A new work week, and a new attempt to have ambition!

Of course, I often try to be ambitious in my efforts, but this time of year is especially hard, I think, due in large part to the lack of sunlight. Notice, I say I often *TRY* to be ambitious, and I do, for I think that being ambitious is the only way I will ever have of accomplishing anything. Reality is unfortunately a very different story, for my actions are not in any way, shape or form what I would term ambitious.

What I have *ambitions* (of grandure?) to accomplish today:

complete grades and turn them in

get syllabi and other known course materials into our media (photocopying) center for next semester

IGNORE THE INSANITY!

put up both Christmas trees at home

repair the outdoor lights so that the burnt out section is on again

go shopping for my wife's Christmas presents

restart my aerobic excercise/ weight training routine

stop at the pipe tobacco shop and create a "wish list" in case my wife needs suggestions

play at the orchestra's concert tonight

address and mail out Christmas cards


I suppose the above would constitute what I would consider a "casual" ambitious day. It does not include any of the flights of fancy I often have (about writing great tomes, about creating new experiments, about being utterly creative in many different artistic senses). Someday I will talk about those ambitions as well, but suffice it to say one of the current most-often-thought about artistic ambitions revolve around developing (pun intended) into a photographer instead of merely a picture-taker.

Just because this is to be only a "casual" ambitious day, does not mean I have any greater chance of accomplishing damn near any of it. What is the likely reality of the above happening?

complete grades and turn them in (50%)

get syllabi and other known course materials into our media (photocopying) center for next semester (30%)

IGNORE THE INSANITY! (50%... only because many faculty have already "hit the road" and will not be in until January)

put up both Christmas trees at home (50%)

repair the outdoor lights so that the burnt out section is on again (50%... that high a percentage only because it is a relatively nice day outside)

go shopping for my wife's Christmas presents (25%... I hate shopping malls)

restart my aerobic excercise/ weight training routine (20%... I usually have to be pretty damn disgusted with myself to drive myself to start again.... and then am usually good for about a month)

stop at the pipe tobacco shop and create a "wish list" in case my wife needs suggestions (75%.... I am unfortunately quite hedonistic)

play at the orchestra's concert tonight (95%.... I enjoy this activity greatly, and feel it does perform a public service)

address and mail out Christmas cards (10% ... the idea makes me cringe)


Therefore, you can see that my own self assessment is indeed poor for my being ambitious today. Let us hope that this will not be the case and I will become a whirlwind of activity and energy.

Bah.

I shall finish this last morning pipe and head off to work.