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 Content Rating Notice: Recommended for Readers 18 Years and Older Only
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| La Bene Vita The Good Life. | | by: | |
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| Item Size: 566 Entries
Created: 8:02pm on 04-08-2008
Modified: 3:37pm on 11-22-2009 | |
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I am a chemical engineer, musician, and writer.
I list my careers in order of relative compensation, not enjoyment, but I am most definitely all of these things, both professionally and personally. As an engineer, I supervise chemists in a plant laboratory at Abbott, where we manufacture infant formula (Similac, Isomil, Neosure, and Alimentum) and other liquid nutritional products (Ensure, Pediasure, Pedialyte), and I can measure, calculate, analyze, program, and draft a mean spreadsheet. As a musician, I play an acoustic set (solo guitar and vocals) for a lunch crowd at Potbelly Sandwich Works a few days a week; direct the praise band at my Lutheran church; and teach piano, voice, guitar, bass, and drum lessons and coach youth bands ("Rock Academy") at a local music studio called 88 Keys. As a writer, I have written, performed, and recorded a number of songs, ghost-written professionally, and have an unpublished portfolio full of lyrics, poetry, short stories, two in-progress novels, and one complete novel in first draft form.
These are the chronicles of my daily, weekly, monthly, and long-term personal and professional goals. Between March 2008 and June 2009, I established and met a cumulative 55-pound weight loss goal. For the nerdy graph showing my weight versus weeks: "Blog Chart"  [E].
My Blog |
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
 Goal met: "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Goal met. I'm fairly satisfied with the most recent melody revision I made to "Desert Rain" [E].
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress.
Current Balance: $20.30, with $7.00 pending client acceptance, and two in-progress articles (up to $8.40 and $25.00.) Due date: 12/5/09.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Goal met!
Current Balance: $52.00. Due date: 11/24/09.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress and on schedule.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 154.0  Got those digits backwards, somehow. 
Meals:
8:30am Coffee (1)
9:00am Two brownie bites (3)
10:45am Pumpkin bread (3)
2:30pm Raisin Bran (3), skim milk (1), nuts (1), two Fig Newtons (3)
5:00pm Cheese (2) tortilla (3)
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No activity.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met.
Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities.
No activity.
Business: Music Instruction Books.
No activity. However, I have a new student, a 7-year-old whose mom enrolled him in voice lessons, but she really just wants him to learn any kind of music. The music program was cut in his school thanks to the same two-time failed levy that put my friend Emily and her husband both out of work. In the process of teaching my new student (Michael), I am formulating curriculum ideas in my head.
Writing them down would be smart. But I have two Textbroker articles to write and desperately need a nap, so, maybe later.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Pending. Today is my last day to try, because tomorrow I get pre-empted for the OSU/Michigan game... which gives my manager an extra day to get my damn microphone fixed.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending... and I need to start noticing the date.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
In progress.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
Goal met!
Current Balance: $31,64, with $28.70 pending client acceptance. Due date: 11/20/09.
I'm starting off my next pay period with a direct order. 
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Goal met!
Current Balance: $40.00. Due date: 11/24/09.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress. The manager from BD's Mongolian Barbecue stopped into Potbelly for lunch yesterday. He really liked my playing, left me a tip, and asked for a business card. He's been wanting to set up a musician in his store for dinner. I didn't have any business cards - gotta get on that - but I gave him my contact information. Between Textbroker Direct Orders and potential music clients, I might end up with full-time employment without teaching lessons. I'm watching the frequency of client interactions increase exponentially, and I can just project out that by this time next year, I might be declining business.
Wow.
On the Abbott front, next week is a 2.5-day week in the form of Thanksgiving. The next three weeks are regular work weeks, and then a 3-day Christmas week, and then a 5-day vacation, and then it's January. If all goes according to plan, I'll be taking vacation days every week at that point until it's time to leave, which means these upcoming three full weeks are the last I'll ever spend at Abbott.
