January Reckoning

JANUARY'S GOALS:

As you may remember, January's goals were:

1. FITNESS:  Do four weeks of the 100 Push Up Challenge. 
2. CULTURAL: Go to the Met, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney. 

The reckoning:

1. FITNESS:  This morning I did Week 4 Day 1 of the 100 Push Ups Challenge.  It was, frankly, awful.  I'm clearly a wuss.  But did it I did, for a total of 97 push ups, and on we will continue, as far as possible.  So it's not completing four weeks, but the goal is what made my significant other force me to do it - as a stick/carrot, it worked!
2. CULTURAL: Well, we went to the Met and the Guggenheim.  The Met was overcrowded and a bit too much, but the exhibitions we saw were beautiful.  The Picasso at the Guggenheim was the inspiration for this goal, and was one of the most amazing exhibitions I've ever seen (I'm a sucker for the big old horndog, what can I say?).  While we didn't make it to the Whitney, the motivation for going there was an exhibition that it turns out is on all year.  Let's hope we actually make it... but in the meantime, we have made use of both our Botanic Garden and Brooklyn Museum memberships this month, so pretty good.

So not a raging success, but a success nonetheless - more museums than I've managed in a while, and far more push ups!  Roll on February.

January Update

Well, the monthly projects are continuing, albeit at a slooooow pace.  We went to the Picasso exhibition at the Guggenheim on MLK Day (it just tickled me that it was that day we went to see an exhibition paintings/drawings that were solely black and white). We also finally went to the Met - more updates about that on January 31.  Yes, it's tomorrow.  Ahem. 

The 100 Push Up Challenge continues, albeit a little slower than I'd like.  Luckily, I enlisted the support of my other half in this endeavour - well, actually, he enlisted himself, knowing my failure rate in the past - and that has made a massive difference to whether I actually do the push ups.  Because, as in previous efforts, when it gets to Week 3, it gets miserable and I am inclined to give up.  For example, Week 3 Day 2 consists of five sets of push ups, with 90 second breaks between each set, and the sets run 14, 19, 14, 14, 19.  Yuck.  And ouch.  Week 3 Day 3 is obviously worse.  And January 31's set - FINALLY into Week 4, but that helps with the resolving - is grotesque.
 

January Objectives

Of course we're over halfway through the month, and I'm finally getting round to stating what my monthly objectives are for January.  Ahem.  Anyway:

1. FITNESS:  Do four weeks of the 100 Push Up Challenge.  I usually get to Week 3 and give up.  I've done two weeks and the two-week test, and hoping to amp up and at least complete four weeks.  It gets revolting fairly soon, but it is good for me.  I'm sure.
2. CULTURAL: Go to the Met, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney.  This is already looking bad, as I've failed to do any of these so far, and it's January 21 already.  ULP!  Oops.

Welcome

What?

Welcome to The Monthly Project! Each year I attempt New Year's resolutions, but find that it's hard to stick to them. For examples of previous and overly ambitious resolutions see here (although I basically achieved the green thing). And here (actually, did manage the off auto settings, a mere two years later). And here. I have also, on numerous occasions, also sworn off resolutions, as seen here and here.  Ahem. So here I am, living proof that resolving really does not always work. 

2012 was a little different, however, because although I still set myself overly ambitious goals for the whole-year, I also set myself a series of monthly goals. I did this a few times in 2012, fairly successfully. So this blog is an attempt to try out monthly goals.

Why?

My theory behind the Monthly Project is that if I set myself small, manageable goals with an end point in sight, I'm more likely to achieve them.  (Note: There is, I believe, a body of research behind resolutions and their utter failure, but I feel that's something for folks to google rather than back up this project with anything vaguely methodical or scientific. That's for a far more serious endeavour).
I've not much of an attention span, and I like ticking off things on lists, that sort of thing, so short-term goals make me feel rather proud and provide a sense of accomplishment. 

And, in some cases, the shorter goals may well end up sticking more than a big resolution.  A basic one such as washing my face every night has led to me doing that more or less every night (yes, I know I should have been doing that anyway, and yet).  While I don't do crosswords every day, I'm doing them a lot more since my "do one every day" month last year.

How?

Of course, there are some ground rules for these monthly goals.  They can't just be "go to the gym 12 times" each month.  They have to be different as we go along.  Goals involving exercise, in particular, are troubling and therefore I do want to do something specific and not a mere "lose weight" one. Additionally, if I have a goal that involves exercise then I also must have one that enriches my brain or soul. Maximum number of goals is three per month.

Where?

Although I'll be continuing with my regular blogging at gracegoesabroad, my main way to track these goals is here.  I like to compartmentalise.  And to blog.

When?

At least once a month, with hopefully a mid-month update, each month in 2013.  We'll see how we go.