59 days, 59 columns, 159 miles, 23,000 calories, 3 pounds…

It was early January, the first day of the year, when this “blog”—2015:Day-to-Day—started. The quest was and remains to write a post every day for a year. Preferably short and to the point columns, these blathering diatribes shouldn’t require more than a couple of minutes to read and digest, if you have the stomach for such. You should take the time, if for no other reason than to agree or disagree or to take time from the important to travel to the sometimes ridiculous. Surely, you get it. Posted comments are welcomed.

Yesterday was the 59th edition and today is the 60th time words of opinion sometimes backed up with facts, words of opinion against those who don’t use facts for their efforts, words of opinion that seek to give narrow minded readers a wider scope of thought, and words of opinion that take the wider thought of many and try to narrow-cast to make a point. The responses (not published) have been amazing, especially the column about calling your Mother. It has been said that opinions are like … oh well… never mind that old saying.

In addition to daily writing, there were other objectives set forth in early January:

• Walking 30 minutes a day: In January, 34 minutes a day was the average; In February, 39 minutes a day. (Not counted, 530 minutes of walking while playing golf.)
• Losing 12 pounds during the year: lost 3 pounds total in two months due in part to burning nearly 23,000 calories walking about 159 miles.
• 52 rounds of golf in a year: Only played three rounds total in January and February; my handicap went from 5.9 to 6.3 from playing the Wolfpack Tees (6,027 yards, 68.5 rating, 122 slope) instead of the Red Tees (6,502 yards, 70.7 rating, 130 slope). Obviously to get to 52 rounds, the average must be five rounds a month for the remainder of the year.
• No alcohol for a 7-day stretch each month hasn’t happened. There have been 3-day and 4-day periods. However, consumption of wine has been reduced in favor of one beer a day, in the evening at dinner, of course. Soon to come will be a listing of “Beer in our Fridge” to give you an idea of what’s favored here.

One goal, not mentioned yet, has been attained thus far; it has to do with refraining from doing something than with doing something. Make sense? Several other items on my to-do list this year are yet to be attempted. There is, however, the success of publishing a book: 1973-74 Reliving the NC State Wolfpack’s Title Run, about the road to the NCAA title that year. Find more info, a review and where to get it at CaryTown Press.

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Dictionary.com word of the day

emblem (noun) [em-bluh m]: an object or its representation, symbolizing its quality, state, class of persons, etc.; symbol