Wow.
Folks, if you want to escape the rat race, you actually can. You just need four things:
(1) something you enjoy doing that can earn you some money,
(2) the ability to live on said money if it's less than you're used to earning,
(3) a plan, and
(4) the drive to see your plan through to completion.
And maybe (5) a goal-tracking blog. 
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 153.0
Meals:
7:30am ZonePerfect Indulgence bar (3) and coffee (1)
9:30am Nuts (1) and coffee (1)
10:30am Coffee (1)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
3:00pm Chai (1)
5:15pm Apple ZonePerfect bar (3)
7:30pm Fiber PopTart (3)
9:45pm The other PopTart (3)
10:45pm Veggies (0) and nuts (5)
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No activity.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Fail.
Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities.
No activity.
Business: Music Instruction Books.
No activity.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Pending. Who the hell cares? My microphone isn't working anyway.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met, with another scheduled next week.
Write one new original song per month.
In progress, and getting better, thanks to the non-functioning microhone. Did I mention ?
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
Goal met!
Current Balance: $31,64, with $28.70 pending client acceptance. Due date: 11/20/09.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
In progress.
Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 11/24/09.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish... with maybe some turnaround?
Weight: 151.8
Meals:
10:00am Fiber English muffin (1), butter (1), two strips bacon (3), fresh mushrooms (0)
10:15am Coffee (1)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
4:00pm Chai (1)
7:00pm Bob Evans cranberry pecan chicken salad (16), 1.5 slices pumpkin bread (6) with butter (2), and half a piece of apple dumpling pie a la mode (8)
TOTAL POINTS: 44
OMG, that salad has 45 grams of fat... in the "SAVOR" size.
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No activity.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Fail.
Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities.
Fail.
Business: Music Instruction Books.
Fail.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Pending.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met, and I've made plans for several launches in December. Advent/Christmas, you know.
Write one new original song per month.
In progress, working on "Desert Rain" [E]. It's hard to do at my Monday/Tuesday store, because the crowd is light, and I'm highly amplified. In contrast, my Thursday-Saturday store is typically crowded, and the manager always turns my volume way down, so I can get away with muttering, humming, and otherwise trying things out! I'm working there tomorrow this week (because I'm pre-empted Saturday for the OSU/Michigan game), so I may get the chance to work on it.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress. I completed an article this morning worth $7.99. I think it was four minutes late, and I'm not even sure how I managed that, because I thought the article would automatically get snagged out of my queue at the deadline. The article I signed up for this morning has a five-day deadline, which is much better than those stupid 24-hour varieties.
Current Balance: $17.70, with $7.99 pending client acceptance. Due date: 11/20/09. I think I need to work faster. 
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
In progress.
Current Balance: $7.50. Due date: 11/24/09.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 153.6
Meals:
7:00am Fiber English muffin (1) with butter (1), small piece bacon (1), 1/4 cup eggnog (2), and coffee (1)
9:30am Nuts (1.5) and coffee (1)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
7:00pm Champps: Tomato soup (3?), half turkey club sandwich w/o mayo (8?), and a big ass stupid pile of chips that I should have told them to hold off my plate (6?).
7:30pm Tall, nonfat, peppermint white mocha (6)
TOTAL POINTS: 38.5
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No activity.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
No activity.
Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities.
I sent an email to some friends in the arts, and one wrote back with some really good suggestions. Technically, that's not something *I* did, but, hey: I made the bed, and now I'm sleeping in it. (You know how I love those cliches!)
Business: Music Instruction Books.
No activity.
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I dropped my phone in a margarita.  I find myself suddenly phoneless.
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Pending.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
In progress, working on "Desert Rain" [E]. I marked this complete yesterday, but honestly, while I have the entire chord progression down, I'm still working out the melody. If I get it launch-ready by the end of the week, I can kill two birds with one stone! 
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress. My $7.70 article was accepted, and I signed up for an $8.40 article (in progress.)
