After a few months of following the guidelines set forth on my list, I have a few minor tweaks that will hopefully allow me to keep up with the list better without getting overly frustrated or constantly making me feel burned out. So, without further ado, here are some of the changes...
OLD: Drink more water and green tea (at most one diet coke).
NEW: Drink more water and green tea.
I'm trying to actually count the number of calories I take in now and since diet cokes have 0 calories, I'm not as concerned with drinking only one coke a day as I am with drinking enough fluids to keep my appetite down without adding excess calories.
OLD: Eat at least one healthy meal.
NEW: Eat at least 4 times a day and hit current calorie count.
Along with the calorie counting, I'm trying (yet again) to increase the number of meals I eat in a day and reduce the caloric intake per meal. So eating one healthy meal a day becomes less important than eating at least 4 times a day (preferably 6) and making sure I hit my calorie count for the day. The number of calories will change periodically as I workout more/less and my weight and body fat changes. For now, around 2000 calories a day is what I'm aiming for to trim down, then I can up that when I try to gain more muscle mass.
OLD: Lift weights at least twice.
NEW: Work out at least twice outside of kung fu class.
With my new routines, I have the option of not actually lifting weights but still getting in a great workout, so this will change to working out at least twice a week outside of kung fu class.
OLD: Attend church at least bi-weekly (once I find one).
NEW: Removed
Taking this one off the list until I actually find a church. It just irks me to have something on my list that I am not currently doing.
OLD: Do at least 2 items from the Eventually list.
NEW: Do at least 3 items from the Eventually list.
No explanation needed...
NEW: Add three Eventually items to my list each year.
Gotta keep things fresh and you can never really run out of things you need/want to do.
NEW: Additions to the Eventually list.
1) Get first patent
2) Do something with garage (training room, gym, tool area)
3) Take motorcycle safety course
NEW: One day off a week.
Give myself one day a week where I can cheat on anything or everything. Everyone needs a day off, so this gives me a chance to spend one day a week eating horribly, getting only 3 hours of sleep, and not doing anything physically or mentally stimulating. Yeah, I know it sounds bad, but I'd rather this than quit entirely in 3 months due to burnout.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
From Blah To Eh...
Last week sucked. This week is looking a little better, but still rather eh... I took some friendly advice and took last week off from my regimen of tasks and tortures. It was nice to have a few days where I didn't have to journal my food and workouts and didn't have to practice or workout x times during the week. I think the concept of this blog is still sound, I just have to work out some of the kinks, like burnout and times when I really just need a day off. It's still a work in progress, but I'm open to suggestions and I already have a few good ones I will probably implement soon, so expect another blog this week with some minor tweaks to the list and rules.
Overall, though, the week off did help a lot. I am feeling much more motivated to continue training and working on some of the other list items that I seem to procrastinate on until the last moment. I have been spending all my time on guitar, so I think I will start mixing it up with some piano as well. I am just about finished with my new workout routines, so I'll post those up when I think they are ready for public criticism. And the weather has been on and off perfect the last week or so, so I think I will try to get out more this week and weekend, and maybe take some pics or just hang out with friends. After all, this list is supposed to be helping me improve my life, not make it a daily/weekly/monthly chore.
As always, comments, suggestions and criticisms are welcome. I think over the next month or two, I will finally have a list and routine that doesn't kill me, but makes me stronger. That's the goal anyway...
Overall, though, the week off did help a lot. I am feeling much more motivated to continue training and working on some of the other list items that I seem to procrastinate on until the last moment. I have been spending all my time on guitar, so I think I will start mixing it up with some piano as well. I am just about finished with my new workout routines, so I'll post those up when I think they are ready for public criticism. And the weather has been on and off perfect the last week or so, so I think I will try to get out more this week and weekend, and maybe take some pics or just hang out with friends. After all, this list is supposed to be helping me improve my life, not make it a daily/weekly/monthly chore.
