I know I’m in the minority, but my input device of choice is a trackball. (The Logitech Trackman Wheel, to be specific.) When my wrists started to protest at my ever-increasing hours behind a computer years ago, instead of actually reducing my time (the horror!) I gave a trackball a try. I reasoned that if I moved my arm around less, my wrist would be stabilized and wouldn’t hurt as much. I was very happy to discover I was right, and could continue to work pain-free.

THX 1138 Policeman

My goal for January is to not drink while at home. So far, I’ve mostly accomplished this. The reasons for trying to achieve this are:

• Weight loss - Alcohol has calories, and I don’t need any extra when I’m not exercising frequently.
• Habit - I’ve grown into the habit of having a glass or two (or three, depending on the day) when I come home from work, and I think it’s good to look at this and try to change it, even if it’s something I get pleasure out of, just for the sake of seeing if I can do it.
• Coping - I think it will be good to remind myself that there are other ways to relax or destress than with alcohol. It also helps me to stay awake when we have people over, which is nice.

I really think that if it wasn’t for the bottle of champagne that Z. opened on the 2nd, I would have made it this far with no slips, but he brought it back from some place in RI, and I wanted to try it. I’m not beating myself up about it, just by way of explanation.

Also, I modified the original goal of “no alcohol in January” to allow myself a glass of something if we’re out at a bar or with friends. I mostly just want to get out of the habit of mindlessly reaching for wine at home out of habit, so I don’t think the modification does much to undermine what I’m trying to achieve, ultimately.

If I remember, I’ll post again at month’s end to report on progress and related weight loss, if any.

This video is disturbingly hilarious.

This post from The Simple Dollar resonated with me:

The pride he takes in his hobby is almost palpable… When I see his excitement and pride in his hobby, I’m almost tempted to participate myself. I can clearly see the joy he gets from hunting and the passion and fun he has with his hobby comes through so strongly that I’m half-tempted to go register for a license and give it a try next year.

Remember that you’re drawn to the feeling of joy you’re picking up on from the other person. But don’t forget to find the thing that actually gives you that feeling, and not just picking up the hobby the other person is doing…