February Goals Update

It's March! So it's time to talk about how February went! I think I'm still doing pretty well with my 2026 goals and it's time to check in with them.

1. Health Goals: Four glasses of water per day; three servings of fruits and veggies; taking vitamins; walking 10,000 steps a day plus an aerobic activity every other day; visiting health professionals on an appropriate schedule.

2. Personal Project Goals: Complete editing on In Bloom, share with test audience, collect and incorporate feedback, develop pitch materials, start querying it; start another book; write two more short stories; submit queries and short stories; finish the photo project and start the SU site, autobio site, and essays/rants site; practice music; post regular webcomics; post ace videos; submit voice-over auditions and complete assigned voice-over work.

3. Reading Goals: Read at least every other day.

4. Relationship and Communication Goals: Document more consistently; keep up with e-mail and online messages; keep social life active.

5. Other Goals: Get rid of garage items; clean the house; watch TV shows; plant herbs; wear pajamas/have a night routine; use a new coffee cup every day; do something cool with my hair.

Progress Update:

HEALTH GOALS:

Summary: Water goal was still perfect. Fruits and veggies were still perfect. Vitamins were still perfect. Walking and exercise goals were still perfect. I "graduated" from physical therapy and had my yearly physical, but there was weirdness so I have to go back for more bloodwork, and I'm going to the podiatrist to continue the quest to solve whatever's wrong with my foot. I have not yet scheduled a couple of the screenings I need but I do have my dermatology appointment on the calendar already. I did better on the protein goals the last couple weeks of February.

Here is my Health calendar of progress:

(Click these calendars and they will expand so you can actually read them!)

PERSONAL PROJECT GOALS:

Summary:

EDITING: We're into beta reading. I'm gathering and incorporating feedback from readers. I'm a little stalled on this because I have to wait for people to read and I can't rush that, but I'm working on incorporating some overall thoughts I got from early chapters to make sure I'm consistent throughout the manuscript. It's still just barely under 130,000 words and we need to keep it that way. I expect this month to mostly just be beta reader input, but I might work on pitch materials if I don't have feedback to work with. I've been very dedicated to the editing this month; I don't have assigned days, but I've been gravitating to it and I'm very excited about the project.

WRITING: Last month I did some brainstorming on a short story, but I haven't written it yet. Weirdly, I got an idea for a different short story and have written about half of it. Hope to complete it in early March.

SUBMISSIONS: I've kept up submissions of queries and short stories. One statement of interest still outstanding.

Writing Progress:

PHOTO PROJECT: I've halted at the year 2000 because I'm now digging through memory boxes and old planners trying to get some notes together to place older photos. The mementos are now being organized as sort of a side quest (which will help with one of the other website projects I have in the future). I've been doing a lot of this and it's been fun diving in and getting it all organized, but the room where I'm working on it is a huge mess.

VOICE ACTING: I was asked to read for a part in a show with a director I was already working with, and she ended up giving me the part. Recording hasn't started. I still have a pending shortlist from an audition, but it's really competitive and I'm not expecting to be chosen. We'll see. I haven't done as much with auditions this month--just haven't had time.

REGULAR CONTENT: I have posted my Negative One webcomic every Friday; my So You Write webcomic on the last day of the month; and a new asexuality video for the month.

MUSIC: No movement on anything exciting for the band--just practice and trying to get our songs polished.

Here's the Projects Calendar:

READING GOALS:

Summary: This goal has worked out nicely--I aim to read on the days I don't have exercise scheduled, and managed to do so every day except the very last day of the month. I've been on the same book all month and have not finished, but I'm really enjoying this one.

Progress:

RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNICATION GOALS:

Summary: I've been doing Jeaux Day, Game Night, band practice, and hanging out with Kari here and there. Still only a couple posts about everyday stuff and I'd like to increase this but I've really fallen out of the habit. I have a couple issues I want to blog about and haven't done it yet (one about the recent beta-reading experience, and some follow-ups about my experience with ordering merch from Mexico).

Progress:

OTHER GOALS:

Summary: I haven't yet gotten a plan together to get rid of the garage items. My house's organization and cleanliness has continued to suffer lately. I have not caught up with the intended TV shows. It is not the season yet to plant the herbs I have planned. I have mostly been doing really well with the night routine--changing into pajamas and doing a reasonable skin-care and hair-care regimen that's new (but I have continued to mess it up a few times by falling asleep early in my clothes). I have indeed enjoyed using a new coffee cup every day. I'm planning to make another hair appointment next month (for a trim and another attempt at getting cool colors like I want).