The Cowtown Chronicles

1. Help the wife replace the toilet in our main bathroom.
2. Shop for groceries so I can cook for her while she’s working.
3. Bathe the dog.
4. Rake the yard and bag up the leaves that have been sitting out there for 3 months.

Typical weekend for us, really. We’ve always sort of flouted “traditional” gender roles. To give you an idea — this Christmas I got a new set of knives (Shun Classics), and she got a DeWalt miter saw and stand. She’s much more involved in the repair and refurbishment of the house, and I’m more interested in finding perfect dishes or glassware, and collecting recipes.

We fit, though. All the bases get covered, just not in the way that most people expect. I like that about us.

Today has really been a completely wasted day for me. I’ve gotten almost nothing done, it seems that most of my colleagues are about as productive, and it’s a BEAUTIFUL day outside.

What a crapper. I wish I had a window.

Now you’ve wasted part of your Friday reading this drivel. I’ll bet you wish you hadn’t.

Inspiration Credit: Merlin Mann and his “Most Days” video series.

Jenna and I had a really interesting discussion about blogging and what’s the point of it all, and so on. I wasn’t able to really explain why I do it. Part of the appeal for me is that it is the closest thing to a personal journal that I’ve ever kept, albeit a very public personal journal. There’s also the ego stroking slant: the thought that there are people who visit this site and read what I’m writing definitely makes it worth doing, even if there’s not really any money in it.

I think the main reason, though, is that this site has become kind of my (very public) personal accountability zone. I post my goals and ideas, and then I count on everyone who reads it to hold me to the grand declarations that I make, if not through actual accountability, then at least through the humiliation I feel when I go back through all the goals I’ve set and not accomplished.

Here’s an update on where I am regarding a few of the goals I set for this year.

I haven’t lost any weight that I know of yet. I also haven’t been trying very hard, either. The “trying” piece starts tomorrow. I’m going to go slow and build up to what one might call a “workout.” I think I’ll jog a bit with the dog, then maybe go for a bike ride if the weather isn’t terrible.

I’ve done pretty good about posting more regularly.

The emergency fund is non-existent. I had to buy books for school and haven’t started getting my GI Bill funds yet. That will have to wait until next month.

Credit cards are still there, too. We should be able to pay one of them off by March. I’ll keep you updated.

Life is good so far, so at least I’ve got that one right!

Here’s the house around the corner from my happy place. I know this is totally random, but I’m kinda playing with my new blogging software and want to see what all it can do.

“The Freshmen” by The Verve Pipe from the album Villains (1996, 4:30)

I have this long list of things that I WANT to start doing –

• Exercise
• Cook ALL meals at home
• Spend more time outdoors
• Read more
• Fix things around the house
• Write an article for a magazine
• Write for the blog more consistently

And so on. The list is HUGE (and mostly in my head), but everything on it is something that I’m capable of and generally enjoy. Then why the hell can’t I seem to DO any of them?

Instead of getting up and exercising (which I know makes me feel better and gives me MORE energy), I lie in bed and whine about how cold it is or how tired I am. I use more energy making excuses than I do actually DOING the things on my list.

What is it about me that causes me to be so non-motivated? How do I find my motivation and then act on the things I want to do? Most of the advice I see says I just need to START, but that seems to be the part that I have the most difficulty with. How do YOU get started every day?

It’s here. I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to expect when the year ticks over. It’s kind of a feeling like you have on your birthday when you’ve survived another year, but you don’t feel any older.

I’m really looking forward to this year, though.

I had to dig back a long way in the archives of this site to find a post about new years and resolutions. Notice that I didn’t make a resolution, I set goals. I still think that’s the way to go, even though I wouldn’t say that I achieved the goals I outlined in that post, probably because they were too general. (Except that I didn’t do too bad about the sustainable thing. We consolidated down to one vehicle and started using public transit more. I still drive to work too often, but that ends this year.)

Here are my goals for 2009 (in no particular order):

• Lose 40 lbs. That’s 3.3 lbs. a month — a healthy and reasonable amount.
• Post here at least once a week.
• Build up a $3,000 emergency fund.
• Pay off my credit cards. (I have 3 left, about $10,800. This should be achievable with our new plan. I’ll post more about that later.)
• Live the motto “Life is Good.”

Totally achievable. This time I’ll post monthly updates. Hold me to it.

