I usually start off my monthly summaries with an overview of how many challenges I have achieved and have yet to achieve. Today I include them at the end of my post. No, it's not because I'm a maverick, but because I've simply copied and pasted last month's summary and it might confuse you to see the same thing twice.
You might, for instance, think:
"Matt has surely made a mistake. Given that he's now had a week off and was so motivated the month before, SURELY he's completed one more of his challenges by now?"
Well, thanks for your belief in me, but I haven't. So shut up.
(Sorry for telling you to shut up. I blame the fact that my sister is watching Eastenders in the background. Man there are some angry characters in that terrible, terrible programme.)
The reason I haven't written much/anything in the last month is because I've tried to get a grip of reality. Trying to learn Italian in between breathing, and worrying about the hideous time when I'm actually going to have to learn to knit, has taken it out of me a bit. Whilst reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman I came across an interesting sub-chapter on Optimism. He points out that optimists are more likely to persist when they meet challenges but they are also more likely to spend a lot of time and money when the likelihood of achieving is slim. Optimism can be expensive.
Regardless, I'm still plugging away. Like a hero. And soon I'll be completing what I anticipate to be the hardest challenge I've set. Challenge #6. The Three Peaks Challenge!
Mike and I will be setting off to climb Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in Scotland) at about 1pm on the 24th August. Once completed, we'll be driving to Scafell Pike (the highest mountain in England) followed by Snowden (the highest mountain in Wales). And we'll be climbing all three in 24 hours! That's right; 3 mountains, 24 hours, 1 car (driven by Mike's Dad, James), 1 brother (Mike's brother, Matthew, is joining us for Peak 1 and 3 for morale), 1 Music Graduate(Mike), 1 Maths Teacher (Me) and presumably lots of flapjack.
So please pass on this Charity Page: www.everyclick.com/buildnorwich to everyone you know! Not only does this amazing charity, Build, change the lives of adults with learning difficulties, but, selfishly, it's also my best opportunity to reach Challenge #7!
Spread the word! Forget about uploading a picture of a pretty cake or posting an obvious comment about the weather. Think of the lives that you can change if you post this link. Here it is again: www.everyclick.com/buildnorwich. Post it on facebook. Hack in to your friend's facebook page and post it on there*. Tweet it. Email it. Ring the Auntie that you rarely speak to and tell her about it.
And... if you really want to.... if you really, REALLY want to help.... please donate to this amazing cause.
*I accept no responsibility for what happens should you hack into a friends social networking account. If it comes to it, I will simply claim that this blog got hacked into and that this sentence is simply an elaborate double bluff.
My challenges
1. Write a book.
2. Run a 10km race.
3. Do at least 20 hours of some volunteering/charity work.
4. Record an album.
5. Learn a language.
6. The Three Peaks Challenge.
7. Raise at least £1,000 for charity.
8. Knit a jumper.
9. Go to, on average, one museum a month.
10. Read 10 books in a month.
11. Introduce tea/coffee to my life and regularly eat at least 3 fruits.
12. Clear out my garage.
And my progress...
1. Incomplete
2. Completed
3. Completed
4. Incomplete
5. Incomplete
6. Incomplete
7. Incomplete
8. Incomplete
9. Incomplete
10.Completed
11.Incomplete
12.Incomplete
As I said, a simple copy and paste job.
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