More on the Rocket Resolution

So a few days ago I teased with announcing my grand new year's Rocket Resolution of doing 100 pushups per day for 2009. Brief update: I've "successfully" done 400 pushups (total) in the first 4 days of the year. So long as you're quantifying "success" in terms of pain.

The real purpose of this post is to give the back story for the inspiration for this resolution. So subject to future factual correction, here goes: We have a friend whose father is a Marine veteran (ooh-rah). Several years after passing his 50th birthday, he (the father, or "Rocket") decided that he would do 100 pushups a day, and he kept very meticulous records of his progress. After getting into his program, he added rules for special days: extra pushups for anniversaries, birthdays of family members, etc. In about 1997, he realized that if he upped his total to 400 per day, he could hit 1,000,000--that's one million pushups--by the turn of the millennium. So he did.

In any event, by the end of 2007, Rocket had pumped out over 1.7 million pushups. (Just ask and he'll give you the exact total!) Somehow, I've known Rocket for over 4 years and I just heard about his pushups last month. So I decided that I'd emulate Rocket in 2009 with 100 pushups a day. I have no intention of making this list, I do want to see if I can do it. My own personal quest, as it were. And I've roped Kyle in to keep me accountable. I'll do my best to update my daily, monthly and yearly progress in the box over on the right. And as I said a few days ago, your positive reinforcement is appreciated!

Annus Mirabilis and the Rocket Resolution

Happy New Year to everyone! It is my wish that your 2009 is--like our 2008 was--an Annus Mirabilis.

Our "extraordinary year" in 2008 began with Kohler's disease which cut short Jack's first basketball season; continued in Bear Lodge and the kids' first skiing experience in Angel Fire; made a stop in pre-Ike Galveston over spring break; finished a great school year including a graduation from kindergarten; included the trip to Asheville, the updates from which were the genesis of this blog; moved into another school year and our first (of many!) seasons following four different soccer teams; and many other adventures, great and small, along the way.

We have an ordinary life--albeit fun, crazy, exciting and wonderful--which is filled with people, events, traditions, and beliefs that make it extraordinary. Thank you to each and every one of you who contribute to and are a special part of the Huttons' life! And thank you for our Annus Mirabilis!

Oh yeah, one more thing: the Rocket Resolution. To make a long story short (I'll flesh it out later), a resolution I'm making this year is to do 100 pushups every day in 2009. So I would appreciate any and all positive reinforcement to make sure I meet my goal of 36,500 pushups this year! Happy New Year!