Resolution Roundup #5

So it is that time of month again, where I reflect on my nine goals for 2009.

1. Volunteer - Still none, I wish there was something I could do with the kids. What I would really like to do is read to people in nursing homes or something along those lines.
   
2. Pay down debt - We are still good here, I owe various family members some money and hopefully can pay them off. The car is almost paid off, thank god. No credit card use again this month.
   
3. Be a more patient father - Still a work in progress.
   
4. Read two books a month - I actually did this this month, well I read Killing Rommell and I also read Stealing Lincoln's Body - granted I finished that on June 1st but still I read the first 150 pages in May.
   
5. Publish, Publish, Publish - I have two articles done, one is submitted, the other will be re-submitted again this week. I also have one abstract done, and another this week. Then I will focus on the remaining three papers. These include one on heart rate, one on the Chibchan Y-chromosome, and one on the use of Fraility Index vs. Biological Aging. I may also have another on autosomal markers in Bering as well.
   
6. Be a more substantive blogger - I'm getting better at this as well. Obviously, I now have four followers so that counts for something.
   
7. Take a vacation - We went back to Kansas for graduation. It was great to see everyone, even if it is a little weird to not be a student on campus. We had a good time and hopefully the kids did, of course they miss g-ma and the house and poor Winston is uber-depressed. Perhaps we will venture back north again next year. The only other trip I have planned at this time is for work to Hawaii. I have an unnatural fear of aqua, so I'm probably the only person who is not excited about visiting an island in the middle of the Earth's biggest Ocean that also happens to be a Volcano. Molten rock and water terrific.
   
8. Find a hobby - The garden produced radishes and we ate them, the other item that seems to be good as well are the cantolopes, the pumpkins stems broke so they are attempting recovery. The watermelon seem to be doing OK, and the cabbage is starting to grow. The Texas heat is a killer but I generally wake up early, sweep the back patio and water the garden. Then kind of pick up around the back yard before the heathen hordes descend.
   
9. Spend one on one time with my kids every week - I'm trying, I need to get a little better. I can see that this helps everyone involved especially C, sometimes both J and I forget how young she is and treat her on par with her brothers. She also comes up with some fabulous games.