didn’t hit the sack until 3:30 AM. I purposely only took one nap today so that I could get to sleep at a decent hour tonight.
9) Take LOTS of pictures
I didn’t take a ton of pictures this month, but I’ve been extremely pleased with the pictures I have taken. I think I’m starting to find my "voice" as a photographer, and I know where my strengths and weaknesses lie. I also shot a headshot session this month…the first one of those that I’ve done since last June. (The last one before that was in 2006). I’m feeling pretty good about the use I’m getting out of my camera equipment. Moreover, I’m really pleased with the equipment I have. Sure, there are a couple of lenses I’d like to have, but for the most part, I don’t really need much more than I’ve got to take the kinds of pictures I like to take.
10) El Learno La Espanol C#
This resolution is on hold for the time being. My aforementioned projects are taking up my time and, quite frankly, are far more enjoyable to me than learning C#. It feels too much like bringing my work home with me to learn a programming language. I want to work on stuff that doesn’t remind me of the fact that I’ve got to spend the next 40 years of my life staring at cubicle walls and trying to decipher computer code. My me time has to be about me.
April was a weird month overall. I went through some pretty tough things emotionally, and I left the month feeling completely "wrung out." The weather hasn’t helped much. ("The Sun’ll Come Out, Next August. Bet your bottom dollar that Next August, there’ll be sun!")
However, I’ve also made some pretty good strides…especially in the area of money. I’ve gotten back into some of the activities that I used to love to do and have been able to start finding enjoyment in them. I’ve managed to find a fair bit of contentment in my life outside of work, and have enjoyed getting to know area and locations around me a little better.
Here’s to hoping that May picks up even more, that the clouds will start to dissipate, and that I’ll manage to do even better on the resolutions!
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