Goal Update Monday

Do you like to hold yourself accountable for how you spend your time? I do too. I'm planning to use my blog today, and if I decide I like doing it, every Monday, as a place for personal and public accountability. My goal is to spend 32 hours each week on my manuscript.

If you're interested in doing the same on your blog, or if you already do, drop in a comment. I'll visit you and give you praise or encouragement!

Writing: I did not meet my goal. I wrote for 23.25 hours and revised 12,000 words.

Blogging: I don't have a goal for this, but I love to read blogs. I am currently subscribed to 606 blogs. I am social and nosy, and I prefer reading blog posts to Facebook.

But I dumped a hundred or more blogs this past week (my total subscriptions had numbered 700+); they were fabulous blogs, but all of the category I had labeled as "Artful." When I was working full time, I didn't even try to keep up on the 250-500 new posts that show up in Google Reader each day, but now I have more time; I can actually do it, although I needed to dump the artful blogs (scrapbooking, home decorating, food, knitting, etc). Time spent blogging: 7.75 hours.

Jogging: Goal is 16 miles/week. I met my goal. In my Brooks Ghost Runners, shown at left. These shoes are wonderful.

Reading: I need to set up a reading goal. Currently, it's "catch-as-catch-can." I read some pages in The Mistaken Bride by Renee Ryan. It's book two in a continuity series (of three books) in the Love Inspired line. I'm enjoying it very much. Don't let the sleeping dog fool you. I'll be reviewing the series soon.

Life in General: Don't you just love the new name for yellow?

• Saw all five of my grandkids on Saturday. 
• Spent a couple of hours at the County Fair on Saturday. 
• Went out to dinner with friends in celebration of Mike's and my 38th wedding anniversary. 

The big time consumer this week, and it's not done yet: Mike and I started painting our house, which will always be yellow. The part that is still unpainted (gray primer color), we cannot reach with ladders due to the slope of the land. Mike needs to rent a man lift to do that, as well as to paint the trim, the fascia, and to put up new rain gutters. Not sure if that will get done in the coming week; he'll probably be harvesting garbanzo beans instead.

Best wishes on the coming week, and may you meet all of your goals.