Earlier this year, I published my list of Resolutions for 2024. More of a list of lifestyle ‘upgrades’, they are all things/goals/aspirations that I’d like to set as goals for getting more out of my livelihood. Given that I shared it with all of you, I thought I’d give a quarterly update (a month late, but whatever). Here’s where I am:
Up my dress code by one level in all situations. Post-covid athleisure is coming to a close in the natural menswear cycle. I’m excited to be ahead of the curve.
So far so good. My dry cleaning bill is a little higher, but that’s part of the deal. Lots of sport coats, good shoes, button ups, etc. You’ve seen some the #ootd posts on Instagram to prove my point. Happy with where this one is – going to continue to press.
More camera/glass use (vs iPhone). I have such wonderful camera equipment and glass, I need to get back into using them. Yes, the iPhone is amazing and convenient, but I do enjoy the process of camera photography. I went ahead and bought a waterproof pouch for my fly fishing bag to hold my X100T, and moved the rest of my equipment front and center.
So so. I’ve been bringing my camera with me a lot more (fishing, etc.) and have gotten some good use out of it. I’m behind on this one. Writing this is a good reminder to use more glass.
Raise my daily calorie burn by 50-100%. I’m getting old. Daily exercise, calisthenics, and stretching need to be an area of focus.
On track. I’ve been doing 3-4 cardio work outs a week, plus weight training (dumbbell circuits), LOTS of stretching, and I just downloaded BetterMe. I can see a big difference – especially in my core strength. I’m hitting the golf ball farther, not getting as tired after playing with the boys, etc. Also adding a lot of activity stuff with the boys: pickleball, baseball, golf, etc. It’s been a lot of fun, and I’m seeing results.
Maintain a 32” waist. This is more about an intentional diet: cutting out the sh!t and focusing on consuming the good stuff.
Good, not great. I have maintained, but I don’t feel as healthy. Mrs. RCS and I just had a conversation about focusing on our diet starting next week. Lots more greens and clean proteins, and less sugar and sh!t. Looking to make major strides here this Spring.
Buy an adult Tuxedo (and all the fixin’s). It’s time. I have a great tux from the early Ludlow line from J. Crew, but it’s time to up the game. I’ve already talked to my buddies at Miller Brothers, and we are cooking something up…
I haven’t done the full tux yet, but it’s on the docket with my friends at Miller Brothers. I did, however, get a STEAL of a deal on a brand new velvet burgundy dinner jacket by Canali. More on that later…
Read an entertaining book a month. Reduce scrolling…especially right before bed. I’m starting with ‘Fare The Well‘, and have ‘Mile Marker Zero‘ on deck.
Zero progress here. I read about half of ‘Fare The Well’ and haven’t picked it up since. I’m worried about this one.
Be more intentional about managing a daily routine – including scheduling (work focus, breathing, daily devotion, exercise, etc.). I have become very reactive in my daily routine. I always have a million things going on, and my to-do list is relentless. I intend to develop and implement methods to take back control of my day. Be intentional. Organize my time and focus. Prioritize.
I’m still tinkering with this one, but it’s something I think about daily. So far so good, but it’s not where I want it to be. I’d love to incorporate AI somehow…if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I’m all ears.
Take my boys on their first overnight camping trip. I am more excited than they are. It’s time for fishing, hiking, throwing rocks, learning about nature and creation, building fires, ghost stories… Yep.
We’re getting going on this one! We’re going to do a float trip for smallmouth bass with my friends at Headwaters this Summer, and we’ll go camping at Blalock at some point (once or twice). We’re also doing a clubhouse in the back yard near the Sea Island Forge, which the boys can use, and we can potentially use as a campout spot. Good planning, looking forward to the progress.
Avoid all mass media. At this point, I don’t know how anyone can argue that any form of mass media adds any value whatsoever. It’s worthless. Cut.
I’m a pro at this. The only news I voluntarily read is the WSJ.
More phone calls vs. Texts. Feelings and inferences can’t be replaced by text messages and emojis. I seriously value the art of conversation.
I think I’ve done well here. I make it a point to speak on the phone with a couple buddies a week, and it’s been great! The connections have been very fulfilling, and deepened my friendships with guys who I’m already close with. The plan is to keep the upward trajectory here.
Get to a single-digit handicap. I’m not too far off, but the story here is that my course has been closed for the last year for renovations. I miss it and want to ensure that I’m focusing on playing AND practicing when we open back up in March.
Too early to tell, but due to my working out and enhanced flexibility, I am hitting the ball farther and more straight. Got a lot of golf on the calendar, so I’ll have a better idea after Q2.
HEAVY purge of my mountain of hunting/fishing gear. Get to fewer, high-quality pieces that are made for heavy use (vs. lots of cheap filler). My first quail hunt was eight years ago last week, and since then I have accumulated a TON of hunting and fishing gear. Time to reduce and refine.
In progress. Be on the lookout for an RCS Flea coming soon…
EXTRA CREDIT: I got a full physical to include baseline bloodwork. I hadn’t been to the doctor since mom brought me in the station wagon, so it was a LONG time due. This will be annual going forward. GREAT news is that all the bloodwork came back clean…my blood pressure was a little elevated, and my cholesterol was a little up, both of which can be squarely blamed on the fact that I have two kids under six.
OVERALL: Satisfactory rating. Making good progress on the aggregate, but there are areas that need more focus (reading, organization, purging). I am really happy with the fitness and diet results. I feel a lot better, but still feel like I have a ways to go. More to come.
Feedback welcome.
Getting old sucks! When I turned 35, my metabolism hit a wall, but I waited until 39 to really start making changes after a less than stellar annual physical (btw, if you’re over 35 please get a physical every year!). Cutting out drinking almost entirely, eating more meals at home, and walking 3 miles per day helped me lose a few pounds and lower my BP. Now I ruck (throw 35lbs in a backpack) 3 miles, 6 days a week and that has been great for cardio and to shed a few pounds without walking into a gym.
There’s tremendous scientific correlation between waist size and heart health, so good for you for keeping a 32″ waist! Risk for adverse cardiovascular events increases the closer your waist size gets to size 36, and increases exponentially once you start shopping for pants >36.
Good for you! I upped my wardrobe a notch when coming into the office and found that I feel better when I do it at home as well. Since I’m a little older than you, I went a little more drastic with scroll time. I put the phone away at 5 PM EST. All the way. If it rings, I’ll pick it up but I’m not looking at it. LOTS more guitar and music. Need to start working on my golf game though. I intend to play a ton more this year than in the past. Overall, feeling good though.
I’m with you on the reading: I struggle getting into a daily routine with it, but always feel better when I do. I’ve focused more on fiction recently, and that seems to help. Here are a few that I’ve enjoyed recently:
The Son and American Rust – both by Philipp Meyer
The Orphan Master’s Son – Adam Johnson
Anything by Cormac McCarthy
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel
Second Cormac McCarthy. His novel The Road is such a beautiful love story between a father and his son. It especially hits different now that I have sons of my own. Also recommend A Long Strange Trip by Dennis McNally. Very entertaining for Deadheads with great insights into each album. I’m a voracious reader usually but I’ve been incorporating audiobooks into my daily commute as well.
Curious how you like Betterme app? Worth the spend? Happy with the workouts and results?
God, wife, kids, health, work, fun in that order is the optimum plan for a healthy man’s life. Kuddos to RCS for the attire goal. Readers would expect no less. Personal appearance and behavior are also key to being a man.
Great read. Feel like I read a whole self help book in about 10 minutes. All quality stuff for us men out here to work on. Thanks for sharing.