Chris’ Midterm Report Card aka All Downhill From Here!
PROJECT “DO ME A SOLID”
- I’ll do a bit of everything, as long as my good deeds can have a DIRECT impact, starting with volunteering
GRADE: PASS – So I stole an idea Jonathan Fields and started my day by sending out a tweet, asking if people need help. The results have been small in scale (helping a friend find a job) but nonetheless gratifying.
- I’ll go wherever where my help is needed – down the street, or around the globe, mowing a lawn or working with relief efforts in a disaster zone.
GRADE: FAIL – Toronto City Counsellor Adam Vaughan suggested many novel ways in which I could help in my community. So far I’ve acted on exactly none of his suggestions.
PROJECT RENAISSANCE MAN
- I’ll learn to fix my own motorcycle.
GRADE: FAIL – although there are good repair classes starting in fall, so I can still turn this one around.
- I’ll become handy, like learning carpentry. Jesus was a carpenter. So was Harrison Ford (and that dude became Indiana Jones).
GRADE: FAIL – Being chronically underemployed means my resources are finite – when it comes to classes, it’ll have to be either bikes or carpentry, or find an expert oblivious to how patience-taxing and pointedly unhelpful a needy apprentice can be.
- Since I’ve spent the last decade devoted to music and living vicariously through its creators, now I’ll take the stage. I’ll sing in a band (I’m pretty good at karoake) and maybe even write and record a song.
GRADE: FAIL – I should perhaps leave music to the professionals.
- I will read. Not just what I like, but books that are actually good for me (ones with fewer pictures) and challenge my ideas.
GRADE: PASS – Chronic underemployment does have an upside….plenty of time to catch up on your reading.
jac
Actually…you’ve already missed 4 sibling birthdays… the next birthday is moments away.. you can still get a card to him in time if you send today…. and after that you only have one more sibling birthday to remember and I’ll give you plenty of lead up time to that important day so you can produce the most amazing and perfect present and homemade card.
The Bitter Man
There had better be money in that card too …. tick tock!
Chris
Well, so long as I don’t miss your birthday, we’re cool, right?
Katie
I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since you started this!! Do you feel better?
Chris
Not as better as I would like to be. I need to do more shit that scares me, full stop, and that hasn’t happened often enough. I know it’s a lame excuse, but actually making money tends to get in the way. What’s more, I’m starting to think that getting better requires a lifetime, not just a year.
Chris
Tragically, I feel only marginally better, and only because I’ve learned to deal with constant crises as opposed to made tangible progress. Mind you, when I was in school I always did my best work on the night before the assignment was due, so maybe December will be profoundly life-changing.