Fitness

I've been doing interval training for the last ten weeks, and I can feel a remarkable difference in my body. I've only lost about 10 pounds, but I have muscles and strength and posture in places I haven't in years. I'm realizing that my slouching and slumping is not a result of a lack of dignity and grace, but a lack of muscles in my torso and core. Every time I complete a 60 minute punishing explosive power set, I feel a sense of pride and purpose and accomplishment that is intoxicating.

Today I did my first Couch to 5k run. It was delightful. My exercising over the last couple months prepared my body for the work, but it was still a painful fifteen minutes up front until I was warmed up, muscles loose, lungs working, blood pumping. The sense of accomplishment from this was equal to the weight and physical workouts. I can see myself getting to 30 minute runs, and doing a 5k this summer. 

It's going to be great.

2009

I have a few things to concentrate in 2009.

Budget. First, and this is a biggie for our family, is the budget. I have been blessed all my life with the ability and inclination to make good money, provide a good quality of life, buy all manner of toys, and in almost every way satisfy all of my basic desires. However, I have realized (about five years too late) that I have been missing out on big things - big vacations, big purchases, big houses, because I spend far far too much on little things. Instead of a trip to Europe, I bought 4,000 DVDs. Instead of a big beautiful house with everything I've ever wanted (including huge yards, magnificent kitchens, study, library, giant baths) I ate at restaurants four days a week every week for years. Etc. So in 2009 we are following a strict household budget. Strict in the sense that I will not lose track of any dollars - not strict in the sense that we are eating white rice and water for every meal.

I've been using wesabe for about nine months. Which let me put some great categorizatioon and spending habits together, to create what I think is a darn good first budget. I switched to mint because it has better budget management tools and it automatically integrates with all my banks now, and away we go. Biggest opportunities are in a couple areas: 1, eating out (of course), 2, making sure money doesn't just dissolve away. We are great at making $100/week go nowhere, with a budget I'm planning on seeing that stop. Based on this first round of computations we are good for an $11k surplus by the end of the year, all of which I plan on going towards debt elimination and savings.

Fitness.

Professional Development.

Family.

To be continued...