A Blog(ger) Under Construction

The sun is shining through a high window in the coffee shop where I've been holed up for the afternoon. Some suitably hip music is playing on the radio, chosen by the incredibly hip baristas, all sleek bodies and ironic threadbare t-shirts. I cashed in a vacation day to relax after a long weekend.

So.

Indebted 2 You was started two years ago to help me get a handle on my finances. It's been a long, successful journey. My credit card debt is gone, my car debt is gone, and I have a significant savings. My school debt still hangs out there, but the orginal purpose of this blog was to help me become more financially responsible, and I've done that.

I long-ago lost my desire to write about my finances, day-in and day-out. I don't need to, because the habits I've created are second nature. I continuously update my spreadsheets to keep my spending in check, and I've arranged my life so I don't have that much cash flowing out. I know where my money is coming from and where it's going to. I have no desire to become a financial consultant (nor would I be any good at it). Writing this blog has become something of a waste of time, an action kept up more out of guilt than any real need.

I've been thinking of taking this blog down for a few weeks; it has served its original purpose. At the same time, however, I've been less-than-pleased with other aspects of my life. I have other issues I need to address, issues that have in some ways become more apparent now that I'm not scraping to get by dollar-to-dollar.

As of this morning, this is a blog, and a blogger, under construction.

I don't know what I want to build. I know I have some big challenges ahead. My writing program needs a new draft of my novel by the end of this summer. I need to get in better physical shape. My eating habits have become attrocious. I have other problems, but I don't think this is the area to discuss them (in part because I believe people I know have tracked this blog down... shoo!... go away!).

I have a feeling this is soon to become a blog about getting in shape. The reason being: when I'm physically active, I am emotionally prepared to tackle my writing, my finances, and all the million things life throws at me.

I've thought about writing about writing, but I would become self-conscious about posting, because I'd feel that posts about writing would have to be perfect, and I would be paranoid people would judge my fiction by my blog entries.

So, that's it, I think. I'll chat about my finances and I'll chat about my writing, but the main bent of this blog will be my physical well-being.

And I guess I want to get started right now.

Here are some goals for the next year:
- run two triathlons (short courses)
- bike with my girlfriend
- start tracking my miles like I track my finances
- get a grip on my eating habits

I'm not crazy about the triathlons--I've run a couple already, so this is a reasonable goal for me. I'm in pretty lousy shape right now, but I stumbled through one without much training last year, so I'm sure if I make a concerted effort this year I can do a couple.

That's it, for now. I'm going to go for a run. I don't have any other chores today, so I'll probably toss another post in before I go to sleep.