Wednesday, January 1, 2014

I Deserve to Have a Great Year

It's January 1st, 2014. I've decided to start this personal journal to document the positive things I do for myself during the coming year. The last couple of years have been pretty rough. I deserve to have a great year. This blog will hopefully serve as a gentle reminder that in order for it to be a great year, it all starts with me and how I treat myself.

New Years Eve party at Locale (Astoria, Queens)


I originally wanted to name this journal "Just Call Me Alex" (taken.) So I then tried "Call Me Alex" (taken), "Just Alex" (taken), "Alex on the Go" (taken), "Alex on the Town" (taken). Somehow, I landed on "Alex Matters" (available), which is actually starting to grow on me. I think I'll keep it.

For starters, I'll make this introductory entry the driving entry for all other entries. I'll start a working list of things I'd like to do for myself to make this a great year. As I fulfill them, I"ll write related journal entries about what I did and how I did it. I'll include whatever media I can grab (photos, video, music, doodles, etc.) Selfies will be a must. After all, I'm Alex and I'm the star of Alex Matters.

This is a working list of ways I will make this year a great year. For some of you worldly, sophisticated folks, my list may seem lame in comparison to the one you'd write. That's OK. I'm kind of an easy-going, simple person. It really doesn't take much to make me happy.


  • Enroll in the online Spanish courses at Instituto Cervantes. Attend their group activities (Spanish wine/tapas tastings, Spanish-language film showings. Meet people to practice with 1x/month.)
    • Took the Placement Exam
    • Enrolled in Spanish Level B2.1 - Unfortunately, the school's online environment was weak so I dropped out. I'm better off taking a live class somewhere... TBD.
    • 03/10/14 - Attended Instituto Cervantes' Flamenco Night
    • 03/17/14 - Attended Instituto Cervantes' Flamenco Night

  • Use the rowing machine at the gym. I just love the meditative, almost prayerful, movement of rowing. And what a perfect full body workout. So doable. (Let's be realistic, 2x/month is doable.)
    • No rowing machine at Bally's. Darn.


  • Revive my yoga practice. I really, really miss the yoga. (Home practice 2-3x/week. I finally have the quiet space!)
    • 03/13/14 - Took my first private Pilates class at Physiologic. Days later I can still feel the effects on my core. I"m interested!
    • 03/20/14 - Pilates #2, Physiologic
    • 04/15/14 - Kickboxing #1, at I Love Kickboxing First time EVER. So hard, especially the warm ups - they KILLED me. At least now I am the proud new owner of my very own boxing gloves. HA!
    • 04/17/14 - Pilates #3, Physiologic
    • 04/24/14 - Yoga #1 - I discovered this lovely studio so close to my job. Yoga People.
    • 04/24/14 - Yoga #2, Yoga People.

  • Attend free/low cost events around the city. They're listed in Time Out New York. It shouldn't be that hard to find a reason to get out of the house cheaply. (1x/month)
    • 01/17/14- Went to see Celebrity Autobiography featuring Ralph Macchio and Tony Danza. Lots of laughs.
    • 03/01/14- Went to see Forever Freestyle featuring Lisa Lisa, TKA, and other 80s dance artist. Danced all night.
    • 03/06/14- Went to see James Franco's Francophrenia featuring (who else?) James Franco. The best part was...um...let me get back to you on that.
    • 04/24/14- My first book club ever. I'll be meeting with a group of awesome women who will read a book related to women's issues about once every six weeks. First read: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.
    • 04/25/14- A friend invited me to a museum treasure hunt at the Met. So much fun! An April Evening in Paris.

  • Get dressed up and take myself out on a dinner date in a nice restaurant outside of the neighborhood. Have a healthy salad with a glass of wine at the bar. Make conversation with others at the bar. Meet some new people. Give some hot, young guy my number. (2x/month)
    • 01/16/14 - District 12 (met former rapper Corey Red, pretty engaging convo, exchanged emails - not sure why exactly.)
    • 02/20/14 - Heights Tavern (interesting convo with a cool guy at the bar.

  • Rent a sexy little Zipcar and go for a drive. No particular destination is required. Just drive and get out of the city smog. (1x/month)
    • 03/08/14- Rented a Zipcar and drove to Nyack, New York Great way to start Spring.
    • 04/19/14- Rented a Zipcar and drove to Harford, Conn for the first time! I took the same old route that Dad took all those years when we visited the fam. I felt so proud of myself. Love driving!

  • Revel in a spa treatment. Facial. Massage. Reflexology. I work hard, so I deserve this. (1x/month)
    • 01/13/14 - Deep Tissue Massage - 60min. Really good!
    • 02/25/14 - Myofascial Massage - 90 minutes. WTF! Unlike any massage I've ever had. Loved it.
    • 03/25/14 - Myofascial Massage - 90 minutes. Another WTF!
    • 04/22/14 - Myofascial Massage - 90 minutes. This one took the cake because it was a few days after my first kickboxing class and I was sore as hell. I felt like I could do ANYTHING after this massage.



    • Pick up my brush and paint. I've had the materials for ages. I took the classes. Make a picture already. (1x/month).

    • Update my devices. I want the latest and greatest of what's out there so I can take better pics and vids.

    • More delicious treats to give myself T.B.D.


    OK. I'M READY TO MAKE THIS A GREAT YEAR. Let's get this ball rolling...
    Musings by at

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