Last year, I set my goals a bit too low. On the one hand, that was a justifiable attempt to focus my efforts on less things to do them better (which worked). On the other hand, I did not use my full capacity. First of all, I can write a lot more, and was until I got morally crushed by the ‘workshop’ at World con. Second, I had met almost all of my goals by early December, with the exception of the script. Goals need to be something that are attainable, but at the same time push you to your limit. One should seek, and strive and always attempt to exceed one’s grasp, per the poem. And I agree with that philosophy.
So this year for each goal category, I’m setting up three kinds of goals. The ‘Critical’ goal will be the most important, without the completion of which, that entire category is essentially a failure. There will also be up to three ‘Important’ goals which should be met because they establish quotas for very long distance goals that will take many years to complete. The final category will be ‘bonus’ goals, which I believe would be nice, are something I want to do, and can be something that will help me become a better person etc.
Physical
Critical Goal: Reach and largely sustain a weight of 250lbs.
Important Goals:
Reduce Toxicity by 20% (Test Jan 2012 and Dec 2012 at least)
Increase Aerobic Endurance by 50% (Test Jan 15, 2012)
Flat Abs (Subjective improvement of 100% based on comparison Jan – July – December 2012)
Bonus
Do the Warrior Dash at least once
Play in some physical competitive league/sport/tournament thing
Mental
Critical Goal: Read the following six books:
*The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
*The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
*The Federalist Papers
*Infinite Jest
*The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money by John Maynard Keyes
*Common Sense
Important Goals
Learn 3 New Non Social Skills (Likely Dancing, Cooking and Something Outdoors)
Read at least 5 books about a single major contemporary sport (Not the Olympics)
Read at least 10 books from the ‘classics’ list
Bonus:
Write a review for each book read in terms of a goal on my review blog to keep track
Read 10 books from the top 100 Sci Fi list of all time (Or bestseller if I’ve read
them all)
Emotional
Critical Goal: Develop an optimistic attitude (Or at least make significant progress towards such)
Important Goals
Laugh at least once a week
Empathize with someone of another perspective at least once a week
Stop talking about people that I no longer want or need to have anything to do with on a regular basis
Bonus
Learn to control my attitude at will
Experience prolonged joy
Spiritual
Critical Goal: Refine my personal spiritual beliefs to decide what it is I really believe about God. Post to my spiritual blog by the end of 2012.
Important Goals
Read the spiritual text of a major world religion
Meditate often
Go to Alchemy
Social
Critical Goal: If appropriate come April 2012, Operation Bitter Apple
Important Goals
Reach Level 20
Take 6 Swing Classes and Go out Swing Dancing at least 6 times
Attend at least 5 FL ‘Events’
Bonus
Take an Improv Class
First Life (Retired)
Critical Goal: None. A ‘retired’ life by definition has no critical goal.
Important Goal
Run 3 ‘mini arc’ games of 3 sessions each.
Record any games played in my RPG blog.
Take at least 10 yoga classes.
Bonus
Attempt to run a PBEM for 6 months
Run another mega plot on Dark Metal mush
Wrap up Belan’s arc successfully
40 Karma increase for Bob in Shadowrun Missions
Play in at least 2 Larps
Help run games for SEIGE 2012
Pay an Homage to Byeard M by running one of his games at a con
Establish ties to Portland Gaming community.
Second Life
Critical Goal: Finish the first draft of Novel Five (Starting March 2012)
Important Goals:
Finish Play/Poem “Tenth Muse” by March 2012.
Write 2 Feature Length Movie Scripts
Start the Tossing Grenades at Windmills Podcast (by April 2012)
Bonus
Sell something written to a ‘gate keeper’ that is a professional or semiprofessional publication.
Write 5 Horror short stories
Write 3 Sci Fi short stories
Write 2 Non supernatural stories
Write 1 entirely inappropriate story
Write an entry for each Write Club monthly venue
Join Atlanta Playwrites
Write 10 Episodes for Earth and Sea and Star and Sky.
Write $200000 worth of Grants for Mythic.
Establish ties to the Portland Writing community.
Third Life
Critical Goal: Produce Unfood (or at least have it Produced)
Important Goals
Get involved with another web series either as writer, crew or elsewise.
