2015: the first post

I broke in the New Year right: ZZZQuil at 10 PM, up at 6 AM, and coffee and writing at The Anchor. I did wake up around midnight to what sounded like tons of guns going off. It rattled me a bit, and then I made the connection: fireworks. I totally forgot last night was a holiday. I fell asleep pretending I was five miles away from Pittsburgh Landing during the Civil War's Battle of Shiloh (I've been reading Shaara's A Blaze of Glory). The drive to work this morning felt like something out of the Twilight Zone: Interstate 71 looked like a ghost highway. Since Ben and Jason were out partying last night, I let them sleep in and finished my revision of Dwellers of the Night: The Church of 89 Steps. Yet another way to break in the New Year! 

A year's first post MUST include resolutions.

Now: as to whether or not these will be accomplished, who can say?

(I did do fairly well with 2014's resolutions, though!)

I've got four on the menu:

Read for an Hour 5 Nights a Week. I tried to write down all the books I read this year by leafing back through this blog and my personal journals, but I lost count somewhere around twenty-five. Not too bad! On average I read about twenty minutes a day, for about 2 1/2 hours of reading a week. I'm hoping to double that pace this year with about five hours of reading per week (not counting the time I read on the toilet, which probably adds up to about an extra hour each week). I would love to read somewhere around fifty books this year. The first two will be Jeff Shaara's work of fiction, A Blaze of Glory; and N.T. Wright's The Challenge of Jesus.

Reach My Healthy Weight Goal. The good news is that I've lost three pounds since Thanksgiving; usually you gain 3-5 over the holidays rather than losing it. My goal weight is 135-140 pounds, with my current weight clocking in around 165 pounds. Ashley and I are sharing this goal; she's shooting for 120-130 (but personally that's a little too skinny for my tastes; I think 150 is an optimal weight for her height and build). We're doing the Warrior Diet (consuming all our calories in the evening so that we burn fat throughout the morning and afternoon), and we're limiting our caloric intake so that we lose around two pounds a week. We're also *attempting* to be more regimented with exercise: we were running and doing aerobics a good amount before the cold weather set in. Once Chloe's back in school, we'll be able to do aerobics while Zoey's napping. I'm not focusing too much on gaining muscle, because Ashley finds muscular men repulsive. That's okay with me: I'd rather diet and read than diet and hit the weight room!

Write Two New Novels. I've been getting my ass back in gear when it comes to writing, and this year I want to write two brand-spanking-new novels. The first will be The Procyon Strain: Book Two (I'm already about fifty pages into it), and I want to write something that doesn't revolve around zombies. I love writing stories in the framework of a zombie apocalypse, but I don't want to get into a rut. I've been toying with some ideas, but I don't want to give anything away. Tacked onto this Resolution is the goal of finishing my revision of the Dwellers of the Night trilogy. I've only got one more book to revise, but it's the longest and most intricate. I'll have to manage my time well if I want to write two new novels, finish the revision, and accomplish my reading goals. Thankfully I'm dating a woman who sees me reading/writing as she watches TV as Quality Time.

Get a Big Boy Job. No, I don't mean becoming a server at Frisch's. I've delayed getting a different job because of everything being up in the air with the ministry position at Mayhill. They're supposed to contact me this month, and if I get that position, I'll be financially set and doing something I love (preaching!). If that doesn't work out, I'm going to use Amanda's contact with the Temp Service to land a better-paying, 9-5:00 position. Walk of Joy is great, and I love my clients, but it just doesn't pay well, and there's no room for advancement. I'll be sorry to say Bye to these guys, but that's how life goes. I'll be sure to keep my three faithful readers updated.

Also, I'll be going back to the original URL sometime soon.
(that's darkerthansilence, for those who don't remember)
This blog has been all over the web, but I want to get back to normalcy.
Things are settling down in my heart, and there's no reason to be melodramatic.
So if you try to come here one day and can't find me, access your bookmarks.