10 For 2026 Q3 Update

Here's the 2026 Edition, Quarter Three Update: 

1. A completed, working draft of Book 4 by the end of the year. I've got 40K words and it's time to figure out what to do with them. It needs a restructure. I know how it ends. I sort of thought I knew how it begins, but that might be changing, and I need to figure out the rest in between. 

I'm getting to it, I'm getting to it.

2. Built-in bookshelves! (Also: fix the gutter, fix the window, privacy strips for the fence, get new doors hung in the back hallway, fix the van bumper.)

There's a crack in our foundation, and we need to rip out the patio and install a French drain to keep water from pooling by our foundation and leaking in. Yay! Homeownership is THE BEST!

3. Being Present: I know that's a buzzword these days, but I want to unpack it a little bit. I want to get into the habit of putting my phone down rather than having it with me at all times, so I reflexively scroll. I want to read more physical books and work on having fewer screens-- not just for me, but for the kids. I want to intentionally use my PTO/Sick Time when necessary so I can actually have a work/life balance and not just talk about it. I don't know how exactly I'm going to quantify this, but I'm going to try it and see. 

Got serious about screen time and got me a BRICK. I don't want to use phrases like 'game-changing' yet, but give me until the end of the year to see how I feel about it. I feel like it's changing my focus levels and helping with the being present thing, but I don't know. 

4. Declutter and purge! (We've been doing a lot of this already, but I want to continue to do so.)

We got rid of two chairs; we are decluttering clothes, and there's a random couch or two we can probably shift out of here. Things are being done!

5. The Random Grab-Bag Resolution: I want to get a t-shirt blanket made, I have a beautiful map downstairs, and I want to find something to do with it. I've got a wood-burning kit I've never used. I want to do some wood-burning this year. And before I do the thing that every male in his 40s does and get a smoker, I want to try and do some smoking with my Weber grill just to see if it's something I can get into in a real way. 

T-shirt blanket, made!  Wood burning kit--- broken! (Sad Face)

I can look up how to do smoking on the Weber grill. Might have to do some research but I think I can do it.

The map downstairs will require some thought, I think. But I can start thinking about that.

6. Health: The old chestnut, but expanded to include mental health, physical health, and making sure I'm hitting those 10K steps whenever I can. Be nice if I could end the year smaller than I started it, but I think that's step two. Step one is to integrate exercise and physical activity, and stand wherever I can, so that it becomes a habit. Specific action items: addressing sleep apnea (a CPAP is being ordered), visiting either a chiropractor or a massage therapist to work out the hip, and establishing a stretching routine to reduce daily stiffness. 

Got a massage, which helped with the hip. Need to get back to physical activity of some kind on the regular but I am on track to be smaller at the end of the year than I was when I started it.

7. MISOGI TIME: I had to think about this a bit, but decided on the Manitou Incline. I'm going to have to get myself in better shape than I am now before attempting, and I considered things closer to home (like maybe RAGBRAI), but one of my goals is to summit a 14er or a verifiable mountain of some kind, and I feel like this would be a good way to start. I also think the logistics of getting myself to Colorado for a few days in 2026 have a higher potential to be accomplished than, say, taking off for a week somewhere else. A key part of this challenge is: getting myself in shape AND THEN attempting. Not gonna drive out there right now and take a crack at it, because I don't think that will end well. 

This has not been a great quarter for me here, but again: I'm working on it.

8. Duolingo: The circle has returned around to Portuguese! 2026 will be my year of Portuguese and I'm hoping to get to a 1700-day streak on Duolingo for the year. 

Should be at about a 1682-day streak by the time this post drops, so I'm on track for this. 

9. Reading: I didn't hit 40 on my Goodreads for 2024, so I think I'm going to take another run at 40 this year. Here's the Official TBR List for 2026 if you want to follow along.

I'm up to 23 books now. So I'm over the halfway mark at least?

10. The Annual Control Resolution: Have A List of New Year's Resolutions! (Thus, ensuring that I'm not a complete failure at this!)

This is (obviously) complete!