Current Balance: $17.70, due date: 11/20/09. Gah. I have some catching up to do.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
In progress.
Current Balance: $7.50, due date: 11/24/09.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish, but bordering on utter failure.
Weight: 153.4 
Meals:
7:00am ZonePerfect Indulgence bar (3) YUMMEH!
7:30am Coffee (1)
8:30am Almonds (1) and coffee (1)
10:30am Mini Snickers bar (0.5)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
6:30pm Chai (1)
7:30pm Six or seven pieces Donatos pizza (14) and three pieces garlic bread (6)
Yep. I'm a {e:pig}.
11:30pm Three wings (3)
TOTAL POINTS: 37.5
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No activity.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met, and I finally finished Silhouette in Scarlet. On to Trojan Gold, the next Vicky Bliss mystery by Elizabeth Peters.
Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities.
No activity.
Business: Music Instruction Books.
In progress. I've been working on some Christmas songs for my kids, for which I will own the copyright and eventually publish for my music students.
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I am going to be SO BUSY this weekend.
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Goal met. I set "Desert Rain" [E] to music during a busy lunch rush at Potbelly yesterday, because my $*#(@+ manager had my volume way down again. I figured, what the hell? Why not write a song. So I did. I planned ahead by having recent lyrics typed up and printed, for just such an emergency.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress.
Current Balance: $10, with $7.70 pending.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
In progress.
Current Balance: $7.50
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: I may add this later, if I weigh.
Meals:
8:30am Fiber frosted miniwheats (3) with milk (1)
9:00am Coffee (1)
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
In progress. I got rid of the old hamster cage, dug through the Christmas stuff for initial inventory, and swept the leaves out of the garage.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met. Good book.
Business Brainstorm.
Goal met. Okay, that's not an actual goal! I just had one, and it targets next summer. I have a list of related intermediate goals, and I may post them one by one just to keep them in front of me.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress.
Current Balance: $10.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending.
Current Balance: $0
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 152.8
Meals:
7:00am Ice cream cake (4-ish) and just under a half cup of egg nog (4! Holy shit.)
10:00am Coffee (1) and nibbled leftovers from the Japanese Steakhouse (3-ish)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
7:00pm Apple ZonePerfect bar (3)
10:00pm Almonds (2)
10:45pm Ice cream cake (6-ish)
11:30pm Almonds (1)
TOTAL POINTS: 31
On top of Cracker Barrel and Iron Chef Japanese Steakhouse yesterday, I ate about a half a can of wasabi soy almonds (OMG, those things rock) and of course the double-chocolate ice cream cake from Coldstone, which we got for Keith's birthday
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
Fail.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met. One of these days I'll actually finish "Silhouette in Scarlet" by Elizabeth Peters.
Also on the entertainment front, Keith and I went to the movies, and the dude at the counter highly recommended "Zombieland" as an A+ comedy. At the opening scene, with melodramatic sprays of blood and stringy intestinal organs flying everywhere, we worried that it would be as stupid as "Tropic Thunder," the movie we watched about a week ago on DVD. Understand that we rarely watch movies together; our entertainment consists mostly of football, with the occasional "So You Think You Can Dance" (which Abby loves), and Sponge Bob episodes with Blaine in the morning. So to watch two dud movies in a row, especially on Keith's birthday, would have been an utter disappointment. During the opening credits, I gave it ten minutes before I planned to march back out and demand tickets to a different show. Fortunately, "Zombieland" started to get funny, ramping up with the appearance of Woody Harrelson. The twist when the sisters arrived on the scene surprised me (although, I haven't seen the trailer to know whether it hinted at the twist.) It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but I definitely enjoyed it.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met: "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
I was in a mellow mood yesterday. The crowd was light, and I have an amplifier in my Gahanna Potbelly, so I can quiet songs and be heard, which is when my vocals really shine. I had lots of good attention yesterday. One woman did that double-take while standing in line, the one that says: "Oh! A live singer! How did I miss that when I walked in the door?" Then I heard her ask the sandwich guy about me, because he answered, "Mondays and Tuesdays," which is when I play at Gahanna. She listened to me while she ate and applauded after every song. And earlier in the set, two girls left a napkin on their table:
"Dear Musical Artist - We really enjoyed the afternoon delight. I was going to request "Smelly Cat" but you are way too talented - and we didn't want to offend you. Have a wonderful day - and thank you! -two blond girls."
