New Years Resolutions

 

 

Since 2011, I’ve posted my New Year’s resolutions at the end of each year.  It’s a good way to do a year-end check-up and see how I did and what I need to recommit to into the New Year.  So without further ado:

1. Body - run 800 miles, swim 80 miles, lift 160 times, bike 800 miles, eat better.

COVID wrecked my exercise routines so many times in so many ways, mostly by shutting down gyms for months on end.  I made up for missing the pool and weight room by discovering my childhood love for biking, which got newly worked into both my morning workouts and my work commute.  Plus I made the most of the months I could swim and lift.  I’m proud to say that I worked out every day but three this year, almost always first thing in the morning.  My workout tallies for 1/1/20-11/30/20: swam 43.7 mi, ran 802 mi, lifted 157 times, biked 1,793 mi.  Alas, I more than wrecked all that with a typical pandemic “diet.”  Let’s hope the tire around my waist isn’t a lasting reminder of 2020.  Grade: B

 

 

2. Civic – leverage skill/opportunity for maximum social impact, make a difference on the hard issues.

It’s been hard to do School Board amid everything else in my life.  And the work itself has never not been heavy and near impossible.  But I have no regrets for signing up and no regrets for the tough decisions we’ve had to make.  It’ll be a relief to step down next year but I’ll miss it too, my fellow School Board members, everyone else who gives of their time to help make it all happen, and most of all watching our kids succeed.  Grade: B

3. Friends and family – quality if not quantity, be there when needed.

I got to see or talk to some folks more due to greater familiarity with Zoom and just being impelled by the craziness of it all to check in.  But my schedule is too crazy right now to actually spend any semblance of quality time with folks.  I’m missing out, and I feel it.  Grade: B.

4. House – an ounce of prevention, making it a home.

I really let the house slide amid the chaos of my life.  I made the most of the brief time I had to keep to a bare minimum maintenance schedule.  And I was glad to pony up for the expansion of our back deck.  But mostly this was another casualty of my having no time.  Grade: C.

5. Kids – 1 on 1 times each quarter.

COVID meant my scheduled one-on-one getaways all got cancelled, alas.  Rather than making memories, this year was about grinding it out day in and day out, being there and giving hugs and saying “I love you.”  They’re all struggling in their own ways – who wouldn’t be through all this? – but I hope they are stronger for it all.  And that they don’t remember too much that their dad wasn’t always available.  Grade: B.

6. Marriage – three kid-free trips.

Miami in January seems forever ago.  Obviously all other trips got wrecked by COVID, although we did do an overnighter staycation that was quite lovely.  Mostly we just gutted through the craziness of our jobs and kids, wishing for easier days and glad for each other to survive with.  Grade: B.

7. Mind – read 50 books, learn Chinese.

Got to 50 books on the last day of the month (i.e. December 1 to November 30).  Tomorrow I’ll post titles and ratings.  Alas, it’s been forever since I did my Mandarin lessons, and I can feel the rust forming as I try to keep up with Jada as she learns by leaps and bounds at school.  Grade: B.

8. Self – three hours per week of uninterrupted me time, three personal day getaways.

Oh how I wish.  Had dates, itineraries, and plans all set up.  Not to be this year, obviously.  Exercising every morning, and having some personal time with God most morning, had to suffice for self-care.  I could’ve used more, but in the middle of everything being crazy I tried not to cheat myself too much.  Grade: C

9. Spiritual – 100 Bible memory verses, time each morning for Bible/prayer.

So-so in this department.  My morning routines were a little shorter but a little more regular.  Next year maybe even more regular and with a little more time to spare?  Grade: C.

10. Work – ten quality reports.

I’m proud of work I did – resilience in St. Thomas, equitable growth in Baltimore, and small business climate in Wilmington come to mind – but mostly that upon becoming president I was able to preside over filling out our staff team and structuring ourselves within distinct practice areas.  I feel good about how we’re organized and who we have on the team.  We’re not out of the woods but the struggle is part of the fun.  Grade: B.