Three Weeks

It's Sunday evening, three weeks into the New Year. This is apparently when most people have failed and given up on their resolutions. 

Sunset at Soldier's Delight

Apparently, "three weeks" is the magic time span when things that are done routinely shift into a habit. So far, my SMART goals are going pretty well. 

1) I've hiked several times already this month, including yesterday in a new-to-me place called Soldiers Delight NEA. I went kind of late in the day, so I didn't get around the entire Serpentine Trail, so I'll definitely be back. I guess the real test of this goal will come next month and the month afterwards.

2) This is my third blog post of January, so again, this will likely be tested more next month and in March. 

3) I not only finished The Queen's Weapons, but I've also read Ben Raby's 100 Things Capitals Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die and finally started on Steve Glynn's This Team is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them). I've had the latter book around since August of 2019, when I went to a RMNB-sponsored book signing and met "Dangle" himself (who is pretty cool).

Pat got this for me last year.

4) This one is about to get easier, as Centr is about to start a new six week program called "Sculpted" which is 4 days of 30 minute workouts. At this point, I've been mixing it up with Centr workouts and hiking, but I have met the goal each week.

5) This one, not so good right now. I've thought really hard about the students I plan to track, and I still need to get some information down on "paper" (pixel). With only four days of "instruction" this week, since it's the end of the marking period, I should have some time to work on this more formally soon.

6) I have put the intention out there, in multiple places. People know. I need to buckle down and get the brakes done now, so that it's ready to sell during tax return season. 

7) For the most part, I've been doing okay on this last goal. Sometimes I record it in my journal at home, and sometimes I do it in my plus/delta book at work. Sometimes both. When I'm having a mentally tough day, it's tougher to get something on paper, even if I do recognize that I've accomplished something.

This week is going to feel so long, I really do want to go back to Soldiers Delight and finish hiking the Serpentine Trail. The site is a fairly unique ecosystem (serpentine barren and oak savanna), which has a very magnesium rich soil. This results in some plants that aren't found anywhere else in Maryland. I'm thinking of seeing if I can maybe incorporate the area into some evolution/adaptation lessons, especially with my magnet biology students. 

The serpentine grassland in late January

I also need to start thinking about doing taxes and I'm hoping that I get a refund this year. With Pat's new job, maybe his withholding is correct. I haven't played hockey in a year because the refund money that helps pay for that didn't happen last year. Plus, the green terror has some significant engine issues, and I might need the refund to pay for that. 

It's almost 8PM, and Sunday sadness over going to work tomorrow is in full swing. The rain today also didn't help. Here's to hoping that this is a good week.

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