2026 New Year'sResolutions

I’ve never really done a great job of tracking my New Year’s resolutions. Like most people, I make them then slowly give them up after a few weeks. This year I really want to make a change in the way I approach them. So, why not write a blog post about them in order to hold myself accountable? If I make it public, maybe it’ll provide the extra oomph that I need to stick with them.

My Resolutions

I’m going to be a little ambitious and try to accomplish multiple resolutions this year. I’m honestly not happy with a lot of the things in my life and feel a deep need to make real changes. I’m approaching 50 and want to make sure that the last several decades of my life are meaningful and fulfilling. I think I have at least 20 more years left in the tank and want to make the most of it.

Get Down to 220 lbs

I currently weight 283.5 lbs, the heaviest that I’ve ever been in my life. A few years ago I was able to get down to 220 through diet and exercise. Due to a thyroid condition, I can’t use all those amazing weight loss drugs that are all the rage now, so I have to do this the old-fashioned way. My plan is to hit the gym six days a week in the mornings before work, then ruck at least two miles per day. I’m also going to get back into calorie counting as that was a super important part of my previous success. If I can average losing 5 lbs per month, I should be able to reach my goal by the end of the year.

Read a Poem Every Day

In junior high and high school I would write poetry at least once a week and enjoyed reading other poets. I feel like that was a meaningful part of my life and was both intellectually and emotionally fulfilling. I have a ton of poetry books in my library so I plan to pick a random one each day to read and reflect on it. I’ll also try to periodically write my down those reflections and post here occasionally if one really impacts me.

Reach 1k in Total Sales for ATX Spices

My side hustle, ATX Spices, has been doing well without a lot of effort, but I know that I can definitely push it further if I start hitting the local craft fairs and farmers markets more consistently. Everyone that buys from me loves the BBQ dry rubs and I have ideas to add two additional spice blends to the product line. I also want to get better at marketing and see if I can’t get into some of the local shops in the Austin area.

Launch My Own Tech Conference

As an organizer for DevOpsDays Austin and KCD Texas, I have over a decade of experience in organizing conferences. I’ve done pretty much every job there is and know how to manage the different functional areas. I think that what’s missing is a conference that’s focused on AI and how poeple are actually using it. To that end, I’d like to launch the conference by March with a projected conference in September or October.