January 2023

Last week I told you to get ready, 2023 is almost here. Well, it’s three days into the new year and I’m already backed up. I told you my content calendar was 20% done and it is still at 20% (oh, that 20% did not include January)! Suffice it to say, the holidays got in the way.

We didn’t have any plans for NYE this year. The consensus was to go to bed early but I turned on that dang Ohio State vs. Georgia game. When it ended, I switched to Ryan Seacrest and he was counting down from six seconds.

Woke up early to meet my Apex Ruck Club members at 8:30am at Lake Johnson. This was our second year for our New Year’s Day Polar Plunge. We rucked three miles and then went into the 44 degree water. It was 10 degrees outside last weekend so the water was really cold. It felt like knives stabbing my legs. 

I tried twice to plunge but decided against it. I don’t have to do this, I said to myself. But as I sat there, I told myself I can’t start the year off like this. With a little more encouragement, I made the plunge into the cold water. I didn’t swim to the buoy like others but every once in a while, I get to pull out the AARP card.

Monday came and went but that night I put on Monday Night Football and could not believe the plight of Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin. Now we know he had cardiac arrest on the field and had to be resuscitated twice after collapsing. I kept on watching the coverage to see if there was good news to be had. We pray for the young man still in critical condition.

Then today it was Arsenal vs Newcastle in a big Premier League matchup. I’ve always rooted for Arsenal and they are at the top of the table so far this season. I was watching on and off between breaks but there was nothing to see here. It ended in a 0-0 tie.

Then it hit me! No content calendar and I have a blog due tomorrow. ARRRRGGGGHHHH. I also was given marching orders by my very capable editor (my wife, Jeanann). She told me I had to give her ample time to edit the piece. No more pulling out an almost final blog at 11pm! What’s up with that?

So we are three days into 2023 and the ToDo list already looks daunting. Don’t watch the games you might say but there is something you don’t know. I used to watch tons of TV. My excuse was I was in the business buying TV time and I needed to know what was going on. I have drastically reduced the amount of TV I watch.

The problem is, that saved viewing time went to another screen called the iPhone. If you are at the menu page of your iPhone, swipe right and scroll down a bit. You will find a data point that shows you how much time you’ve spent on your phone all day and night. If you’ve never seen this, you might be in for a rude awakening.

In essence, I have changed some habits, which is a good thing. Although, I may have unknowingly replaced those bad habits with other bad habits. Someone I met for the first time the other day recommended that I read “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. That’s probably a great idea, but that person doesn’t know about my Tower of Intention (if you don’t get the joke, read “My Tower of Intention” blog post).

Just three days in and I may be overthinking the situation. Maybe take a step back so as to not get overwhelmed. I don’t want to start digging myself a hole here. I’m having lunch next week with an old friend who saw my Polar Plunge Facebook Post. He said he had some breathing techniques to get over the fear of plunging into the cold water. But I have to wait till next Friday and that’s another 10 days (read September’s blog post “It’s a Function of Time”).

I’m not pulling the emergency chord yet on 2023. We have our goals, we have our plan, we have our unfinished business just like everyone else. Just stay the course. Breathe (but I really don’t know how till next Friday). Looking at Day 4, I’m putting one thing at the top of my list; Content Calendar!