Rearview Mirror: February 2011

Earlier this year, I set several goals for myself that I want to accomplish before the year is out.  Previously, I would routinely set goals and then hope to accomplish them.  Sometimes I did and sometimes I didn’t.  But what I didn’t do is follow up periodically to see if I was making any progress.  That changes this year.

Here is a list of the goals I have set for myself along with notes on the progress, if any, I made on the goal during January.  The majority of the goals were detailed in my Making Plans for 2011 post from earlier this year.  I’ve added a few goals to the list since then as well.

You can find updates from previous months here:

January 2011

February was a difficult month for me.  I got sick on the last couple of days of January, and have felt bad pretty much all month February.  It started out as the flu, morphed into a nasty version of the common cold, and then became a sinus infection.  As February ends and March begins, the sinus infection is still hanging on, but I think I  have it on the run.

Here’s how I did on my 2011 goals:

Write a Novel — Writing practically ground to a halt in February.  I’m unhappy with the way the first few chapters have turned out and I’m thinking about writing a different book.  The main obstacle was my health.  I just didn’t feel good all month, so I didn’t feel like writing.

Continue With Plans to Race in The Rolex 24 at Daytona — I raced at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, TX in February.  All of the details can be found here.  In a nutshell, the trip to Texas was not fun, the race on Saturday was a blast, and our weekend ended earlier than we had hoped.  Road America is coming up in March.

Learn to Play Guitar — I continue to take lessons, but I’m disappointed that I’m not “getting it” more quickly.  True, I’ve only had a few lessons, but I want to play songs, not scales (I sound like a 4th grader when I say that). 

Learn to Play Piano — No progress to report

Kayak the Length of the St. John’s River — Nothing new to report.  The person I had hoped would work with me on logistics will be out of the country in May, when I had hoped to do the trip.  I’m looking at October or November now, but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to get this done this year.

Circumnavigate Wisconsin by Bicycle or Foot — No progress to report.

Start the Adoption Process — In February, we had a family meeting and it is looking like we may not go forward with the adoption process.  This goal seems much more important to me than it does the rest of the family.  That angered me at first, but I’m starting to come to grips with the fact that my family likes the way we are as a family right now.  Whereas, I’m operating from a sense of obligation and charity, the rest of the family is more concerned with protecting the family.  Neither is right or wrong.  We’re just approaching the issue from different perspective.  Still a lot to deal with.

Apply for an MFA in Creative Writing — Done.  I submitted the application in January.  Still waiting to hear.

Launch Short Story Website — I continued to work on the short story website in February, but I have bumped up against a brick wall.  The web designer I use on my other projects created the WordPress theme I am using, but we have had a horrible time getting together to work out some of the kinks.  At the moment, the project is at a standstill, but I remain hopeful it will be ready to launch by the end of March.

Launch Other Internet Businesses — Nohing much new to report.  I’m hoping to get busy on this again in March.

Read the 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century — I read “A Portrait of an Artist As Young Man” by James Joyce and did not like it.  I’m uncertain why it is considered one of the 100 best novels of the 20th century.  Not only is it on the list, it is #3.  The people who put together the list obviously look at things differently than I do.  I am getting ready to read #10 on the list; “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck.