End of summer progress report

The end of summer vacation is finally upon me, and after considering the summer, I decided to report on the status of various projects and things that I may or may not have discussed on here.

First, readers may or may not recall that I was going to teach myself Latin. That didn't happen. Big surprise there, I'm sure. I'm hoping that being back on a schedule will prompt me to actually study it this semester, at least a chapter a week.

Second, I had hoped to do some research on the problem of evil. I started out very well at the beginning of summer, as I diligently printed out some papers I found online, and I read maybe.....some of one on the way to Texas. Upon my return from Texas, I didn't look at the papers even once, except to move them to a folder when I was trying to organize the quagmire that is the computer room. This progress report is looking pretty bad.

Third, I wanted to read a book on Leibniz over the summer. After about the fourth chapter, I gave up due to lack of interest and a conviction that I was crazy for starting such a project on my own in the first place.

Fourth, I wanted to reorganize the computer room/office. I actually did that, and it is working out fairly well. I rarely lose anything, and the biggest problem we were having (filing away important papers and shredding personal papers or junk mail that could be used for identity theft) is something we are doing a better job of keeping up with.

Fifth, I wanted to develop a consistent exercise regimen and get a little more fit. I was actually fairly successful with that, which is crazy, because I thought it was my most ambitious goal. Usually I work out a week and then give up, discouraged because my workout is difficult to complete or I get too sore. Actually, it is only in the past two weeks that I have started losing any weight. Before that, I was only changing my body composition: losing fat but gaining muscle. Thus, no real change in weight. I have gone down a size in undergarments, and I don't get as winded going up and down stairs or walking across campus. I still sweat like mad, but I think that is more due to the heat and humidity. I guess I did pretty well on this one. Well, I can't remember any other project I wanted to do.....and this is a long post, so I'm going to shut up for now.