Checkpoint with my to do list 2012. Almost four months have passed since I made it. Let’s go in red. (last update April 20, 2012).

• WORK
• Prolong part-time period in IBM Accomplished. I’ll be part-time until the end of 2012, then I will decide if I want to return the classic full-time employee or ask to mantain this schedule (probably the second since it’s working wonders!)
  
• Increase productivity in IBM I delete this. Not interested in focusing about it, not in this period.
• Move paolods.com to wordpress and bring it to 100 visitors/day Moved. Traffic is very low but I am focusing more on the other site now.
• Create ‘nutrition’.com in sitesell and bring it to 1000 visitors/day Created. Traffic is just starting. Plenty of work to do, but I am having fun and I am very confident about this project.
• Publish 1 video/month on YouTube I don’t feel much like making videos this period. I am thinking about making them more light and like personal video-logs.

• DIET
• Increase consumption of raw food. I just got almost intoxicated by barely cooked beans. I discovered, after I started feeling bad, that uncooked beans may be poisonous. Ok this experiment was a huge idiocy. However, I am succeeding here: eating more raw fruit and vegetables.
• Almost-zero refined carbs Not a big improvement since last year. Occasionally (every 6-7 days) I still can’t resist and eat white crap. I need more discipline from now on.

• SCHEDULED
• Gym 3 times/week After 14 years of regular gym activity, I am starting to think about reducing the intensity. It becomes now a minimum of 2 times/week, because the time gained will be used for the following -new- activity.
• Meditation 1 time/week I am becoming more and more interested about it. Let’s see how it works for me.
• Voice training 3 times/week Going very well.

• TRAVEL
• Travel to center/south America Not yet. Summer? September?
• Travel to Russia Booked. Five days at the end of May in Saint Petersburg!
• See a competition at London’s Olympics I can do it, it’s not gonna be hard.
• See the Sistina Chapel Completed. Wonderful place. It’s amazing how one has such great things few steps away from home and forgets it!
  
• 5 one-day trips Three done: Florence, Montalcino, Monteriggioni. All close to my work place, two others still to come.
  

• PERSONAL
• Find new friends Happy.
• Be more honest Work in progress, I planted good seeds (in my crazy head).
• Give a kiss I only speak in front of my lawyer.
• ***** This is just a stupid thing, I will probably succeed.
• Laugh till tears, many times Not as much as I wanted so far.

• OTHER
• Invest my money Completely failing here. Economy is SO boring, I tend to leave my money unused on the bank account rather than checking conditions, rates, deadlines…I have to find the strength and make a move.
• Backup every pc 3 times A couple of times for each computer already done, this is easy.
  
• Dress better Not paid much attention to this so far.
• Improve Calendario (chaotic txt file I use to track my activities) Tried, maybe it will remain as it is. Will give a second attempt later.
• Go skiing Not done yet.
• Diminish the time on internet Not a sensible improvement.
• Read 15 books Almost 5 books after 4 months. Looking good.
  
• Go to a mask party   Done. Dressed as a viking. I was hot.
  
• Dub/create a movie Later in the year.
• Record a song Later in the year.
• Donate money for promoting culture New one. I will probably donate to Wikipedia or someone who creates value for people (real value).
• Make a lucid dream New one. Another interesting subject I am discovering recently.
  

• ME
• Deal with the 3 boulders Eh. This is superhuman work. Boulder #1 is almost climbed.

My congratulations to the person who thought to recycle the Vuvuzelas from the previous soccer world championships as surprises for the chocolate eggs.

Not only you got rid of those leftovers that people hated already 2 years ago, you realized that you could turn Easter into a day of sound devastation for a lot of families. My nephew loved it. And you are a evil, sir.

In this period I spend several days of the week in Siena for my corporate job. Siena is the italian city known for the Palio, a medieval tournament that takes place in the central piazza of the city, Piazza Del Campo. Beautiful place.

Few evenings ago I was there, alone with my notebook. My zombie-colleagues didn’t want to hang out, so I decided to go after dinner, stay there sit on the ground, and write an article for my website (not this one).

And that’s what I was doing, on a side corner of the piazza. Then a girl got near with a paper in her hand and a smiled. “Sorry if I am bothering you…“.

I felt quite friendly that evening, but with that piece of paper in her hand I automatically thought she wanted a signature or money. I didn’t have time to say anything because she continued “…I know it sounds weird…but would you like to come to theater?”.

I said “Uh?“. And her “…yes, it’s that me and my friends have a spare ticket for the theater and we were not able to resell it, so it is a pity not to use it…“. At first I smiled back and said no but thank you, I have to finish mywork. But she was really nice and kind, so after few more phrases the thing started to sound inviting.

I started to consider accepting it but first I asked (to her and to her friends who were getting closer) “well…aren’t you crazy, right? You are not going to drug me and sell my organs right?“. She laughed and indicated the theater (just attached to the piazza, I didn’t know about its existence). Other friends were coming. The situation sounded weird enough and safe enough to make me accept. And I did.

They were all nurses, therapists, doctors from the city hospital, but all originary from Naples. That city is famous for the warmth of the population. And they were really nice.

So….. I found myself in a theater balcony with a bunch of perfect strangers, watching a piece called Appointment in London. The show was, hmmm original, but I found that situation (mine) quite funny and enjoyed the acting probably even more than what it deserved.

And after the show they also dragged me to a pub for a beer. Chats, a walk, and their  stories. I spent a lovely evening, and I am proud I was brave and crazy enough to say yes. Well done, myself!

PS: but if one day I’ll get found horribly gutted and without heart and lungs, you will know how it went…