Happy New Year!
on 2021 and 2022:
I finally got a learner’s permit. My family and friends have been telling me since I was 16 to “just get the damn driver’s license, you might need it one day”. Living my whole life here in New York City I just never really had any sense of urgency about it and before I knew it I was 44 years old. Anyway, I finally got around to starting the process, got my permit, took some lessons, had my road test a few days ago and… I tanked.
I did a little reading about pass/fail rates in NYC and I couldn’t find a lot of data, but the data did indicate that some years the pass rate is below 50% so that was reassuring. There is a part of me that feels a little bummed out about it, being 44 years old and lacking this basic seeming life skill, but I’ve since heard from a lot of drivers (some professional) that passing the road test isn’t the given I thought it was and that a lot of people tank their first time, especially here in NYC. I know at least two professional drivers that tanked four times before they passed. So although I’m bummed, I’m not super bummed. I signed up for a more driving lessons just to get some more practice in, and should be taking the test again sometime in February. So, I didn’t get the license in 2021, but I finally got the learner’s permit and intend on being licensed to drive soon.
As far as fitness goes, I’m not in the shape I’d like to be in but I’m not going to beat myself up over that either. It’s been a rough couple of years. I have a marathon scheduled on 4/24 (this will be marathon #5) and I intend on running a personal best <5H38M. I’d like to break 5 hours, but I doubt I’ll be in good enough shape for that, but breaking 5H38M would still put me in the best shape of my adult life. The year I ran 5:38 was 2011. That was a long time ago, and I’m aiming for <5hrs. anyway.
Writing? Well, I’m here aren’t I? Shaking off the cobwebs. I think what will be key to success here -and I define success as producing on here regularly, perhaps even things that are good that are not about me. Is abstaining from facebook and other distractions. The good thing that makes that easier now, is people aren’t on that thing like they used to be. So that helps, and when I find myself compelled to rant on there, I’ll just stop, close the stupid thing out, and fire up the ‘ole Microsoft Word and get to work on something. The other key is to write daily, no excuses. It’s like eating right and exercise. A little every day does a lot more for you than a lot of time less often. So far so good. As a matter of fact I’m working on something not about me right now.
To paraphrase the Vlog Brothers, I’ll see you on Wednesday.