As always, comments, suggestions and criticisms are welcome. I think over the next month or two, I will finally have a list and routine that doesn't kill me, but makes me stronger. That's the goal anyway...
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Unmotivated...
I find myself unmotivated lately to do, well, anything. I should qualify that last statement. Physically, I've never been fitter. I weighed in at exactly 163 this morning, well below my limit of 170, and even 2 pounds below my initial goal of 165. I am lighter, faster, and have kept my strength at the same level as when I was12-15 pounds heavier. Mentally, I am psyched about getting close to my 6-pack goal. Work is busy enough to keep me occupied but not so overbearing as to require weekend work or late nights at the office. Emotionally, however, I am wiped....
Lately, I've been feeling as though I've been run over by a train. Repeatedly. And then the passengers all get off and step on me. Repeatedly. I could go into reasons why, but I'll save that for my personal blog. Suffice it to say that motivation for life in general has been lacking as of late, and it really sucks. I have been keeping up with the items on my list by a slim margin. I often journal hastily just before bed, or cram three sessions of guitar in on Thursday through Saturday. In fact, the only goal I am able to completely keep up with is my reading, probably because I just don't feel like doing anything else productive.
Sigh. I really don't even want to write this post right now, but I have some time to kill before working out and shopping, so here you go. Hope your day/week/life is going better than mine...
Lately, I've been feeling as though I've been run over by a train. Repeatedly. And then the passengers all get off and step on me. Repeatedly. I could go into reasons why, but I'll save that for my personal blog. Suffice it to say that motivation for life in general has been lacking as of late, and it really sucks. I have been keeping up with the items on my list by a slim margin. I often journal hastily just before bed, or cram three sessions of guitar in on Thursday through Saturday. In fact, the only goal I am able to completely keep up with is my reading, probably because I just don't feel like doing anything else productive.
Sigh. I really don't even want to write this post right now, but I have some time to kill before working out and shopping, so here you go. Hope your day/week/life is going better than mine...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Unrelated Post...
This post doesn't really have anything to do with my goals or punishments, I just wanted to vent quickly about my car, which is again in the shop after having been out for just over a month. I finally got my car back in January after battling with Acura and my warranty company for the last third of 2007. After months of no updates, getting the runaround, explaining to at least half a dozen different people what was wrong with my car, and an expensive final bill, I had my RSX-S back. I liked the loaner cars Acura gave me (for free thank God), but I was ready to get my sporty little standard back in a big way. It drove fine for a while, save for an annoying vibrating noise which I was a little concerned with, but I wanted to wait a month or so to let the new parts settle in before taking it back for a checkup.
Then this morning came along. Driving to work, I noticed a few gentle wisps of white smoke coming from my engine. I thought perhaps it was just the exhaust from the car in front of me, so I changed lanes and got behind a different car at the next light. Again, faint curls of white smoke wafted up from my engine. The engine heat looked ok, no weird noises, and no check engine lights, so I figured maybe I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Just to be safe, however, I slowed down and decided to cruise the rest of the 2 miles to work. At the next light however, I noticed a grumbling sound coming from the engine. Crap! This can't be happening again. I look at the engine heat gauge and it is quickly climbing, reaching max heat in seconds. The needle tries valiantly to break free from its constraints, desperately wanting to show me just how overheated my engine really is, but the poor thing gives out just past the end of the "H" (which apparently stands for hellfire).
I am just a block away from work, so I cruise in with as little acceleration as possible, park, pop the hood, and jump out to check the engine. The once gentle wisps of smoke have by now united into a noxious cloud that sucker punches me as I lift the hood. The oil is running less than half and I come to the slow realization that my car, along with so many things in this life, hates me. So after a long wait, a tow, and some polite banter with the good people at Acura, my car is now back in their hands. I have a brand spankin' new MDX on loan from them. It's nice. It has satellite radio, GPS navigation, and runs without the constant threat of inadvertently starting a wildfire. I just hope this repair goes more smoothly than the last one...
