Looking Forward To February

The first month of the year is history. It was a month of some set backs but mostly progress. I broke a couple of my resolutions (if you didn't treat yourself to something special today). I started taking ukulele lessons and learned how to use my digital recorder. I collected a new set of Lego mini-figures. Despite a manufacturing flaw in the Kreo model of the Starship Enterprise that prevented me from building it, I did build the Klingon Bird of Prey that was also in the set. 

Paula and I took care of both of our grand children at the same time for the first time on a Saturday in January. Here's a pic of the two of them enjoying a Mickey Mouse video together. 

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Now it's time to tear the first page off the 2017 calendar and move on to February. That starts today. 

I'm starting February with a different look. I picked up my new glasses yesterday. I decided to go old school and get a pair that gave me a different look. Here's a series of pictures that show me from last year at this time, then the middle of last month, and now at the start of this month. 

January 2016

January 16, 2017

February 1, 2017

One of my "get back on track" goals for this up coming month is to start getting out and moving on a regular basis. That started this morning. I put on a pair of sweat pants, laced up my sneakers and headed out my door toward the post office one mile away.  

Other than walking through stores or the mall when shopping and running errands, I don't think I've taken a walk of any significant distance since my solo trip to Walt Disney World back in September. 

The first time out after such a long period of being sedentary is a little difficult. My muscles are weak and I have not a lot of stamina. I was a little slower than usual on my walk. I made it to my destination and back home within 45 minutes. 

Of course, after this weekend's celebration of the unofficial US holiday of Superbowl Sunday is over, the pressure is on guys everywhere to come through for Valentine's Day. I've already got that covered. I have gotten Paula a very different kind of gift this year but I'm sure she'll really like it. Unfortunately, I have to wait a couple of weeks to give it to her. 

There are a few other things I want to get done in February. I want to get the reorganization of our records and files, which I started in January, finished.

I want to help my wife finish decorating her office and assemble her mirrored jewelry case. I would like to begin getting the room across from her office cleaned out as we get ready to make it our bedroom. 

Another target project is the reorganization of our kitchen cabinets. Now that we have a dishwasher, our use of actual plates instead of paper ones has increased. We need to get the very nice set of dishes we have had for the last few years but not used, out of storage and into the cabinets. 

Our annual appointment to file our tax return is scheduled for the middle of the month so I have to get the records and information together so that we can file quickly and accurately. It takes a little bit of time but after 15 years, I have the process of gathering all we need down to a minimal effort. 

I have 3 Rewind program scripts written. They are sitting on my desk ready to be recorded. I also want to do some preliminary recording to lay the groundwork for the podcast I want to start. All of this requires a logistical rearrangement of the set up in the computer room. I am going to buy a new desk and set up my recording equipment next to my desktop computer so I can work with it in an efficient and practical way. 

A couple of things at the top of my February agenda are the revisiting of a cinematic classic in a new way and being part of a transition that means the start of a new phase in the life of my son, James' family. More about both of these things as they happen over the next week or so. 

So following Walt Disney's advice, I'm going to keep moving forward as February begins. I'll send you a message on Facebook when I post about what I'm up to and how I'm progressing. 

Before I go here's a little bit of an update on my blog goals for the year. This post marks my 11th for 2017. That's about 8% of my goal for the year. At this pace I will reach my 1000 post some time before the end of the year. That's a little slower than I had anticipated but I'm okay with it. On a much more progressive front, I had 746 page views in January. That's a lot more than I thought I would get. I am now with in 500 page views of reaching 50,000 in total for the history of my blog. Thanks to you I'm going to reach that goal for 2017 a lot sooner than I thought I would. Thank you. If you keep coming back I'll keep writing.