Take an acting class
Film footage for “Earth and Sea and Star and Sky”
Bonus
Be an extra in at least one short film
Read at least 20 hours for GARRS
Take another sound class
Help with sound in at least one short film
Enter something in some film festival somewhere.
Participate in the 48 hour film festival in some capacity
Establish ties to the Portland Theater Community.
Fourth Life
Critical Goal: Only take Project Management jobs as my ‘day job’
Important Goals
Make a $5000 profit for Red Anvil Amalgamated
Hire an Accountant in March 2012
Get the CAMP or the PMP by the end of 2012
Bonus
Get at least 4 paid VO gigs.
Get at least 5 paid gigs for Emergency Documentation.
Join and interact with the least Reality Deviant Chamber of Commerce I can find in the Atlanta Metro area.
Start or Join MOD team
Participate in Video Game Jam 2012
Establish ties to the Portland Business community.
Fifth Life
Critical Goal: Finish reading and applying the principals of the core books (US, TAS, and Unknown Book #3)
Important Goals
Find a patron(s)
The Year of the Phoenix (decide by Feb 2012)
Learn Self Defense
Sixth Life
Critical Goal: Decide to implement and then implement EITHER Operation Dark Hammerfell or Operation Montoya Hammerfell
Important Goals
Monitor and Follow Up on Traffic Stop of Evil
Help those trying to make the world a better place indirectly at least 5 times in concrete ways
Avoid voting for War Criminals
Seventh Life (In Reserve till 2027)
Incidental Goals
These goals are all, by definition ‘bonus’ that do not fit into a particular category OR are implementations of Life goals, which are Important.
Go to Dragon Con
Go to Anachro Con
Go to Mardigras (if I win my bet with myself)
Go to FC
Obtain 5 Physical Objects (An annual tradition at this point): Fix the Bumper, Fix my Teeth, Ereader, Running Stilts (Once I reach 250), and a fifth item to be determined in July 2012 at the mid year goal check.
Go to Canooga
Go to at least one Anime con.
Go to Play It On Con
Complete 70% of all bonus goals
Complete 80% of all bonus goals
Complete 90% of all bonus goals
Get a tattoo based on the Gathering of the Seven
Life Goals - "At some point"
1. See the Louvre.
**Keep. Slated 2012-2013. Likely 2013 but 2012 may have great deals that show up.
2. Travel around the world on a one way trip. Japan, Australia, India, Egypt, London, Italy and Hawaii.
** Goal to see all by 2017.
3. Learn a martial art.
**Done
5. Assemble a band for a tour based on music written by me.
6. Start a successful business.
Started in 2011. "Success" is determined in this case by an operating profit of 400% invested capital or $10000. 2011-2015. Otherwise 'failure' and goal removed from dock.
7. Learn a musical instrument.
Slated 2014
8. Sculpt something memorable.
9. Create or help create a graphic novel.
**Completed.
10. Own a plane, sailboat, taught or ultralight and learn to pilot/sail it.
11. Write seven novels.
**4 of 7 done. 5th slated for 2012
13. Go on a cruise.
2012. October unless I find a really cool themed one before or after.
14. Organize a convention on SOMETHING.
16. Build a house (not necessarily my own.)
17. Own my own home (all own, no mortgage)
Slated 2015.
18. Have a room with a secret passage
23. Be in a flash mob dance number.
Do in Winter 2012 unless an opportunity comes before hand.
26. Live the fifth life (who knows what that is)
Started 2012. Likely perpetual but since goals must be achievable, transform this to a tangible in 2012 Mid goal check.
27. Ditto the sixth.
Started 2012. Likely perpetual but since goals must be achievable, transform this to a tangible in 2012 Mid goal check.
28. Ditto the seventh.
**Kept in reserve until 2027.
47. Finish 7 films. (3 out of 7 completed).
Do unfood in 2012.
48. Enter a remote controlled airplane tournament and place in the upper half.
49. Enter a competitive Kite contest (the kind with the razors on the wings.)
50. Blow something up with Dynamite. (Legally)
51. Join the Masons.
52. Hypnotize someone.
53. Firewalk.
54. Visit the Library of Congess
If the right door opens....(ie interesting goals that either depend on another person or a significant amount of wealth that may never happen but that I want to write down)
29. Marry the Right Person.
30. Establish a business empire dedicated to a not for profit foundation.
31. Visit (but do not live in) Space.
32. Buy my own island.
35. Create a functional and profitable news network that actually produces what is independent.
36. Create an institution to focus on pure research.
38. "" Neurological regeneration.