Oh, and don't buy Acura...
Then this morning came along. Driving to work, I noticed a few gentle wisps of white smoke coming from my engine. I thought perhaps it was just the exhaust from the car in front of me, so I changed lanes and got behind a different car at the next light. Again, faint curls of white smoke wafted up from my engine. The engine heat looked ok, no weird noises, and no check engine lights, so I figured maybe I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Just to be safe, however, I slowed down and decided to cruise the rest of the 2 miles to work. At the next light however, I noticed a grumbling sound coming from the engine. Crap! This can't be happening again. I look at the engine heat gauge and it is quickly climbing, reaching max heat in seconds. The needle tries valiantly to break free from its constraints, desperately wanting to show me just how overheated my engine really is, but the poor thing gives out just past the end of the "H" (which apparently stands for hellfire).
I am just a block away from work, so I cruise in with as little acceleration as possible, park, pop the hood, and jump out to check the engine. The once gentle wisps of smoke have by now united into a noxious cloud that sucker punches me as I lift the hood. The oil is running less than half and I come to the slow realization that my car, along with so many things in this life, hates me. So after a long wait, a tow, and some polite banter with the good people at Acura, my car is now back in their hands. I have a brand spankin' new MDX on loan from them. It's nice. It has satellite radio, GPS navigation, and runs without the constant threat of inadvertently starting a wildfire. I just hope this repair goes more smoothly than the last one...
Oh, and don't buy Acura...
Monday, March 3, 2008
New and Improved!
I have added a few new features to the side column of my blog that you may notice. The first is a simple poll, which I will occasionally update with new questions such as which book I should read next or which Eventually task I should attempt first. The first poll is intended mainly to give me an idea of how many different people are actually visiting this blog, so PLEASE VOTE! I have a hit counter, but I have no idea if it's 2 very sad people visiting 10 times a day, or 200+ very dissatisfied customers that came and left without ever checking back. I am hoping for somewhere in between...
The second addition is a Currently... section which will detail what I am currently reading, researching, weighing, and anything else I (or y'all) think fit to add. If you have suggestions on other topics to post, or just comments in general about what you'd like to see, likes/dislikes, etc. please let me know. I think this little project is going well so far, as I've stayed on task most days and weeks without too much problem and have punished myself appropriately whenever I stray. Feel free to forward this blog on to anyone and everyone you know. I have no shame and want as many readers as possible to egg me on, even if that entails random people getting a look into my life. Happy reading!
The second addition is a Currently... section which will detail what I am currently reading, researching, weighing, and anything else I (or y'all) think fit to add. If you have suggestions on other topics to post, or just comments in general about what you'd like to see, likes/dislikes, etc. please let me know. I think this little project is going well so far, as I've stayed on task most days and weeks without too much problem and have punished myself appropriately whenever I stray. Feel free to forward this blog on to anyone and everyone you know. I have no shame and want as many readers as possible to egg me on, even if that entails random people getting a look into my life. Happy reading!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Book Review: Play Money
Book - Play Money: Or, How I Quit My Day Job And Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot
Author - Julian Dibbell
Rating - 8/10
Play Money is one of those books that goes a long way in proving the old adage, you can't judge a book by its cover. For instance, I spent the first 100 or so pages of the book thinking the author was female. In fact, the author is male, married (at the time), and with kids. Whether the writing style or the virtual vixen on the front cover first swayed my impression towards the feminine, however, I may never know. Among other first impressions that were quickly dispelled:
1) The book's author is, in fact, a writer by trade. Not a random gamer that tried to make a living playing MMO's only to realize that writing about trying to make a living playing MMO's is more lucrative.
2) The book goes much deeper into philosophy, economics and other more intellectual matters than I first thought.
3) Playing games for a living is definitely NOT something I will be looking into any time soon.
