Oh, the imagery...

While surfing last night, I ran across the following, at The Screed:

I don’t want to be a bloodthirsty fiend squatting on a heap of skulls, waving a lasso made of my enemies’ entrails over my head, whooping like Conan on Spring Break in Lemuria.

I wish I could write like that.

Cheers...

LOCA...

Back in my career as an engineer, when I had occasion to do some nuclear work, I became well acquainted with the so-called Loss Of Coolant Accident, or LOCA, which involves (as the name implies) an extreme failure of a reactor cooling system. It is considered, in some circles, to be the Mother of All Nuclear Accidents.

All of this has very little to do, of course, with the fact that my problem with the Nissan has to do with loss of coolant and not with any thermostatic valve (you can't divert flow if nothing's flowing). Nonetheless, I can't keep that two-syllable acronym - LO-CA - out of my mind as I try to track down the source of the leak.

Right now, I'm waiting for the level to drop down sufficiently (I'd filled the radiator this morning, before rushing to the store) in order to add some stuff I bought at Wal-Mart yesterday that's supposed to seal small cooling system leaks.

In the meantime, a number of issues have raised their small, triangularly shaped heads all about me and the hissing sounds coming from behind their bared fangs threaten to drown out my tinnitus.

Time to break out the E-tool.

Cheers...

It's recap time...

Last January 1, I set down a list of affirmations as to what kind of person I envisioned myself as being this past year. It's time to look back and see how I did.

A few words, though, in preface.

In all honesty, if I looked at the list a half dozen times during the year (with the exception of the day I posted it), I may be exaggerating. Of the things I did with the list in mind, the impetus for doing them must've either been pretty urgent, or so important that it was hard not to pay attention. If there's one thing that must improve this coming year, it's being a lot more selective about how I spend my time, and that means making selections on the basis of what's important to me (i.e., the things I've affirmed).

Without getting all sorts of judgmental, here's how I would score myself, using a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) as a form of shorthand:

• I provide unlimited love and moral support to my children and grandchildren.
  Four. Only that nagging voice that says "You could have done more" prevents me from posting a five.


• I demonstrate financial acumen by setting up a trust fund for my grandchild.
  Three. The good news: I undertook efforts to set up such a fund, but was dissuaded by a financial advisor. The bad news: I never followed up on any alternatives.


• I provide guidance to my children when it is asked for, or when such guidance is sorely needed.
  Four. See the comment to the first item.


• I spend time with my wife, including intimate time, time spent talking, and time spent doing nothing at all... just being together.
  Three. I didn't do too poorly, but I could have done much better.


• I spend time doing non-work, non-maintenance things with my children and spouse.
  Two. Or maybe a neutral three, I don't know. It's just that I feel there wasn't much non-work, non-maintenance time, which may just be a cop-out.


• I write at least once per month to my parents, and draw my mother out on our family history.
  Zero (I changed the rules, okay?). I didn't do this at all, and recently, what little interaction there is by phone has been uncomfortable.


• I respect my family's roots by documenting them.
  Zero. Not done at all.


• I visit my parents, when this is feasible.
  Zero. It was not feasible.


• I visit my friends on a regular basis.
  Two. Regular? Nope. I can probably count the number of visits on the fingers of both hands.


• I take an interest in the lives of my neighbors and acquaintances.
  Two. And that's if you count the store's clientele among my neighbors and acquaintances. I certainly haven't taken the initiative in this area.


• I remember birthdays and anniversaries of my family, friends, and associates.
  Three. Birthdays, yes. Anniversaries, no. (Almost missed my own this year.)


• I exercise regularly; at least twice a week for an hour, and at least 30 minutes on other days, engaging in movement and stretching.
  Two. Maybe even a one. Despite the importance of this item, I find myself engaging in sitzfleisch to address day-to-day issues.


• I refrain from eating within 3 hours of retiring and refrain from eating junk food.
  Four. Or maybe a three, but to be honest, I have no way of telling. I think I eat less, and not within 3 hours of bed, but lately... I'm not so sure.


• I consume a healthy diet.
  Three. I can do better.


• I file all business-related paperwork by established deadlines.
  Four. I think I'm getting with the program, here. Next year'll be better.


• I am aware of my financial position: of my net worth, of my debt, and other important data.
  Four. I actually nailed this one several months ago, but not since, and as such data changes, a five eludes me.


• I act in a manner that is consistent with reducing my debt.
  Four. As of today, Galina and I have reduced our credit card debt by about 30%, though the trick is to stay paid off through the post-payoff period, when events appear to conspire to force you to go and borrow back some of that money.


• I improve my mind by reading one serious book every two months.
  Two, or maybe even a one. I can't recall the titles of any "serious" reading off the top of my head, and certainly not at a clip of two tomes per month.


• I am a competent administrator who plans and meets deadlines.
  One. Nix on the planning. Any deadlines I met were based on luck and fast work.


• I am an efficient planner who improves work flows.
  One. How'd that sneak in there?


• I am an innovative entrepreneur who finds ways of improving customer satisfaction.
  Two. I don't feel I've accomplished much in this area.


• I find ways to maximize my income without overwork.
  One. Too busy working.


• I keep meticulous financial records on an ongoing basis.
  Two. Better than before, but way short of where I should be. It's still the "shoebox" method (or feels that way, despite having started to use QuickBooks) and I am getting sick and truly tired of that seemingly bottomless box.


• I maintain a positive attitude with regard to life and the resolution of problems.
  Three. There have been some lapses over the course of the year.


• I avoid petty vexations and useless political discussions.
  Four. I'm getting better at this, or am developing a marvelous imagination.I am aware of how tax laws affect my life.
  Three. There is a perceptible improvement, but still room to grow.


• I constantly improve my knowledge of accounting practices.
  Three. See the previous item.
  
• I constantly improve my knowledge of Spanish.
  Two. Some improvement, but nothing systematic, nor any practice.


• I constantly improve my written Russian, to the point where I shall write one substantial journal entry per week in Russian.
  One, for the journal entry part. Two, for the improvement. Most days, there just does not seem to be enough time.


• I continuously simplify my possessions by organizing them and/or discarding them to reduce the clutter in my life.
  Three. Despite an enormous quantity of discarded stuff, there's still a mountain left.


• I am a competent, professional linguist who enjoys peer recognition.
  Five. And I hope I'm not dreaming.


• I record my life and thinking in a journal.
  Five. I think I've missed only a handful of days this year.


• I am a fiction writer.

Zero. No fiction written, unless you count some translated verse.

There you go. Keep in mind I have a tendency to be a hard marker, especially on myself. In any event, the task remains to sharpen the list (and my pencil), and make sure that 2003 is better than 2002 (which, all my jawing aside, wasn't too bad).

Cheers...