"New Me" Progress Report - Month Two

Two months in. Plus a week or so. I'd procrastinate, if I ever got around to it. Anyway, time for a progress report. It's a mixed bag this month, folks, but mainly positive.

• Social Media: Still chipping away at this one. I'm probably generally at the same level as last month, but I feel I'm making slow progress at reducing my time spent there. Still spending too much time in front of the TV, but The Other Half and I were talking about that the other day. We're both going to make an effort to reduce our TV watching. More time reading and (for me) writing.
• Weight loss/Fitness: I can actually report good things here. I've lost around 10 pounds. Not great, I know - I'd like to lose at least another twenty, but it's progress. I've cut out almost all my workday snacking (aside from the occasional slip in willpower). I also finally motivated myself to fix the tire on my bicycle! I've only ridden a couple of times, and not at a level that I would consider a "workout", but anything burns more calories than riding the couch, right? Plus, every time, I was sore the next day, so I must have been working some muscles, eh?
• More work done on the clutter. Got some books boxed up and we're putting them on Craig's List. Also, moved one bookcase (of three) upstairs to the bedroom to de-clutter the living room a bit. While we were at it, we moved the entertainment center and the coffee table to the garage to give Baby Girl more room to develop her burgeoning walking skills. Losing three major pieces of furniture from our small living room really opened it up. 
• I've managed to keep a much more positive attitude at work, too. Sometimes it takes an exertion of willpower, but I'm hoping the "not hating" will become second nature soon.
• Again, about the writing. With The Other Half also committing to less TV, I think it's going to be easier for me to motivate myself to write more. Knock on wood, cross fingers.
• Drinking. Ah, that. Well, I think I really spoke too soon on that "resolution". I don't think there was a need to go a year. I had one night where I lost control, and I believe I over reacted to it. I went 60 days without a drop of alcohol, and no urges for it. I believe I proved to myself that I don't have a problem, and that's all I really needed to do. I've been drinking again for about a week, but not even every night. Judge if you want, but like I said, I only really need to answer to myself.
• Also - one of my projects that I've had on the back burner for a long time is near completion. I'm waiting on parts, so to speak. I'll probably post about it once it's complete.

So, that's it for now. I'll hopefully find time for some bicycling and bring down my weight some more, and I'm pretty sure there will be many more posts here before it's time for the next monthly update.

Stay tuned.

"New Me" Progress Report - One Month

I’m one month into my “New Me At Age Forty Three” endeavor.

So far:

• I have indeed managed to spend less time on social media. However, I’ve only made progress on one project that I had planned. Seems Netflix has taken all the time I was spending on social networks. So, I need to work on that one.
• I’ve lost a couple of pounds. I’m not saying how few, because I’ve been slack on the exercise part, so it’s a bit embarrassing. I need to replace the tube on my bicycle tire and get back to riding that like I did last year before Central Texas became a Blazing Inferno Of Hell.
• My diet is … well, let’s say I probably still need some work in that area.
• Thirty one days into my self imposed year of alcohol abstinence. I find myself wanting a drink, but not in an “Oh my god, I have to have a drink now” way. More like in a “I want pizza for dinner” way. And honestly, the urge to eat pizza is stronger than the desire for a drink. I quit smoking recently enough to clearly remember what withdrawal feels like, so I don’t think I have a drinking problem. However, I’ll still make more progress on my goals for the year if I don’t drink, so it is what it is.
• The clutter: I actually got started on that point last night. I’ll continue cleaning, organizing and paring down. It feels better already, having just started.
• Work hasn’t changed much. I just have to realize that people are never going to have respect for the organization of “my” Receiving Room. I just have to accept that the first part of my day will always be cleaning up the mess the closing shift left the night before.
• Finally, writing more. I’ve actually written less this month, I think. Maybe the lack of alcohol? Not that bourbon does my writing, but liquor is called a social lubricant for a reason - it gets conversation started, whether that conversation is spoken or written. Plus, the TV/Netflix thing again. Maybe I need to schedule a time for blog writing.

So, there’s my progress report. I wonder how I’ll be doing eleven months from now?