Goals Check-in: October

Here's my end-of-the-month wrap-up regarding my 2013 goals:

Self-Care
Took at least two unplanned naps during a week of being worn out and run down.

Went to the dentist for the first time in several years and faced the music. As expected, my chipped tooth will need fixing, and I have a couple of between-the-teeth cavities that might have been avoided with regular dental care. But the estimates are less than I feared, and the dentist was nice and informative.

Took one week off work, in which I spent vacation time with my wife for our anniversary, did some work around the house, and rested.

Stepped forward in adoption planning by scheduling an orientation session at the end of the year and reading through the price list and timeline for the agency we'd like to hire.


Minimize
0 garbage bags of trash (aside from our usual household output)
3 boxes to Out of the Closet

Need to step this up!


Spend Time and Money Wisely
In about half an hour, I deconstructed a costume that didn't fit and adapted it to something that did -- using a seam ripper, scissors, and safety pins!

Chatted with a friend's neighbor for about an hour and learned about his early farm life, his gardening practices, the local real estate climate, and more. So interesting!

Notable transactions:

• Stacking coupons on top of store sales, I paid only 55 cents each for 3 boxes of brand-name mac & cheese.
• A customer in line in front of me at checkout was having trouble with his card, so I paid for his groceries.
• Bought some tickets from a public school raffle.
• 40 cents/lb for 10lbs of all-purpose white flour.
• 49 cents/lb for 8-10lbs of yellow onions.
• $1.99 for 10lbs of potatoes.
• A FREEZER OF MY VERY OWN. Its name is Queen Frostine. With sale price and coupon code and price-protection credit, after tax it was about $170.

Keep Learning
(On Reddit, of all places) I learned about a condition called pili multigemini, where multiple hairs grow out of the same pore/hair follicle. I'd seen this, but didn't know it was a "thing", or what it was called. So cool! 

I learned that green tomatoes will ripen off the vine (and will keep green for a while if you protect them from air and keep them dark and cool).

I learned (or relearned) how to play pool, bocce, and horseshoes. "The games of our old age!", my wife jokes. I'm waiting for shuffleboard.

I learned about subitizing. (I had been aware of the concept, but didn't know what it was called.) This, in basic terms, is the ability to judge at a glance the number of a set of objects. For a large number, you might need to count or estimate, but in the subitizing range (under about 5 items, for most people's brains), you apprehend the total almost intuitively.

OMG the continents are different sizes!!!! The Peters Map is a thing. My mind, like CJ's, is blown.

Selected things I Googled: brace yourselves pumpkin is coming, bishop john shelby spong, broadway acrobatics, comedy sketch roll call timothy, catch the dollar machine, everything is broken song, foster farms recall, hmrc vat isle of man, let's not cheat foundation for a better life, oooh meth psa, patience pass it on cement, pirate parrot morty, Phileas's Fortune, sonicare Easy Clean brushes, sarah friend ludo, teh king's evil, Water by the Spoonful  by Quiara Alegría Hudes


Try New Things
We made some new recipes in the slow cooker: from garlic baked potatoes to a whole roast chicken, they were tasty and will be made again. I also made chilaquiles, which may have marked the first time I've scrambled eggs. And for the first time in ages (and the first time with homemade dough) we made pizza! (I could easily have this once a week, and I don't usually go for pizza.)

I did my research and started off on a strong footing when I went to negotiate with a Sears appliance salesman. I've never bought a (medium) large appliance before, and I haven't negotiated price like that, but I ended up with a good deal. Plus I paid attention to the price protection policy, and got a further credit when the price dropped 2 weeks later.

Crossed off 7 things on my 101 List

• 24. Go swimming
• 31. Teach someone how to play Set
• 44. Visit a natural hot spring
• 56. Have a romantic weekend away (3 midweek days count!)
• 66. Watch the sunrise and sunset in the same day
• 69. Complete 7 goals in a week
• 89. Go berry-picking

Track Accomplishments
January
February
March

April
May
June

July

August
September