Clint's Blog: January 2018

Our happy little family over Christmas, 2017!

...And 2017 was the most insane year of my 36 years no question... I'm not saying that is a bad thing, but it is not in any way whatsoever. With a new addition to our family, this year has been challenging at times, but epic the whole way. Besides Ava, this year was pretty quiet in comparison to others. No trips, no moves, no major changes... and that is a-okay with me. ;)

So, on to the 2017's resolutions' results:

Gotta be there for my little girl, through thick and thin... Luckily, the thin is few and far between.

Be a Good Father!: The jury will be out out on this one for quite some time, but I like to think this was a success for the first six months of Ava's life. I have learned A LOT already, with a lot more learning coming. Sure, I've made a few mistakes, but my baby seems happy, and per the doctor, is healthy, so a win so far.

Volunteer: Meh. I did get to volunteer with the North Denver Cares Food Bank and for Junior Achievement via work, which was great, but there wasn't much other volunteering happening. As usual, I did raise money for St. Baldrick's and Movember (and actually met my fundraising goals for both), but I really could do more...

Improve Professionally: Not so much... Partially due to circumstances, but no real changes or improvements over the year...

Lauren and Zach are just a few of the guests on the Clint Podcast in 2017!

Learn at least two new skills/things and/or start a new hobby: Yeah, kinda. I did start podcasting (check out the Clint Podcast here), and I did ramp up my Funko collection (more on that later), but other than that, not much changed.. Only brewed one beer, a caramel cream ale I call "Ava Ale" in honor of my little girl, and stopped #ClintFlicks right after Ava was born, so a little slack off in this resolution.

Get Healthier: Pre June: Success! But June and beyond, no longer the case... Once Ava was due, I stopped working out due to lack of time and energy with lack of sleep and changes in routine. I can always eat better, but I think I need to improve my activity first.

Alright, so there's a summary of 2017... Time to look forward to 2018:

Ava and I will have a lot of learning to do in 2018... and we'll have fun doing it!

Be a Good Father: This will always be my top priority and resolution going forward. Ava is just so sweet and special, how could this not be #1? There's going to be a lot from seven months to 18 months, and I have to do my best! Luckily, Carolyn is a HUGE help and cannot be denied how well she does with Ava and with balancing all aspects of her life. This will be a challenge, but one I welcome with a smile. Teething, walking, talking, and everything that should happen in the next year! It's going to be sweet...

By the way, this also includes Bozley, who had a great year of health and happiness... and we are all excited to see him and Ava become best friends as more solids come into the picture...

Improve my health: Now, I need to start running more regularly again, no question. I also need to start working out more. I HATE the gym come the beginning of the new year, so I usually try to avoid it or go off hours some. I really want to to do some at home. I have a bike trainer I need to set up, some yoga I can do, and weights I can use. These might better options until Ava is sleeping through the night (I like the gym, just hard to get there at night when I only get a few hours with Ava). Besides being active, I would really like to improve my cholesterol as it could/should be lower. I'm thinking I might need to cut some dairy out of my diet... that will be even harder than being active... and, as always, being in Colorado, I need to drink more water.

Volunteer (and donate): Another resolution that will always be around. I would love to double my volunteering this year (so at least four times), and I would love to do it for organization(s) I know my friends are already involved. So, if you are doing the good deed and donating your time, and would like more help, you know where to find me. Along with that, I will continue my donating to friends and local causes as well as continue my fundraising for the Movemeber Foundation during the month before December and for St. Baldricks in March (though I will not be cutting my hair this year, rather, I will be raising money for my friend Jessica who's doing her second St. Baldricks). I would also like to raise some money for pets/animals in July, if anyone has any suggestions on organizations and/or campaigns...

I did a LOT of collecting in 2017... and loved it! But gotta slow down now that Ava's in the picture... it's a good thing.

Reduce on the collecting: So in 2017, I really got involved with collecting, more so than any other year (you can see my full Funko collection here). I got involved with multiple facebook groups and really followed the trend closely. I found some great deals and, admittedly, I probably overpaid for a few things. Now that I feel my collection is caught up some, I've decided I need to slow down. That's gonna be tough because I am a sucker for the hype. And I'm not going to stop; I'm still going to collect the sets I already started, and if I happen to find a good deal or a rare pop for retail, I'm not going to be closed to that, but really, I need to slow it down. After all, I have a little girl to pay for now (and yes, she has her own collection as well).

By the way, if you ever want to get me anything, here's my wish list...

Improve Professionally: Can you believe I have been "a part" of Staples for over 12 years (the quotes are because three of those years were at Corporate Express before the merger)? I know, I can't either. The bad news is I have been in the same role for seven of those years (my responsibilities have changed and been expanded numerous times since). I would love a promotion of some sort, but part of the issue is my office is more of a satellite office and I think there's some residual from the merger limiting my potential. That doesn't mean I'm not going to keep trying, but I'm not going to limit myself at the same time. We'll see what happens as my current role is not something I am complaining about, but I feel I could do more.

Continue (and Grow) "Clint Co.": No, this isn't some corporation I started (though maybe I should for the tax benefits), but rather the umbrella term I use for my social activities. The Clint Podcast, Clint Streaming, and the possibility revitalized #ClintFlicks are part of "Clint Co." I want to continue doing these and even do more if/wehn possible. If you are interested in participating in any of the "Clint Co." programs, well, that would be awesome (just let me know)!

Of course, there are going to be a few other things, like reading more, updating the house, actually going to bed and not falling asleep on the couch, wearing new clothes I buy (vs. leaving in the closet), and being more interactive with others on social media, but these will this year's resolution.

Regardless of the above, I hope you all have a great 2018, and hope to see and/or talk to you soon!

Word Homies!