“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”
—Ancient Chinese After-Dinner Prognostication Slogan

Well, I suppose in my case it would actually be closer to the 116th day of the rest of my life given that it was on November 30, 2008 that I lost most of my job. Like I mentioned in my last post, I’ve kind of been dragging my feet some in getting serious about building The Rest Of My Life™. I’ve already bitched in these pages about the steady, inexorable way in which the nice life I’d built by the beginning of 2006 had torn itself apart, so I won’t go launching into that laundry list here. I’m going to try to stay more positive.

Much like our old friend the fortune cookie tells me, I’m in a place of flux in my life right now and a new life is going to emerge from the ashes of the old. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the smoking crater of the past, to be sure, but I’m starting to get a flavor for what the new life is going to be and how I’m going to have to challenge myself to improve to make it work.

I know that January 1st is more traditional for announcing resolutions, but that’s only for the new year and I’m talking about the new life. So, on to the resolutions…

1. I’m going to make myself get up no later than 8AM on the weekdays and 10AM on the weekends. Sleeping away my life, as comfy as my memory-foam mattress is and as cuddly as Pi is, is not a terribly useful thing to do.
2. Conversely, no more of this “staying awake until 3 and 4AM or even later” stuff on a school night.
3. I will be on time to things (barring extreme calamity) and stop making my friends, or anyone else, wait for my happy ass. I try to pull that shit with clients and I’ll be on the street and starving in no time.
4. I’ve invested in and will actually use the organizational software, Things (also available for iPhone so you can stay organized on the go!), in conjunction with my other existing tools (like iCal) to be better organized.
5. Actually get things done for myself.

Oh yeah…in addition to all those good intentions and starting a new business and other entrepreneurial endeavors (Geek Salon, an iPhone app idea I’m pursuing with a friend…more on that another time, though), I’m also going to have to find shared housing and move at the end of next month. Oy!

But in order to do all this, I’m going to need the help and support of my friends, loved ones, co-workers, and other well-meaning folks.

Living alone has given me a feeling of isolation that really hasn’t helped me in trying to get my life jump-started. So, please…if you have my contact info, use it! Call me, IM me, email me. Check in with me, see how I’m doing, ask how things are progressing, maybe invite me out to stuff. The more momentum I can generate during these difficult first steps, the better, so help me not do my counterproductive withdrawing thing I’ve been doing so much of lately.

I’m going to start living The Rest of My Life™ rather than mourning the passing of what was, but like the man sang, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

Thanks, everyone!