As promised a few months ago, here’s a few stills from the marketing project. Due to lighting issues and other considerations, neither of these will appear in the finished product; however, the final work may contain some material in a similar vein.

Been awhile since revisiting the 2008 writing resolutions, so it seemed a good time to review my actions versus my intentions.

My goals for 2008:

Intention: Write 14 hours a week.

In practice, worked out to about half of the plan, on average. Some weeks went very well, others quite badly. While there were a number of non-recurring external factors, such as the divorce, a regime shift at work, and dating ( lots of dating! ), my failure to reach this goal rests entirely with me.

Intention: Complete the first draft of The Confession by July 1, 2008.

Still in progress. Long way to go. I’d like to have it by the holidays 2008. Not sure, yet.

Intention: Finish the screenplay started last summer by September 1, 2008.

Unfortunately, still in the same place.

Intention: Resume whole scale querying for The Last Track.

So done. Contacted a substantial number of high quality agents about this project. One final blast within the next two weeks.

Intention: Follow the Abs Diet for 6 weeks–the initial length of the program. If the results are good, continue.

After many months, began losing a bit too much weight, so I changed up the regimen, adding more calories. Still searching for the most sustainable eating plan. On the plus side, my weight remains stable and well south of the danger zone where joints complain.

Intention: Review my progress with these above goals every eight weeks.

Checked in thee times so far. Let’s call that one a push.

Since this is the third go-round of drafting writing resolutions, one trend that clearly needs addressing is a tendency towards drafting a large number of goals, that often proves to be too many. Whether or not anyone could reach those goals, or if they were realistic, hardly matters. What I actually get done matters; that’s what carries me closer to where I want to be.

Every year, I complete one-half of the resolutions, flub one entirely, and have mixed results with all the rest. While the intentions are deliberately synergistic in construction–working towards one goal often involves some investment into another–it’s time to move to an even shorter list.

Therefore in 2009, there will be two–three at maximum–resolutions. With that kind of mix, odds might prove better for getting what I want.

A few statistics about samhilliard.com

Years of operation: 5

Posts: With this one, 957 though a few more entries remain in draft status, some approaching nearly three years.

Comments: 8240. Due to comment moderation, diligence and filtering scripts, less than one percent of these are spam

Lessons learned: Countless.

Contacts created and/or maintained: Less than indeterminate. A goodly amount, let’s say.

Friends made because of the site: At least three.

Girls who became more interested in me because of the site: More than expected, let’s say.

On other fronts, the marketing stuff is falling into place. While I never expected the project to take this long, given my experience lands in other areas and there’s a large group of people involved, I’m learning to deal with delays. Next time the estimate will be more realistic.

At least one part of it is very close, so I can feel good about that. I might be able to post a peek of the graphic that as well a still from the . . . other piece.

“But for those of us who lived and died in them furious days, it was like everything we knew, was mildly swept away. And no matter what they did to build this city up again, for the rest of time, would be like no one ever knew we were here .”   – Amsterdam Vallon, Gangs of New York

Like a lot of people, I have a strong affection for Martin Scorcese’s work. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed and Gangs of New York are some of the greatest films in cinematic history. So I was curious to read about Scorcese’s battles with anxiety, addiction, and a utter lack of confidence with women. Funny to think how a person can look so practiced on the outside, yet contain such a fiery a maelstrom beneath the surface.

A good article on the master.