Action Plan

The Action Plan

1: Name three things about yourself you would like to improve:

1: I would like to get a bit thinner, fitter and into better shape. I know getting chubbier is a natural part of growing older (and being married to an outstanding pasta cook) but I look back wistfully at pictures taken five or six years ago and think: 'wouldn't it be nice to look more like that again?'

2: I'd like to improve my confidence. Although I'm an outwardly charming and charismatic person, that all seems a bit of a 'front' compared to how I feel inside. I'm very self concious and self-aware. It would be nice to adopt a more American attitude of self-confidence and being laid back.

3: I'd also like to improve my focus and ambition - to get my head down and finish what I start, so I can achieve things that I'm really proud of. I think the difference between successful people and aspirational people is simply application. Successful people have the motivation to get up off their arse and 'do' things. In America, I've noticed, 'doing' things gets your places. Sitting around and dreaming doesn't.

2: Name something you would like to achieve:

a) Within 1 year:

I'd like to actually properly get into writing. Writing articles, reviews - things that get published and read. In order to achieve this I need to break into several tight little circles, like the local Home News Tribune paper or something like that. So a realistic ambition that might be achieved by some self promotion!

b) Within 5 years:

I would like to finish, edit and send off a novel or book to a publisher and get the thumbs up. Although the publishing industry is more cutthroat than ever, I still believe deep down that I've got what it takes to write a book and get it published.

c) Within 10 years:

I'd like to start my own business - doing something creative, so I can work my own hours (albiet lots of them) be creative and, most importantly, be in charge of my own destiny. I'm not even sure what this business would be - I've got some interesting 'crafty' ideas. But nobody ever got rich 'working for the man' and the opportunities in America are more promising than anywhere else in the world.

3: Name something you would like to help achieve for somebody else:

I think the answer to this question means achieving things for my wife, Tina. Even though I'd had two long term girlfriends, I'd never really had a proper 'relationship' until Tina and I moved in together - nearly a year after actually getting wed. Going out with somebody is very different to actually living with somebody day in and day out! I've certainly grown up and evolved being married to Tina. I've matured emotionally and changed in a lot of positive ways - although I'm sure I still have a way to go!

In many ways, I think we have a great marriage - much better than many other married people our age. We both have the advantage of genuinely liking and caring for each other and being best friends, not 'just' husband and wife. But what I want to achieve 'for her' is to give her all the things she needs out of our partnership, like stability and security.

4: Name one place you haven’t been, but you’d like to go:

Las Vegas! Former playground of Frank Sinatra, the Rat Pack, mobsters, stars and more. I'd love to see the place for real.

Or else, just the West Coast - California and it's beaches and roads, the 'cowboy country' in Arizona. I'd love to see the mountains and forests of Colorado - it looks beautiful.

5: Name one person you haven’t met, but would like to:

This is easy! My friend Sarah. Back when I was at university, I got chatting to her randomly in an Internet chatroom. Now, almost twelve years later, we still email each other every single week. Thanks to blogs and things, we now both know what each other look like - but we've still never actually met face to face!

6: Name three material things you would like:

a)... A 'Tiffany.' As in, a great big ridiculous sports car suitable for Adventure Eddy. Although I have my heart set on something specific - a 'Knight Rider' style Pontiac Firebird with a 5.0 V8 and a manual gearbox - I'd settle for anything sporty that I can jump in and out of and slide over the bonnet. Basically, a car that could realistically drive from Paris to Nice in six and a half hours. Sure, I'll never, ever need to do that (although Adventure Eddy did) but it's nice to know you could if you wanted to!

b)... An American house - something specific, though. I'd like a traditional American wooden house (what do they call them? Colonial?) in a North Eastern state not too far from New York city. I'm thinking a yard, a shed, some trees (beautiful golden leaves in autumn and lovely white blossom in spring) and enough space to have a couple of animals - maybe even a horse. Not an impossible dream by any means (especially not in nearby Pennsylvania) but currently an ambitious one.

c)... Some animals. Ever since Ava got run over, I've noticed a definite lack of furry companionship in our lives. I'd love to have another Bengal cat - they're so beautiful and smart. I'd also love to have a silver dapple dachshund - a miniature about the same size (and brain power) as Piglet.

Well, that's what I've put down as my list of ambitions. Watch this space to see how I do with them! It's quite a funny feeling to see my thoughts put down on paper. Will I keep coming back to this post and fiddling with it as I think further about what I want to achieve?

I've sent this 'Action Plan' out to some of my blogging chums. If you're interested in the ambitions of other people, follow these links to see their own answers:

The awesome Shannon has filled in the Action Plan! Go and read her answers at her awesome blog, over here: Shannon's Official Home.

The hilarious Andrew Long has filled in his action plan too! Go and check out his responses at shutyoursprechhole.com