I was tagged by Linda Ld Jacobson who was tagged by Richie Escovedo to take up this writing exercise. This is a good thing, because I need some exercise right now.

1. I weigh 265 pounds. But I carry it well. Most people are surprised to hear that I weigh that much. I tell them that it’s because I’m dense in every sense of the word.

2. I don’t have many secrets. I’ve even published most of the intimate details of my financial life right here so that hopefully people can learn from me.

3. I made a total ass of myself in front of Bill Paxton during the inaugural Lone Star International Film Festival. Essentially, I behaved the way I do around everyone and immediately assumed the role of best friend with people that I had just met, and let’s just say that Bill wasn’t open to me tagging along with “his crowd.” There wasn’t an ounce of Hollywood celebrity haughtiness to be found, just 265 lbs. of local yokel who doesn’t know when to shut the hell up. I’m surprised they didn’t yank my press pass right there and then.

4. I get weirded out when people take sports seriously enough to actually come to fisticuffs with fans of opposing teams. That’s just stupid shit. If you want to fight an “enemy,” join the military. I like to win as much as the next guy, but unless it’s life or death, losing isn’t the end of the world. Projecting that level of import on a football (it’s always football around here) game THAT YOU’RE NOT EVEN PLAYING IN is just juvenile.

5. I’m seriously overwhelmed by all the web 2.0 social-network-media-web stuff that I feel obligated to wrangle. That’s just one small reason why I’m making the move back to analog in ‘09.

6. I had never eaten anything with jalapenos in it until about 6 years ago. I couldn’t manage even mild wings — too hot for me. My mom used to make tacos with ketchup. (I still think they’re awesome, mom, but I like the spicy stuff now, too.) My favorite meal as a child was beef (canned beef, natch) & noodles with mashed potatoes and corn. Yellow, white, and beige, with a hint of brown and drowned in salt, shoveled into my mouth with slices of County Line Colby Jack cheese.

7. I’m still genuinely surprised and flattered when people tell me that they read West and Clear. Doubly so when they give it a compliment!

I’m supposed to tag seven people, so I’ll give it a shot… (I’m not even sure I know seven bloggers!)

Kevin Buchanan
Steve Smith
Suzette Watkins
Allen Patterson
Pete Geniella

Aaaannnddd that’s it! Bernie doesn’t have his own space anymore, so I’m stuck with just the 5 people.

The rules:
• Link your original tagger(s) and list these rules in your post.
• Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
• Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
• Let them know they’ve been tagged.

Some of you probably recognize the Kenny Chesney lyric in the title of this post. I didn’t until about a week ago.

Since my trip to visit Jenna’s dad in St. Croix, I’ve had a lot of time to think about not only what life’s all about, but also what REALLY matters in the grand scheme of things.

What I’ve figured out is that everyone decides for themselves what constitutes happiness.

I know that sounds like a cop-out, but it’s true. I think that eventually everyone will have their “ah ha!” moment, during which they’ll figure out what it is that’s most important to them.

For some people, that will be working their asses off to make a name for themselves, garner world-wide renown, and be “famous.”

For others, it will be to have as many kids as they can and to pass their values and worldview on through them.

For me, though, I think that it is to enjoy every day that comes to me and to be thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and the things that I’m surrounded with.

I’m not wealthy, I’m not beautiful. I’m not a talented singer, writer, musician, or actor.

And that’s okay.

I do the best I can; I work a job that’s not going to change the world directly, but I hope that I can help someone on our faculty teach someone who will change the world in a positive way.

I earn a decent living, which is enough to feed my family and to pay for not only the necessities of life, but also many of the little luxuries, like being able to shop at Central Market instead of Albertson’s, and Eddie Bauer instead of Wal-Mart. I know that there are a lot of people in the world who don’t have that option, and I’m truly grateful that I’m in a position to enjoy the life that I have.

I don’t live to work, I work to live.

I may not ever be a “Captain of Industry,” but honestly, that’s okay. I don’t know if I want the stress that comes with that.

I’ll probably never be “rich” in the financial sense, but I hope that I’ll be “rich” in friendship and community, enjoying the little things that so often get overlooked while chasing fame and fortune.

I truly wish and hope that I can enjoy every day that I’m fortunate enough to experience, and that I can be an example to my friends who are struggling with their own place in life. I know that the path I’m choosing isn’t right for everyone, but I hope that I can at least live the example that if one chooses not to run the “rat race,” that life can still be a beautiful and fulfilling experience.