Work goals are fun to write about. All very positive. It’s nice to write about things to achieve.
Personal goals feel like more of an admission of failure. Every one points to some negative personal trait that I’m hoping to change. And since they are goals, if I don’t change them then I get to come back next year and notice that I’m still the same loser. Nice.
There’s also another disadvantage to talking about any personal goals on the internet; some people like to read them and then use them against you. This usually happens in a fight, where the other person throws your aspirations to improve back in your face. It’s happened. But there’s power in writing stuff down and I’m serious about these, so here we go…
My general personal goal for the yer is “I’m trying real hard to be theshepherd.”
In general, I’m in a transitional period and I’d prefer not to leave people as dead as fried chicken. More specifically…
1) Be more present with my family
I work at home. We homeschool our kids. But sometimes I’m still not here, even when I’m here. It’s very easy to get caught up online or in other work and to not pay full attention to the people and cats around me or in the next room. This leads right into…
2) Multitask less
I’m an old Amiga user, so multitasking has been in my vocabulary a little longer than most people. There are plenty of articles about how multitasking doesn’t really work to make you more productive…if merely being productive is your goal. For more on this, go read the ZenHabits site by Leo Babauta. It’s wonderful. The values of simplicity that he focuses on sum up a lot of what I’d like to achieve personally.
3) Health. As in, have some.
I was diagnosed with diabetes about 18 months ago. I got on medication, changed my diet and exercised more. I got it under control. Then I left my job, moved to New Mexico and lived in a hotel for 7 months. No money for meds. No insurance. I gained 25 pounds back. I have no idea where my blood sugar is right now and I’m frankly afraid to check. And that works out since I don’t know where my meter is and can’t afford a new one right now. I have the stuff I need to exercise, track my weight and so on. I need to do it. Or else. The big “or else.” I’d also like to fix my teeth this year, which means ‘buy some teeth’.
4) Quality stuff
For a long time, I’ve gone with ‘cheap’ over ‘good’ in a number of areas. Part of this was forced on me by living paycheck to paycheck. Here’s a simple example for you - socks. I would just buy the cheapest available 12 pack of socks. Why? Because…ya know. It’s socks, for gosh sakes. A couple of months ago I bought some nicer socks, in part due to pretty serious foot pain I get related to my diabetes. I bought a three pack of Maggie’s. And damn, those are some nice socks.
So how about you? Any goals for this year?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
As a fellow Diabetic that’s the one thing that has ticked me off with hcr. I haven’t seen where insurance companies will have to cover diabetic testing supplies. When I got diagnosed 3 years ago I had my own insurance. It almost doubled in price and they wouldn’t cover my supplies. Needless to say I ended up having to drop it. Trying to explain this to non-diabetic supporters of #hcr is about impossible. They just assume diabetes is like anything else - get it and insurance pays for it all. WRONG!!
Hey but on the medications - if you can get a prescription, Wal-Mart does have Metformin on their “cheap list”. Without insurance I pay $12 for a 3 month supply from Wal-Mart. Sadly there isn’t anything similar for test strips though. I cringe every time I have to bust $100+ bucks for test strips (once a month).
This is a really great point about health care reform and diabetes. When people tell me about how awesome it’s going to be that pre-existing conditions will be covered, they really don’t get it.
Yes, pre-existing conditions will be covered. But the insurance prices will be very high. Furthermore, it will be MANDATED - which means personally I’ll be forced to spend money on insurance…and that’s NOT health care. It’s insurance.
By being required to buy that, I won’t have the money for actual health care supplies that I need. I’m uninsured now because I can’t afford it. But I DO spend money on health care - meds and supplies. That money will be taken for crappy insurance.
My arguments againt the current health reform bill are intellectual but the issues related to diabetes are part of my personal opposition.
You rock, Lee.
It is so cool and redeeming that in the end you were 100% correct when you argued vehemently with that guttersnipe Cesca about Obama’s sell-out of health care. Actually, I never doubted that you were correct because I know that the Washington paradigm always tips toward corporate power. I was even amazed/amused when one of his guests sided with him in the argument. To me it was like they were arguing that the core of the Earth is actually made of jelly beans.
Anyway, have a great new year, filmmaking bud. I love your instructional videos and messages of inspiration.
-Michael/ “MG”