Off to a Good Start

It may be two months early to review my goals, but as I was marking my progress for the month, I realized how much I accomplished.  Some of it, like trying new recipes, I wasn’t even trying.  I just love trying new recipes I find.

It’s important to break down your large goals into smaller goals so you can see the wins and the progress you make.  It’s an encouragement and it helps keep you going.  That’s why most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions.  After two or three weeks, they don’t see any progress.  But that’s because they don’t have a means to measure progress.

So, taking from my list of goals, let’s see the progress I’ve made so far:

1. SECOND STEAMPUNK SCREENPLAY:
   1. Finish editing through it: It stands at 163 pages at the moment.  I’d like to get it down to at least 143 pages, the length of the first screenplay.  DONE

Finished it on January 31^st.  It started out at 168 pages, I got it down to 157.  Still long, but I’ll still be working on it as I novelize it.

7. READ BOOKS: …I have a stack of books on my nightstand that is 17.5” tall.  Let’s try to get it down to 5.5” by the end of the year.  That’s an inch a month.  And that means I’ve got to keep up with any new books and comic books I buy.  And I just ordered two books from Amazon.
   16. End of January, 16.5”: 2.5”

I read through all these books and comic books.

But I also bought these since the beginning of the year.

Yet, I still cut my pile by 1.25”.

Side note:  The “My Little Pony” comic books are based on the Generation 5, “Make Your Mark” series on Netflix, but I’m actually enjoying the storyline in the comic book more than the one in the series.

8. READ MY BIBLE: Picking up from where I left off last year, so I’m starting almost three months ahead.
   1. Keeping up with January’s reading:  DONE
   2. Keeping up with February’s reading:  DONE

Still keeping up.

9. TRY TWELVE NEW RECIPES: Last year there were some months I missed, but overall, I tried out eighteen new recipes.  So, I’m not going to do them by months, I’m just going to number them out.
   1. First new recipe: 01/14/23 Hashbrown Casserole
   2. Second new recipe: 01/15/23 Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
   3. Third new recipe: 01/15/23 Old Fashioned Cloverleaf Rolls
   4. Fourth new recipe: 1/28/23 Baked Meatball Parmesan
   5. Fifth new recipe: 1/28/23 Crockpot Taco Soup
   6. Sixth new recipe: 1/28/23 Billion Dollar Buttery Biscuits

This isn’t even a challenge.  I like trying new foods too much.  I consider myself a Guy Fieri foodie.  I’m not looking for the finest cuisines or the most exotic fusions.  I want to find the best burgers, sandwiches and pizzas.  I just want to kick my diet up a notch.  Okay, so I’m mixing my meta-chefs, here.

10. GET DOWN TO 190 POUNDS: Let’s try that weight loss thing again…
    199. Down to 201 by end of January: 199.2 lb.

Doing good.

11. MAKE SIX BLOOD DONATIONS: This could be whole blood donations or double reds, which count as two.
    1. First blood donation: JANUARY 21st

Doing good, again.

12. RUN THE BLOOD DRIVE AT WESTERCON THIS YEAR: Kris and I have been running the blood drive at Loscon for 32 years…   Now we have an opportunity to run a blood drive at this year’s Westercon in Anaheim in July.
    1. Attend first con committee on January 14^th: 1/15/23 DONE
    2. Initiate contact with the American Red Cross in Anaheim: 1/16/23 DONE

Coming along.  We have an on-site walk-through of the hotel on April 24^th.

The one thing I didn’t account for in goal setting was that you’re supposed to celebrate your wins.  I guess I’ll have to figure out how to reward myself when I complete the big goals, the numbered ones.  Until then, just seeing that I have been able to keep up this well is rewarding enough.

Dennis

149th blog completed.

Second Steampunk novel: 0 words.  <– This is where my concentration will now go.

Second Steampunk screenplay:  157 pages.  <– A little shorter.  Will keep working on it.

First Steampunk novel:  73,675 words.

First Steampunk screenplay:  Need to update with notes from the novelization.

Third Steampunk screenplay:  38 pages.

And yet even three more recipes.  Kris found this one and we tried it Friday:  Pizza Grilled Cheese.  https://tornadoughalli.com/pizza-grilled-cheese/?fbclid=IwAR1WqIPhdyoo64x8keewDj12rlNgqMcxRt7lZ0vYXBR38F2NKbTHwI44NuY

“As easy as a grilled cheese sandwich, but tastier.  And Dennis already had all the ingredients at home.  Be warned, it is more filling than your ordinary grilled cheese.  Kris couldn’t finish hers.” – Vincent Reinhart.

And Saturday’s dinner:  Mexican Taco Meatloaf  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/269732/mexican-taco-meatloaf/ and Chili Mac and Cheese https://bowl-me-over.com/chili-mac-and-cheese/?fbclid=IwAR0vjrgKjdZuAgjyZxPkQ9VsC_iyBSpex7oQfYLsyXY95Q2P_tJo2adEPDo

“Ah, Dennis’ quest to find different meatloaves.  Dennis considers meatloaf the brown paper bag of dinners and he has made it his goal to find unique ways to make it.  This was a good one that satisfies his inner Mexican – he’s ¼ Mexican.  And it paired well with the Chili Mac and Cheese.  A spicy version of the classic.  I’m beginning to think Dennis is also looking for different ways to make this classic side dish.” – Vincent Reinhart.