Smelly Cat I need to add this to my repertoire!
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail, Fail, Fail. I bow to NaNo'ers who are writing 1,700 words per day. I can't even write twenty or so lines of verse.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In Progress! I wrote my Direct Order, but the client still needs to accept it.
Current Balance: $0
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending.
Current Balance: $0
Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Fail.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 151.6 Hope?
Meals:
7:00am English muffin (1) with butter (1)
7:30am Coffee (1)
8:30am Coffee (1)
10:00am Half bagel (3) w/2oz cream cheese (2) Training class at work.
11:00am Hershey's mini (0.5) Class
12:00pm Kale/butterbeans/sundried tomatoes (2), strawberries (1), one whole pita (3?), half cup hummus (4?)
12:30pm Fun-size Butterfinger (1) Class
1:00pm Candy (2) DITTO
3:00pm Popcorn (1) and cookie (3) DITTO
7:00pm Tuna Helper (2)
8:00pm Junior scoop peach sorbet at Graeter's (3?)
TOTAL POINTS: 28.5 Better than I thought.
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
Fail.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Fail.
On the plus side, I made it to all my jobs yesterday. Mondays and Saturdays are my busiest days, because I work three out of four jobs on those days, not counting freelance writing. Other days are light because I only work two of my jobs.
I know how that sounds, believe me. Many people have no job at all, and I have five? It's true, and I can't complain about my bank account. However, four of the jobs are part-time, and even combined, they only total about 20-25 hours. So, really, when you think about it, I'm doing the only charitable thing I could conceivably do: Give up the job that will earn somebody a full-time salary. Go me. That's just the kind of giving person I am.
I can think of some other WDC-ers struggling with career decisions who need to consider the charitable aspect of voluntary non-employment, too.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Fail. I still haven't finished what I started on Friday.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
In progress, with two accepted jobs.
Current Balance: $0
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending.
Current Balance: $0
Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Fail.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: Dunno.
Meals:
7:15am English muffin (1) with butter (1)
7:30am Coffee (1)
9:30am Coffee (1)
10:30am Hash browns (1)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
2:30pm Chai (1)
5:30pm Apple ZonePerfect bar (3)
9:00pm Apple ZonePerfect bar (3)
TOTAL: 19 POINTS
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
Fail.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Fail.
Yesterday was supposed to be my day to get things done, because I was supposed to finish lessons early. It just didn't happen, and I'm about to start getting busy again. *shrug* I got plenty of sleep for a change, so that's good.
