Thanksgiving Monday check in

“Do not fear mistakes - there are none. ”

― Miles Davis

 

A week ago Sunday, I wrote down several challenges for myself:

1. Write 1 song a week. Goal 500 songs

2. Write 1 blog post every week. Goal 52 posts

3. Read every day. Goal read 1000 books

4. Publish 1 photo every day. Goal 1000 photos on Flickr

5. Cycle/walk to work all school year. Goal walk cycle 1000 km

6. Swim 100 laps every week from October to April. Goal 3000 laps

Songwriting
I managed to compose a song sans lyrics so far which keeps playing over and over in my mind. I must write down the music and start recording it today. I've also started a second riff. I brought one of my guitars and a stand and put it next to the bed in the master bedroom. Having the guitar out and within easy reach entices me to grab it and play. I improvise a lot  and often follow the path of "mistakes" in my playing realizing that they lead me to discoveries.

 

 

Writing

I'm writing now as an update so I'm counting it as writing a blog post. I write every day. I've written over 100 pages in my journal since starting a new notebook on September 10th. I'm not terribly good at updating blogs.

Reading

I read every day and manage to read one or two books a week on a good week. I've been adding books to my Goodreads bookshelves, but I'd like to know how to delete books from the "want to read" shelf. I'm currently reading Isobel Losada's "A beginner's guide to changing the world". I love armchair travel. No altitude sickness. No border crossings. No visas. 

Photography

I've been having a lot of fun taking photos and playing around with cropping. I've faithfully posted at least a photo a day on Flickr. 
My best buddy and I went on a nowhere trip yesterday stopping anywhere we thought might snapworthy.

I even encouraged a talented, local photographer to get onto Flickr. After searching to find a photographer who inspires me, I finally found a link to her website. I couldn't remember Mary Jo Hoffman's name nor her website's name, but I stumbled upon it through Pinterest.

http://stillblog.net/ 

 Cycling/Walking
Despite, some rainy, cool and stormy days, I rode my bike or walked everywhere I went in the village except when I went to swim laps at the hotel pool or when I needed more than 1 grocery bag. I'm proud of myself even if the distances in the village are negligeable.


Swimming 
Last Monday, I swam 50 laps (each lap is 75 yards), Wednesday, I swam 25 laps and I got back to the pool and swam 25 laps Saturday night. Again, a real, hardcore swimming would spit me out with a gulp of chlorinated water, but I'm still proud of myself because I at least get off my butt and go swim when I could very well just lay back into the Lazyboy and read some more.