39. Paid Angel agents to quietly and anonymously do good.
40. Create a series of libraries (10) dedicate to principles original to libraries. Secular sanctuaries and temples to knowledge.
43. Breed dogs to live twice as long
**Strangely some people are surprisingly responsive to this. This might move to more realistic within 3-4 years when/if I own a house.
44. Create 3 patents.
45. Own and that is entirely self-sufficient w. energy, food and other items.
46. Become a Father.
Bucket List (the Bucket in the Bucket….IE, I no longer care about this but might change my mind.)
4. Competitively enter a fencing competition.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Report Card 2011
Goals for 2011.
Social
Make One Person As Happy As Possible (Besides Myself)
**Grade: A+
Visit with the Family at least once (likely to be the Family Reunion)
**Grade: A+
Spend Quality Time with Friends at least Twice a Month
**Grade: A+
Do a Good Turn Monthly
**Grade: A+
Initiate Social Activities at least once a Quarter (Group Dates do not count for this)
**Grade: A+
Career (AKA "The 4th Life")
Gain a Stable Permanent Job I Like To Do That Pays Well
**Grade: C (A for Effort, F for results)
Set up a consulting business for side Project Management Work
**Grade: A+ (Paperwork laid down, Decided to implement in January due to the creation of Emergency Documentation)
Continue Project Chrysalis with Mythic Imagination Institute
**Grade: B+ (I am no longer in charge of Project Chrysalis but I am doing Project Peabody for them and its going gangbusters)
Take the PRP in June 2011
**Grade: F (Deferred to 2012 for more actual rather than contrived experience)
3rd Life
My Project: Project Dance Of Joy (Film)
**Grade: A+ (Re: As cover for party.....heheheheheh...I love it when a plan comes together.)
**Grade: F (But on the other hand, I no longer have any interest in doing this film)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel Pi Project Management and Writing
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel 4.0 Project Management and Writing
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel Podcast
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Learn To Edit
**Grade: A+
Finish Editing Dueling Morons
**Grade: A+ (Somehow I managed to make this come together)
2nd Life
Write 75000 words
Grade: A+
Decide if I like the 5th novel by the 15th of Jan. If not start another by Feb 1. If not then 5 Short Stories + 1 Feature Length Film
**Grade: A+
Finish the Graphic Novel (Est 5000 more words)
**Grade: A+ Finished. This project is on hold because the artist has a project of her own that takes priority.
Affiliated Project: Maintain at least 90% post rate on Nerdgasm
**Grade: A (Whilst participating in Nerdgasm, my posts were right on track)
Help at least 3 people with their writing, either to start or to help them edit.
**Grade: A+ (Albeit only one of the original 3 I had in mind was one of the three I actually helped)
1rst Life - Retired.
Publish T7 Project (Now mostly done.)
**Grade: F (I just ran out of steam on this, but it was an A as a life lesson, because sometimes it is wiser to just walk away from something)
Physical
Get at least 3 more belts in Karate
**A+
Decide then: Either 2 (5 total) belts in Karate OR Start a New Martial Arts OR Start Yoga
**Grade: Incomplete (Injury + Unemployment made this impossible to complete. I will be able to do yoga in 2012 however…)
Continue Weight Training OR Start Cross Training OR Start Free Weights
**Grade: B
Cardio 2 additional times per week
**Grade: B
Mental
Read 12 Non Fiction Books
**Grade: A- (10 of 12, working on 2 more.)
Read 12 Non Sci Fi/Fantasy Fiction (at least 2 of which should be classics)
**Grade: A-
Read 12 Sci Fi/Fantasy Fiction
**Grade: A+
Do Something to improve my creativity
**Grade: A+ (Pushpush + Write Club + Helping others)
Learn a New Skill
**Grade: A (This was originally meant to be cooking or something similar, but ended up being other more hard to define social and spiritual skills which I still feel qualifies)
Spiritual
Read at least one major religious text of a religion that is not my own that I have not read before.