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Someone keeps moving my cheese around Writing.Com! {e:hem-and-haw} *digs around for the "My Blog" link*
This goal report refers to Friday, because I did absolutely nothing whatsoever yesterday... except teach six music lessons, play a two-hour set at Potbelly, watch the Buckeyes slaughter Penn State, knit a scarf, eat way too much food, attend a Community Association spagetti dinner as a back-up musician (who ended up not needed, but it's fine, it was really for the kids; I was just in case there weren't enough kids), participate in praise band practice, and go out for drinks. Okay, I meant I did absolutely nothing ON MY GOALS LIST whatsoever. *shrug*
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Goal met. Emily launched "You're Worthy of My Praise" this morning. Good song.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
In progress. I started a piece on Friday, but didn't finish it, and I didn't touch it yesterday.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
The pay period ended Friday, so this is pending. I received a $10 direct order Friday, which I accepted and have until Wednesday to complete. I also signed up for a $6 open order, due Thursday. Current Balance: $0
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending. Current Balance: $0
Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Fail, both Friday and Saturday.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 154.0
Meals:
8:00am Coffee (1)
8:30am Fiber English muffin (1) with butter (1)
9:30am Mints (1)
10:45am Mints (1) and a cranberry muffin (2)
11:00am Coffee (1)
3:00pm ZonePerfect bar (4)
5:30pm Two pieces bread (6) with butter (2), 7-oz filet (12), lobster tail w/butter (4) grilled veggies (2)
10:00pm Fiber cereal (1) with skim milk (1), two fig newtons (3)
TOTAL POINTS 43
I weighed in at 154.0 this morning, OMG. Here's the thing: I discovered that the way to lose weight (for me) was to give up meals, because I'm a snacker, and I'll always be a snacker. It turns out that Keith likes his meals. So we're bad influences on one another, because he snacks around me, and I eat meals around him, so we're both eating double and gaining weight. Gah! There has to be a fix for this. Problem solvers, unite! 
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
No progress yesterday, but Keith fixed the exterior outlet that runs the kitteh warmers. 
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Fail, both Friday and Saturday. Friday was busy as hell, too, because I took a field trip to a sculptor's studio for Abbott. This dude is eccentric as hell, but very talented and full of creative energy: http://www.alancottrill.com
SATURDAY MEALS:
9:30am Coffee (1) and (Lean Pocket?) (5)
11:30am ZonePerfect bar (4)
2:15pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
4:00pm Kathy's! Ugh. Pulled chicken sandwich (7?), slice white chicken & garlic pizza (4?), two jalepeno poppers (3?), about fifteen Tostitos scoops (3?) with cheese dip (2?), two mini snickers (3?), three white chocolate kisses (1.5), one flavored tootsie roll (0.5), something else...
9:30pm Margarita (6?) and half apple pie in a mug (6?)
TOTAL POINTS: 50+ quite possibly.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Pending "You're Worthy of My Praise" this Sunday.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Goal met: "Morning" [ASR], which I wrote on a "The Writer's Cramp" [13+] prompt.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
Goal met.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending.
Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Goal met, although I still need to upload it to WDC. In the process of developing my protagonist profile, I think I stumbled across her background story, too...
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 153.0
Meals:
8:30am Coffee (1) and apple ZonePerfect bar (3)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
4:45pm Blueberry ZonePerfect bar (3.5)
6:45pm One piece pizza (4), cookie (4), Fritos (3), and mints (1)
8:00pm Candy (2)
10:00pm Pizza (4), 1.5 yellow cakes with OJ (5), cheese (1), Triscuits (2), deli ham and turkey (1), nuts (3)... uh... these are estimates, nibbled on snacks and drank.
TOTAL POINTS: 45
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
In progress. I dug through some things and sent a list of questions to the boy. He's not a pack-rat by any means; in fact, he's allergic to clutter. But the garage has escaped his psychosis for some reason. It seems that all the clutter in the house makes its way into the garage, thus getting it out of the house. It's completely logical...  
On the Real Estate front, the unemployment/homebuyer tax credit bill passed in the House, too, and it's a done deal because the President is expected to sign it. So, yippee! Keith and I are both selling homes in the first-time-homebuyer price range, and the bill should bring us more buyers.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met.
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Breaking news from CNN:
Lawmakers pass bill extending unemployment benefits by up to 20 weeks. Legislation also extends homebuyer tax credit into next year.
"The closely watched legislation would extend jobless benefits in all states by 14 weeks. Those that live in states with unemployment greater than 8.5% would receive an additional six weeks."
and, more importantly to me personally:
"The legislation also would extend the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. The controversial credit, which many say has boosted home sales in recent months, was set to expire after Nov. 30."
This will help Keith and me sell our homes! I was getting nervous about that Nov. 30 deadline.
The full article:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/04/news/economy/Extending_unemployment_benefits/ind...
