Best of '22

 I shot a lot last year after the lean COVID-year of '21, so I have more from which to choose. (Double click on one to open a larger set.)

Washington Burning

Grandad & Grandson

Taormina

Fish Monger, Catania

Agrigento

Cefalu

The Empathetic Christ of Cefalu (Is that a Missoni sweater?)

Palermo

The Geppetto of Palermo

Lecce

For Shame: Right in Our Backyard and In Broad Daylight!

Cape Kiwanda, Oregon

Homeless in Catania

Matera

Syracusa

Matera

Mt. Etna from Taormina

One Night in Ragusa

Cooking School, Siena

Madre et Figlio, Castellina in Chianti

A Tuscan Morning

Resolutions? No. Goals? Yes. So How Did I Do?

You have heard me before about eschewing New Year resolutions and, instead, setting measurable goals. I do that by considering six spheres of being which, if you will, is the onion of Fletch. The core of the onion is me: the self, Id, Ego. The first ring around that core is my partnership with Ann. Second: my family and clan -- children and children-in-law, grand and greatgrand children, sister and in-laws, neices and nephews. Third ring: my tribe, i.e., teammates, classmates, associates and friends. Fourth: my world, the strangers and animals that populate it and the forces that shape and protect it. And last, the ring of the spirit: the mystery, the unknown, the universal life-force. 

I set goals in the core and each ring of the onion, at least one in each. In interest of transparency, here's how I did last year: overall, not so hot, just a bit over 50%.

2022 Goals by Sphere

        Self

                Exercise -- row 2x/wk or more; resistance or yoga off-row days      Y/N (injury)

                Sculpt -- finish Yin/Yang of Yearning and begin Toby                         N

                Write: > 15 blog posts                                                                         Y (18)

                Read and Reflect: >18 books; buy less, library more                         N (15)

                Undertake meditation again                                                                N        

        

        Partnership
                Monthly date-day (incl trips)                                                               N
                April in Sicily                                                                                      Y

                Mid-Atlantic road trip                                                                         N

                Members and attend together Town Hall, World Affairs Council >4x N

                Get rid of vinyl                                                                                     Y

                Digitize and organize slides

        Family/Clan

                Minnesota trip (Thanksgiving?)                                                            Y

                Costa Rica visit                                                                                      N

                Christopher tuition aid, distributions to other four                                Y

                Re-start Portrait of a Grandfather                                                         N

                Revise bequests                                                                                      Y

                SRJO w/ Max                                                                                         Y

        Tribe

                Fishing w/ Roger? Road trip w/ Frank?                                                 N

                '50s Forum survey                                                                                  Y

                Get  consensus on Coad Table calendar and topics                                Y

                NW Chamber Chorus Dec dinner                                                           N

                Arts: support Pratt, SRJO, SCMS and Comissioning Club, SO, SSO, Now Hear This  Y

                Civic Affairs: election volunteer (8th?), support ACLU                       Y/N

                Schools: support Friends, Hamilton                                                       Y

         World

                Support Amnesty Int'l, Int'l Rescue Committee, Drs w/o Borders         Y

                Sustain memberships WWF, NWF, Nature Conservancy                      Y

         Spirit 

                At least one spiritual book -- Buddhism?                                                Y

                Undertake meditation again                                                                    N

I am a morning person; it helps me to have my morning lists when I flag in afternoons. I am also an optimist who bites off more than he can chew. I am blessed to have Ann as a regulator on my appetite and to remind me to look for downsides. (Do you suppose it means anything that Ann loves fried onion rings?) We make a good team.

Today, I'm setting '23 goals. I'll tell you next year.

(Hmm. Wonder why they say I'm anal?)