**Grade: B+
Meditate/Pray at least 3 times a week
**Grade: A+
Emotional
Be More Generous
**Grade: A+
Be More Kind
**Grade: A+
Stop Talking about Dark Things
**Grade: B
Withdraw From Politics as Much as Reasonably Possible
**Grade: C
Incidental
*Go to Gencon OR San Diego Comicon OR World Con OR Dragon Con
**Grade: A+
Go on at least 6 'weekend' trips, ideally at least one per month.
**Grade: A+
*Go to NYC for at least 3 days (will count as one of the above trips)
**Grade: D (Double Unemployment prevented this, on the other hand I had the chance to go to OWS in its early days and did not go so I still count it a low grade)
*Make CONCRETE plans to go to France in 2012 (or 2011 if realistically possible)
**Grade: F (Double Unemployment excuses, but does not change the failure in this category. I may still go in 2012, but 2013 is looking more likely)
*Spend at least 20 hours at the range improving either pistol OR rifle OR shot gun skills.
**Grade: F.
*Obtain the Following: A decent couch, a gaming console of some kind (likely a Wii), 10 DVD's for my permanent collection, a piece of original art and something to advance one of my other goals in a meaningful way.
**Grade: A+
*Do at least one major good deed entirely anonymously. (Besides acknowledging completion of the goal in the assessment)
**Grade: A+
*Finish the Graphic Novel script and work with Liz to edit as needed.
**Grade: A+
*Finish the 4th Novel with Ken and help him market it as needed.
**Grade: A+ (Even if this does seem now dead, we finished it and I did some marketing)
Life Goals - "At some point"
1. See the Louvre.
**Keep. Slated 2012-2013.
2. Travel around the world on a one way trip. Japan, Australia, India, Egypt, London, Italy and Hawaii.
** Goal to see all by 2017.
3. Learn a martial art.
**Done
4. Competitively enter a fencing competition.
**Bucketed. I’m no longer really that thrilled about this goal.
5. Assemble a band for a tour based on music written by me.
6. Start a successful business.
"Start" in 2011-2012. "Success" is determined in this case by an operating profit of 400% invested capital or $10000. 2011-2015. Otherwise 'failure' and goal removed from dock.
**Grade: A- Started, but not really started at a full level.
7. Learn a musical instrument.
8. Sculpt something memorable.
9. Create or help create a graphic novel.
**Completed.
10. Own a plane, sailboat, taught or ultralight and learn to pilot/sail it.
11. Write seven novels.
**4 of 7 done.
13. Go on a cruise.
**2012.
14. Organize a convention on SOMETHING.
16. Build a house (not necessarily my own.)
17. Own my own home (all own, no mortgage)
18. Have a room with a secret passage
23. Be in a flash mob dance number.
26. Live the fifth life (who knows what that is)
**Grade: A+ (Started.)
27. Ditto the sixth.
**Grade: A+ (Started)
28. Ditto the seventh.
**Kept in reserve until 2027.
47. Finish 7 films. (3 out of 7 completed).
**Reshoot of Dueling Morons does not count as another completed film.
If the right door opens....(ie interesting goals that either depend on another person or a significant amount of wealth that may never happen but that I want to write down)
29. Marry the Right Person.
30. Establish a business empire dedicated to a not for profit foundation.
31. Visit (but do not live in) Space.
32. Buy my own island.
35. Create a functional and profitable news network that actually produces what is independent.
36. Create an institution to focus on pure research.
38. "" Neurological regeneration.
39. Paid Angel agents to quietly and anonymously do good.
40. Create a series of libraries (10) dedicate to principles original to libraries. Secular sanctuaries and temples to knowledge.
43. Breed dogs to live twice as long
**Strangely some people are surprisingly responsive to this. This might move to more realistic within 3-4 years when/if I own a house.
