Focus

I used to write a lot. This blog started out with stories from work and evolved to chronicle my life. Along the way it became a photography blog, dabbling in a 365 Project, 52 Cameras, and most recently a roll-a-week project.

But lately it’s been nothing. Zip. Nada. I’ve largely broken the Facebook addiction, but my online time has been devoted to Twitter and Instagram. Even there I am more a lurker than a participant.

NFMH has lost focus.

Objectively life has been pretty good. Fourteen months ago, we made the decision to straighten out our finances. We cut up our credit cards, set a strict budget, learned to cash flow life, and paid off $[redacted large number] of debt. Today I don’t owe anyone a cent beyond the mortgage on our house. It feels wonderful.

Everyone is healthy; school is going well. The oldest cats have achieved a colony record age of 15 ½ years and show no signs of stopping. The dog lies curled at my feet as I write this.

Yet my days are occupied with putting out one fire after another. (Not literally – that I might enjoy.) Our home, our vehicles, our stuff. The infrastructure of life takes up all of my waking time and I hate it.

Like the blog, I too have lost focus.

Wil Wheaton had a good post the other day entitled “Seven Things I Did to Reboot My Life.” They don’t translate directly to me, but they did inspire. Without further preamble, and shamelessly cribbed from Wil, here are my latest goals:

Read more & write more – Time spent with a book is good. Time spent with a book and my dog (and maybe a good beer) in front of the pellet stove is the definition of a good winter’s evening. Writing doesn’t just happen right now; it needs to be planned.  Dog, stove & beer help.

Spend more time with my photography – Specifically, spend more time in the darkroom printing, and organize my images. Again, a good beer is helpful. I don’t need to make more images or play with different cameras. I need to refine and get a grip on what I have.

Eat better & exercise – I’m the heaviest I have ever been. I have had 15 or so extra pounds for years; lately it’s closer to 20. That ends now. I never feel better than after a good workout, yet I don’t get to the gym as often as I should. That ends now too.

And finally, the STUFF. I have a fuzzy goal here and no plan. For a couple years we have tried to get it under control. Things aren’t getting worse, but we are not improving much either. It’s easier said than done.

I’m throwing it all out here in hopes that a public pronouncement will help me keep on track. Stay tuned.

Now I’m off to pack my gym bag and a lunch for work tomorrow.