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Pending: We (and by "we," I mean Emily) scheduled "You're Worthy of My Praise" this Sunday.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Goal met: "Hey, Baby" [E]
It's a bit cliche in the verses, but I like the chorus. And somebody show me a popular song that isn't filled with cliches. After all, I'm in it for  , not some perceived literary grandeur.
Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
Goal met.
Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending.
Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Goal met: I wrote my first outline draft. Wow! This process actually works. I'm building a novel, where I started with nothing more than a nugget of an idea. In two days, I've watched it take shape.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress. I can't believe it's already November. And Thursday.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
Trying-ish.
Weight: 152.0
Meals:
8:30am Coffee (1)
8:45am Breakfast Lean Pocket (5)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
7:00pm Champps: Loaded Chips (1,000,000) and French onion soup (7?)
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
I've been thinking about it, and I have some ideas. Maybe I'll make progress this morning.
Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Not yesterday, but I analyzed another Sponge Bob episode this morning. Most of the time, the antagonist is internal, like "Greed," or "A Guilty Conscience." Also, "Coincidental Circumstance" causes many of the plots. That would be a fun one to write about in the Prep.
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Launch one new Potbelly song per week.
Goal met. I launched "Got You Where I Want You" by the Flys and "All Out of Love" by Air Supply, which makes up for last week, too.
Post at WordPress at least once per month.
Pending.
Launch one new Praise Band song per month.
Pending.
Write one new original song per month.
Pending.
NEW GOAL: Write new lyrics once per day through November.
Pending. I needed something to do, since I decided not to NaNo. I figure if I write a bunch of songs, my odds of stumbling across a hit will increase.
COMPLETED GOAL: "October NaNoWriMo Prep Challenge" [13+]
Goal met. I distributed Merit Badges to all except Crys-NaNoing48K ![View maranda's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]](http://imgs.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/costumicons/ps-icon-typewriter-60.gif "View maranda's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]") , who will receive hers after 11/10. And since I have nothing left to do until after NaNo, this goal comes down tomorrow.
REVISED: Earn at least $60 per pay period at Textbroker.
Goal met. I like this approach better than the article-quantity goal, because it's more meaningful. Articles are due by the 6th and 20th of every month in order to receive payouts for the pay periods.
REVISED: Earn at least $25 per month at Helium.
Pending. Helium pay period ends on the 24th of each month, so I have plenty of time on this one.
NEW GOAL: Complete one Prep challenge per day until complete.
Goal met. I'm counting this as complete because I spent time working on the book item that will house my challenges. Yes, I'm actually going to do my own Prep, finally. At this time, I make no promises as to next steps, such as actually writing a novel. I'll play it by ear for now.
Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10.
In progress.
REINSTATED: Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day.
Goal met. I reinstated this because the Prep is over and, hey, a girl needs her intellectual relaxation time.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by Thanksgiving.
D'oh. Goin' backwards.
Weight: 153.4
Meals:
7:00am Coffee (1), 1/2 fiber cereal (1) with 1/2 cup skim milk (1)
10:00am Leftover pizza (3)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
3:30pm Chai (1)
5:30pm ZonePerfect bar (4)
7:30pm Chai (1)
10:00pm Four wings (6), small piece of pizza (2), about 1/3 cup low-fat ice cream (1)
10:30pm Yellow cake (3) but easy on the vodka... methinks the boy is testing my tolerance
Current real estate goal: Organize garage.
In progress! I organized the games closet and took the 8-year-old's old bicycle to Goodwill. Also, on the home sale front, I am having a half bath installed by Molly Jean got MARRIED! ![View mjtruex's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]](http://imgs.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/costumicons/ps-icon-regular-40.gif "View mjtruex's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]") this week... who, by the way, is no longer MJTruex, but apparently, MJLowry.    CONGRATULATIONS She'll always be Molly Jeep to me, especially since I finally got to meet the famous Black Wrangler!
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