I decided April 1st is the unofficial start of prepping for Chapter 56.

“Chapter 56” being my 56th year. For the past eight years I’ve made a list of things to accomplish that matches my age. So this year I need 56 things. Some are goals, some are resolutions, and some are just things I want to try because apparently this is how I trick myself into starting New Year’s resolutions again.

Chapter 55 was… not exactly successful. I mean, I survived the year. Go me!

Honestly, I’m probably just going to recycle last year’s list and slap a new header on it. That feels slightly defeatist and possibly like cheating. On the other hand, the odds of accomplishing last year’s entire list in the next two months are, let’s say, overly optimistic.

Maybe the point isn’t finishing the list anyway. Maybe the point is just being willing to start again.

The good news is I’ve changed up some medications recently, and I actually have more energy. I can focus on a task for a few hours before my brain squirrels off.

I’m not saying I’ve become a morning person. That’s just crazy talk.

But with a Coca-Cola and some moisturizer, I can pass for a reasonably alert and semi-functional human.