44. Create 3 patents.
45. Own and that is entirely self-sufficient w. energy, food and other items.
46. Become a Father.
Social
Make One Person As Happy As Possible (Besides Myself)
**Grade: A+
Visit with the Family at least once (likely to be the Family Reunion)
**Grade: A+
Spend Quality Time with Friends at least Twice a Month
**Grade: A+
Do a Good Turn Monthly
**Grade: A+
Initiate Social Activities at least once a Quarter (Group Dates do not count for this)
**Grade: A+
Career (AKA "The 4th Life")
Gain a Stable Permanent Job I Like To Do That Pays Well
**Grade: C (A for Effort, F for results)
Set up a consulting business for side Project Management Work
**Grade: A+ (Paperwork laid down, Decided to implement in January due to the creation of Emergency Documentation)
Continue Project Chrysalis with Mythic Imagination Institute
**Grade: B+ (I am no longer in charge of Project Chrysalis but I am doing Project Peabody for them and its going gangbusters)
Take the PRP in June 2011
**Grade: F (Deferred to 2012 for more actual rather than contrived experience)
3rd Life
My Project: Project Dance Of Joy (Film)
**Grade: A+ (Re: As cover for party.....heheheheheh...I love it when a plan comes together.)
**Grade: F (But on the other hand, I no longer have any interest in doing this film)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel Pi Project Management and Writing
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel 4.0 Project Management and Writing
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Affiliated Projects: Sentinel Podcast
**Grade: N/A (Sentinel is no longer a part of my life.)
Learn To Edit
**Grade: A+
Finish Editing Dueling Morons
**Grade: A+ (Somehow I managed to make this come together)
2nd Life
Write 75000 words
Grade: A+
Decide if I like the 5th novel by the 15th of Jan. If not start another by Feb 1. If not then 5 Short Stories + 1 Feature Length Film
**Grade: A+
Finish the Graphic Novel (Est 5000 more words)
**Grade: A+ Finished. This project is on hold because the artist has a project of her own that takes priority.
Affiliated Project: Maintain at least 90% post rate on Nerdgasm
**Grade: A (Whilst participating in Nerdgasm, my posts were right on track)
Help at least 3 people with their writing, either to start or to help them edit.
**Grade: A+ (Albeit only one of the original 3 I had in mind was one of the three I actually helped)
1rst Life - Retired.
Publish T7 Project (Now mostly done.)
**Grade: F (I just ran out of steam on this, but it was an A as a life lesson, because sometimes it is wiser to just walk away from something)
Physical
Get at least 3 more belts in Karate
**A+
Decide then: Either 2 (5 total) belts in Karate OR Start a New Martial Arts OR Start Yoga
**Grade: Incomplete (Injury + Unemployment made this impossible to complete. I will be able to do yoga in 2012 however…)
Continue Weight Training OR Start Cross Training OR Start Free Weights
**Grade: B
Cardio 2 additional times per week
**Grade: B
Mental
Read 12 Non Fiction Books
**Grade: A- (10 of 12, working on 2 more.)
Read 12 Non Sci Fi/Fantasy Fiction (at least 2 of which should be classics)
**Grade: A-
Read 12 Sci Fi/Fantasy Fiction
**Grade: A+
Do Something to improve my creativity
**Grade: A+ (Pushpush + Write Club + Helping others)
Learn a New Skill
**Grade: A (This was originally meant to be cooking or something similar, but ended up being other more hard to define social and spiritual skills which I still feel qualifies)
Spiritual
Read at least one major religious text of a religion that is not my own that I have not read before.
**Grade: B+
Meditate/Pray at least 3 times a week
**Grade: A+
Emotional
Be More Generous
**Grade: A+
Be More Kind
**Grade: A+
Stop Talking about Dark Things
**Grade: B
Withdraw From Politics as Much as Reasonably Possible
**Grade: C
Incidental
*Go to Gencon OR San Diego Comicon OR World Con OR Dragon Con
**Grade: A+
Go on at least 6 'weekend' trips, ideally at least one per month.
**Grade: A+
*Go to NYC for at least 3 days (will count as one of the above trips)
**Grade: D (Double Unemployment prevented this, on the other hand I had the chance to go to OWS in its early days and did not go so I still count it a low grade)
*Make CONCRETE plans to go to France in 2012 (or 2011 if realistically possible)
**Grade: F (Double Unemployment excuses, but does not change the failure in this category. I may still go in 2012, but 2013 is looking more likely)
*Spend at least 20 hours at the range improving either pistol OR rifle OR shot gun skills.
