Reality Check: Goals Status

OK- The book is coming along nicely, I reached a key intermediate goal of 150 scene cards and I feel good about beginning the narrative. I have some problems to solve with minor characters, but that should be the next piece of the puzzle. I am still on track to finish the first draft in November, by then I expect to have most of the holes filled in. I had originally planned to have the second draft tight enough to submit, but I have reconsidered and it will need to be the third draft at the earliest if all my research has been completed. I am not happy with my working title and there is no replacement in sight, but I am confident it will come. I have to remind myself to go easy on my work as it is my first novel, so I have to give it lots of slack. I can be tougher on the next one if there is a next one.
Goal 2- my real estate business is plodding at this point as I am waiting for credit repair to work its magic. In the meantime, I go back to Philly in July, and I opened up my 401(k). My savings have basically been pillaged by Uncle Sam, but as I am working on increasing my income, it will all come out in the wash.
Goal 3- I have resumed singing as a result of three things: 1) It makes me feel better. 2) I need something more to show for the time I’ve spent on it, and 3) Peer pressure/inspiration. So its back into the studio to record in the last week of July. MP says some of the rep I chose is too heavy, so I am going lighter: Recondita, Addio fiorito, Wie ach so fromm, O Paradis, It must make. I will confer with him about the possibility of Messiah, I think I can work out the passaggio issues by November. I place only two conditions on my singing: 1) I do not depend on it for income and 2) I get paid to do it. Additionally, I will get management as soon as possible, and focus primarily on no age limit competitions. Covering is OK as long as #1 rule is followed. More later.

Success & Failure

What happens when you fail? More specifically, if I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to reach a certain goal, and I don’t, what then? I am starting to come to the realization that failure can be liberating- everything post-singing I have to look at as gravy. If my friends, family, conscience, are holding me accountable for how I spend my time- what do I have to show for it? What can I do besides throw up my hands, shrug, and say “I failed.” If I want something more to show for it- something that can at least resemble a result, other than a few deposit slips, some pictures, a couple of programs and my union card- there is something I can do.

BACK TO THE STUDIO TO RECORD!!

Recording date: Wednesday July 25, Thursday 26

Repertoire: Addio, fiorito asil. Nessun Dorma. It must make the good Lord Sad. Ah si, ben mio. Vesti la Giubba. O Paradis. In Fernem Land. Or something like it.

Blahgs, etc. part 2

It is helpful to me to post on this thing from time to time, but I am starting to realize the limitations of all things cyber. When I worked the helpdesk, I was doing computers for both career and career advancement, with predictable results. I got a little burned out. I can use the machine to get done what I need to get done, IAW its a tool, not a lifestyle. I admit I am interested in robotics, hacking, game programming, chaos theory and applied math, but not enough to invest major time, as other things have taken their place in terms of priority. In my current occupation, as a business analyst/staff accountant, I make comparable money for less stress and fewer hours. I use email, I play games once in a while, I do some word processing. Honestly, that’s all I need it for. Which brings me to Meatspace. (Warning: ranting is about to occur.) Meatspace is where life happens. Meatspace is where I set and try to reach actual, real, concrete goals that are highly specific, not particularly easy and that make my life change and grow. These goals are basically unplugged and could be attained if an large-scale EMP took out all computers on the East Coast. (longhand writing, anyone?) Aside from the obvious scalar improvements in networking, gaming and audio/video applications, computers to me have not advanced all that much since the MAC system 7. Don’t get me wrong, the Internet is the greatest invention in human history and I love it, but it does have its limitations. It’s not going to retire me early. This takes me to Myspace. I just can’t get into it. It’s been a few minutes of entertainment, interesting to note how people see themselves, but it is, I regret to note, basically content-free. The deaths of several loved ones in a very short span of time (3 in 2006) in my life have had a profound effect on me. I have become acutely aware of how precious my time is, and I pay hyperfocused attention to how I use it. I think about what I need to complete, where I want to be when I am fifty, and what my legacy will be. I am at the age where I have to deal with finances, the goal of retirement, and trying to capture more control over my time. Laura wants to travel, and that would do me a lot of good as well. I am sick of being dependent on jobs, any job and I need to crank up passive income. Lots to do, and no time for MySpace, which does me NoGood.

Blahgs etc.

And so the Blog loses a little bit of steam of late, I’ve been preoccupied with things going on in Meatspace. I have been working with a lifecoach and that is a tremendous help, we choose two goals to work on at a time and both are progressing nicely and on schedule.

It was great to hear from a High-School classmate recently I haven’t spoken to in 20 years. We had a fantastic conversation, although we are both completely different people than we were in the late 80’s. She has lost none of her ability to set me on my ear so to speak. I find myself thinking of the big questions, taking stock of my life, sounding the deepest parts of myself and getting clear with who I am and what I want to accomplish. It’s all good.