So, I must admit, part of the reason I wanted to read this book was to see how realistic it was to make an actual living playing video games. I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer by any means. Yes, I own lots of fancy systems, but I don't remember the last time I played a console game. And the only computer game I currently play (WoW) is down to about 4 hours a week at most. Still, I do enjoy playing games when I have the time, and earning some real money in the process was a concept that intrigued me on multiple levels.
Julian Dibbell is a tech-writer, living mostly off articles for techie magazines such as Wired! He is fairly well known for his work and, thus, his attempt into the netherworld of virtual trading and online bartering was akin to the manager's nephew getting a job someone else really deserved. His connections in the business were already plentiful and his alibi of taking this project on as a legitimate press piece garnered him audiences with powerful players in the virtual world other noobs could only dream of. All in all, though, this allowed for a richer story and quite a bit more at stake than the average gamer with dreams of making it big online.
Dibbell uses everything to his advantage, from his press pass to his business trips to gaming conventions, allowing him to fall deep into the abyss of MMO trading. His participation in a myriad of deals offer ethical dilemmas that are at the same time intriguing and revealing about the true nature of virtual commerce. With references to long dead (and oft unheard of) economists, philosophers, and game theorists, Dibbell poses many questions to himself and the reader that few have dared to ask, let alone answer. Questions concerning farming sweatshops in foreign countries, the effects of virtual existence on real life, addiction, and the future of games and real world economics. Through Dibbell's trials and tribulations, witty observations, and borderline obsession, the reader is allowed to draw his or her own conclusions about what the future will bring and where the average gamer (such as myself) will stand.
Author - Julian Dibbell
Rating - 8/10
Play Money is one of those books that goes a long way in proving the old adage, you can't judge a book by its cover. For instance, I spent the first 100 or so pages of the book thinking the author was female. In fact, the author is male, married (at the time), and with kids. Whether the writing style or the virtual vixen on the front cover first swayed my impression towards the feminine, however, I may never know. Among other first impressions that were quickly dispelled:
1) The book's author is, in fact, a writer by trade. Not a random gamer that tried to make a living playing MMO's only to realize that writing about trying to make a living playing MMO's is more lucrative.
2) The book goes much deeper into philosophy, economics and other more intellectual matters than I first thought.
3) Playing games for a living is definitely NOT something I will be looking into any time soon.
So, I must admit, part of the reason I wanted to read this book was to see how realistic it was to make an actual living playing video games. I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer by any means. Yes, I own lots of fancy systems, but I don't remember the last time I played a console game. And the only computer game I currently play (WoW) is down to about 4 hours a week at most. Still, I do enjoy playing games when I have the time, and earning some real money in the process was a concept that intrigued me on multiple levels.
Julian Dibbell is a tech-writer, living mostly off articles for techie magazines such as Wired! He is fairly well known for his work and, thus, his attempt into the netherworld of virtual trading and online bartering was akin to the manager's nephew getting a job someone else really deserved. His connections in the business were already plentiful and his alibi of taking this project on as a legitimate press piece garnered him audiences with powerful players in the virtual world other noobs could only dream of. All in all, though, this allowed for a richer story and quite a bit more at stake than the average gamer with dreams of making it big online.
Dibbell uses everything to his advantage, from his press pass to his business trips to gaming conventions, allowing him to fall deep into the abyss of MMO trading. His participation in a myriad of deals offer ethical dilemmas that are at the same time intriguing and revealing about the true nature of virtual commerce. With references to long dead (and oft unheard of) economists, philosophers, and game theorists, Dibbell poses many questions to himself and the reader that few have dared to ask, let alone answer. Questions concerning farming sweatshops in foreign countries, the effects of virtual existence on real life, addiction, and the future of games and real world economics. Through Dibbell's trials and tribulations, witty observations, and borderline obsession, the reader is allowed to draw his or her own conclusions about what the future will bring and where the average gamer (such as myself) will stand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)