**Grade: F.
*Obtain the Following: A decent couch, a gaming console of some kind (likely a Wii), 10 DVD's for my permanent collection, a piece of original art and something to advance one of my other goals in a meaningful way.
**Grade: A+
*Do at least one major good deed entirely anonymously. (Besides acknowledging completion of the goal in the assessment)
**Grade: A+
*Finish the Graphic Novel script and work with Liz to edit as needed.
**Grade: A+
*Finish the 4th Novel with Ken and help him market it as needed.
**Grade: A+ (Even if this does seem now dead, we finished it and I did some marketing)
Life Goals - "At some point"
1. See the Louvre.
**Keep. Slated 2012-2013.
2. Travel around the world on a one way trip. Japan, Australia, India, Egypt, London, Italy and Hawaii.
** Goal to see all by 2017.
3. Learn a martial art.
**Done
4. Competitively enter a fencing competition.
**Bucketed. I’m no longer really that thrilled about this goal.
5. Assemble a band for a tour based on music written by me.
6. Start a successful business.
"Start" in 2011-2012. "Success" is determined in this case by an operating profit of 400% invested capital or $10000. 2011-2015. Otherwise 'failure' and goal removed from dock.
**Grade: A- Started, but not really started at a full level.
7. Learn a musical instrument.
8. Sculpt something memorable.
9. Create or help create a graphic novel.
**Completed.
10. Own a plane, sailboat, taught or ultralight and learn to pilot/sail it.
11. Write seven novels.
**4 of 7 done.
13. Go on a cruise.
**2012.
14. Organize a convention on SOMETHING.
16. Build a house (not necessarily my own.)
17. Own my own home (all own, no mortgage)
18. Have a room with a secret passage
23. Be in a flash mob dance number.
26. Live the fifth life (who knows what that is)
**Grade: A+ (Started.)
27. Ditto the sixth.
**Grade: A+ (Started)
28. Ditto the seventh.
**Kept in reserve until 2027.
47. Finish 7 films. (3 out of 7 completed).
**Reshoot of Dueling Morons does not count as another completed film.
If the right door opens....(ie interesting goals that either depend on another person or a significant amount of wealth that may never happen but that I want to write down)
29. Marry the Right Person.
30. Establish a business empire dedicated to a not for profit foundation.
31. Visit (but do not live in) Space.
32. Buy my own island.
35. Create a functional and profitable news network that actually produces what is independent.
36. Create an institution to focus on pure research.
38. "" Neurological regeneration.
39. Paid Angel agents to quietly and anonymously do good.
40. Create a series of libraries (10) dedicate to principles original to libraries. Secular sanctuaries and temples to knowledge.
43. Breed dogs to live twice as long
**Strangely some people are surprisingly responsive to this. This might move to more realistic within 3-4 years when/if I own a house.
44. Create 3 patents.
45. Own and that is entirely self-sufficient w. energy, food and other items.
46. Become a Father.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Early December Musings
Forgive me Father, for it has been more than a month since my last conf…blog entry detailing my life. So, the good news first. Contrary to rumors that you might have heard, I have, in fact, found a job. I am working as a contractor through Apex with GP. But most importantly, it is a Project Manager job, which means that there is an excellent chance that my days of being forced from contract to contract as human flotsam as a Technical Writer might be over. We shall see. The current position is supposed to be contract to hire, but no one seems entirely sure yet what this role will be. The good news though is that there is a lot of work, at least for a while, so spontaneous endings are less likely.
Having said that, with two layoffs in the same year, the extremely strong position I started in is almost entirely gone, which means that I’m probably taking Mom and Skip up on their offer to share living space with them for a while. It is slightly frustrating, to need to do that at 40 years of age, but they are being very accommodating and turning two rooms into what is essentially a mini apartment. Plus, since we’re in a depression, I should be grateful I just had a job, much less that I could find one quickly. The fact that it is in a field I enjoy and see great potential in, so much the better.
Still, changes need to take place. I am seriously pursuing two alternative lines of income so that I will always have money coming in regardless of my core employment situation. One is voice over work. I’ve taken lessons, bought equipment and recently acquired a manual. My goal is to start soliciting work by the end of January once I’ve finished the final elements of training. (I could look right now, but my equipment isn’t quite up to speed, and there are insider ‘tricks’ that I can learn so I’m not spinning my wheels thank you very much.) The second, ironically, is as a technical writer. Technically (pun intended), however, what I’m actually doing is emergency documentation of any kind, its just that the technical writing should consistently pay the best. The key here however, is that it is a moonlighting job that I control and will not depend on. It’s a business, not a career, and that makes a huge difference.
