Mission: New Joshua

There comes a time once in a while that an evaluation is needed in everyone’s life.

I’m at that time right now.

And that evaluation has lead me to Mission: New Joshua.

It’s not a perfect plan, nothing ever is.  But I feel really good about it.  And the things I’ve done so far have confirmed that feeling.

Mission: New Joshua is built around finding myself again.  It’s re-introducing things back into my life that always helped to make me happy in the past and giving focus to the positive and enjoyable things that have been in my life recently.  The end goal is to wake up every morning happy with what I have, with what my day will include and to know that no matter what happens I have the ability to turn any day into a good day.

A week ago a friend replaced my old broken TV with an extra that they had.  And while that may seem insignificant to some, it’s huge to me.  As a sports junkie who pays for the Super Sports Pack on my cable year round having a working television right now is big.  Very big.  It means that I can relax and watch hockey during the week.  It means that Saturdays and Sundays can be filled with CFL, NCAA and NFL football.  And it means that I get to find my centre and my happy place watching sports.

The new (to me) TV also means that I can pencil in Glee and cartoons and the morning news back into my schedule.  Those things keep me on track.  They make me happy.  They are on my list.

It’s also cooking for myself while I’m watching the television.  This doesn’t mean that I won’t enjoy the occasional sub or pizza.  But it does mean that the oven and stove will be fired up more often than not.  I’ve already started in the last week and while it means more money on the grocery bill, it will save money in the long run and it’s a big step.  I love cooking.  I’m pretty good at it.  It’s very much part of Mission: New Joshua.

Side note:  Dinner is in the oven right now while the Cowboys @ Vikings game is on the TV.

There will also be baking.  In fact, last week I whipped up a batch of brownies and Sunday I made chocolate chip cookies for the first time in a long time.  I regret not baking over the last few years.  For one, it makes me happy.  But it’s also a nice gesture that some people very much deserved but didn’t get.  I’m sorry.

Side note: The brownies were pretty good.  But the cookies are effing delicious.

Reading and writing are also part of the plan.  I’ve picked up a recommendation for a cool coffee spot called Tequilla Bookworm from the awesome @JennOuellette on Twitter and intend to check it out with both a notebook at some Harry Potter (which I’m rereading).

There will also be more reading and writing at home, which is big because there hasn’t been much since May/ June.

My apartment being cleaner and more organized is another piece of the mission.  I don’t want to kid myself or anyone else by setting the expectations very high, but anything is better than what it has been like around here.  Trust me.  It might even turn into a tiny place worthy of company.

In the end, Mission: New Joshua involves a lot of bringing pieces of an old Joshua back.  I miss him.  He was a pretty cool guy, fun to be around, relaxed, interesting, centred.  Hopefully New Joshua can be like him, only better.

That’s my mission, should I choose to accept it.  And you know what, I think I will.

Stay tuned for progress reports and hopefully 1 big success story.

Author profile

Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.