My Goals For Fall 2007

I believe it is vitally important to have defined personal and professional goals in our lives, yet I have not spent the time to formulate any in a terribly long time. Even having had the summer off, far too many important aspects of my life have gone unexamined, and frankly been allowed to slip altogether too much. Especially since autumn should prove to be quite busy for my family and I, it is essential that I focus on these important issues. Here is a quick rundown of what I'd like to accomplish in my life from now until the end of 2007, in no particular order:


Family

• Find one on one time to spend with each of my kids here at the house. This could be playing a board game, reading a book, finding a quiet corner and chatting about the events of our day, making plans for future fun, or most anything that allows us to connect. Certainly I'd like to make this happen every day or at least 5 or 6 days each week.


• Work on becoming more patient with my kids. I need to learn to step away from them when they frustrate me and take a personal time out to breath and relax. Explore the concept of meditation.
  
• Spend time alone with the Mrs. to ensure we stay connected throughout our busiest times, at the very least spending a few minutes each day to give each other our full attention and to chat. Go on a full-fledged date at least twice a month with NO KIDS!


• Plan at least one fun activity each week where we all get out of the house and enjoy ourselves as a family.


• Stay better connected with my Mom & Dad, try to call each of them once a week.


• Do a better job maintaining relationships with my brothers and with my two closest cousins--all of whom are dear to me but I interact with far too rarely.

Social

• Look for new friendships and gradually develop the few that I have begun in this area.


• Be social in our neighborhood once we move into our new house. Host parties, invite people over for dinner, and generally get to know everyone around us. Find ways to get active in the community.


• Reestablish and maintain relationships with friends from my past through facebook, email, telephone, and face to face whenever possible.
  
  

Gaming

• Share my love of board games with a couple of new people every month. Explore possible gaming relationships with people I know now. Sometime early next year have enough interest to start a weekly board game group in the Canton/Potsdam area.


• Continue to explore the gaming blog community, give lots of feedback to those bloggers I enjoy reading, keep up with all the gaming blogs I enjoy. Listen to at least two gaming podcasts weekly, including The Dice Tower.


• Buy one or two new games and share them with friends, building my collection, the breadth of my gaming experience, and my gaming friendships.
  
  

Professional

• Propose new recipes to test for the St. Lawrence University catering department.


• Research flavor combinations and dishes that I would like to explore in the future. Read one book about food and find and read food blogs that I enjoy.


• Start a food journal with my thoughts on ingredients, dishes, combinations, recipes, what works and what doesn't.


• Learn as much as I can about wine. Drink wine with dinner at least once or twice each week. Read the wine bible from cover to cover.


• Volunteer for more responsibility at work if the opportunity presents itself, look for occasional experience baking and working the line in a restaurant setting.

Financial

• Hit the $10,000 level in my retirement fund through work.


• Rebuild our personal savings level to $10,000.


• Start a taxable investment plan with a small monthly contribution.

Intellectual

• Read one book on an interesting and important topic.


• Read the New York Times and Wall Street Journal (or other good daily newspaper) online on a daily basis.


• Listen to NPR three to four times each week.


• Thoroughly research the 2008 political candidates. Get well versed on the issues important to me and each candidate's stand on them. Get a good feel for the character of each of them. Generally learn as much as I can about the political landscape and become much more firm in my political opinions.


• Publish my blog at least three times weekly no matter how busy I am at work!

Physical

• Engage in one aerobic activity for at least half an hour three to four times per week. This could be a jog or a walk, playing tennis, going to the gym, etc.


• Find time to play tennis in particular at the St. Lawrence fitness center once a week if possible.


• Begin a strength training program even if it is very light at first.

Spiritual

• Try to figure out exactly what it means to be spiritual without necessarily being religious. Stay open to learning about the religious experience. Although I went to church as a child, I've never actively believed in God or had a personal religious life. (I also don't actively believe there is no God, I've just never had an experience that moves me in such a way to find meaning in any particular faith.) This is an area I understand very poorly and would like to explore.

Well, there you have it. The chances of me achieving all this are probably slim to none, but so long as I remain dedicated to giving it my best shot I'll be in great shape at the end of the year in a lot of ways. If anyone out there is interested in setting up some personal goals for themselves as well and would like to keep each other accountable I would be very open to that! Also, I would love to hear your comments on any of these topics.