I have some other projects I’ll be starting next year on again, off again to make money, but these are what one might call “R&D” rather than the level of magnitude I’m working on with the above. One of the best perks of the new job is that I can start exercising again, but while I might be going back to Atlanta Kick, the Karate is going to be secondary to the Cross Fit. I’m hoping to start tomorrow. More details on that as it comes.
I also have some very interesting plans in general for next year, and I’m basing almost all of them around contingencies that do not depend on income. The writing is going well, and I’ve finished 5 of the 7 projects I have for the ‘wrap up’ of the Red Anvil Productions podcast. I’m doing another Podcast, but it will be Tossing Grenades at Windmills and primarily focus on promoting my novels, starting with my first which isn’t really (I think) Publication worthy but still worth doing something with, and the podcast seems the perfect venue for that. I haven’t given up on film, even if I am opening up on a new chapter of it. Still, life is interesting, and I’ve reforged bonds with old friends and made several new friends. This has been a difficult year, but not as hard as the last. The next is shaping up to be one of the best yet, and while I will be advancing my professional career, I also intend to do my best to make my 40th year one big party, since quite frankly I think I deserve one, and what else is there to life when you’re a bachelor with no immediate prospect of marriage or children? Having said that, who knows what the future will hold. I know all kinds of highly interesting roads are open before me, and I intend to explore them all.
Good luck and God Speed.
Having said that, with two layoffs in the same year, the extremely strong position I started in is almost entirely gone, which means that I’m probably taking Mom and Skip up on their offer to share living space with them for a while. It is slightly frustrating, to need to do that at 40 years of age, but they are being very accommodating and turning two rooms into what is essentially a mini apartment. Plus, since we’re in a depression, I should be grateful I just had a job, much less that I could find one quickly. The fact that it is in a field I enjoy and see great potential in, so much the better.
Still, changes need to take place. I am seriously pursuing two alternative lines of income so that I will always have money coming in regardless of my core employment situation. One is voice over work. I’ve taken lessons, bought equipment and recently acquired a manual. My goal is to start soliciting work by the end of January once I’ve finished the final elements of training. (I could look right now, but my equipment isn’t quite up to speed, and there are insider ‘tricks’ that I can learn so I’m not spinning my wheels thank you very much.) The second, ironically, is as a technical writer. Technically (pun intended), however, what I’m actually doing is emergency documentation of any kind, its just that the technical writing should consistently pay the best. The key here however, is that it is a moonlighting job that I control and will not depend on. It’s a business, not a career, and that makes a huge difference.
I have some other projects I’ll be starting next year on again, off again to make money, but these are what one might call “R&D” rather than the level of magnitude I’m working on with the above. One of the best perks of the new job is that I can start exercising again, but while I might be going back to Atlanta Kick, the Karate is going to be secondary to the Cross Fit. I’m hoping to start tomorrow. More details on that as it comes.
I also have some very interesting plans in general for next year, and I’m basing almost all of them around contingencies that do not depend on income. The writing is going well, and I’ve finished 5 of the 7 projects I have for the ‘wrap up’ of the Red Anvil Productions podcast. I’m doing another Podcast, but it will be Tossing Grenades at Windmills and primarily focus on promoting my novels, starting with my first which isn’t really (I think) Publication worthy but still worth doing something with, and the podcast seems the perfect venue for that. I haven’t given up on film, even if I am opening up on a new chapter of it. Still, life is interesting, and I’ve reforged bonds with old friends and made several new friends. This has been a difficult year, but not as hard as the last. The next is shaping up to be one of the best yet, and while I will be advancing my professional career, I also intend to do my best to make my 40th year one big party, since quite frankly I think I deserve one, and what else is there to life when you’re a bachelor with no immediate prospect of marriage or children? Having said that, who knows what the future will hold. I know all kinds of highly interesting roads are open before me, and I intend to explore them all.
Good luck and God Speed.
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