One year ago, I rebooted my life. Has it worked?

Photo Credit Tony Case on Flickr
Sometimes, I feel like I don't look terrible in a photo.
Sometimes, I feel like I don’t look terrible in a photo.

Just about one year ago, I took an honest look at myself and I didn’t like what I saw. I needed to reset a lot of habits, make some significant changes to the way I approached just about everything in my life, and keep working at it, even when it was hard.

I can’t even believe that it’s already been a year, and that it’s only been a year, because time feels like that when you’re 44, I guess.

Here are the things I decided to address:

  • Drink less beer.
  • Read more (and Reddit does not count as reading).
  • Write more.
  • Watch more movies.
  • Get better sleep.
  • Eat better food.
  • Exercise more.

Some of these things have been easier than others, and from month to month (and even day to day) what happens to be easy and what happens to be hard are constantly changing. I know that’s an obvious thing, but I say it because we can forget that, and consequently be unfairly rough on ourselves when we don’t live up to our expectations.

But most of the time, I look like this.
But most of the time, I look like this.

I know a lot of you who are reading this have been doing reboots of your own, and I want you to know that, no matter where you are in your personal journey, I am super proud of you. I’m not the boss of you or anything, but I give you permission to be proud of yourself. Go you!!

So let’s dive in here and see how things are going:

Drink Less Beer: Zero is less than all positive integers, and while there are brief moments when I miss having drinks with friends, they are fleeting.The very best part of drinking less and then not drinking at all is how I have had more productivity in my life in all areas. I’ve lost all the weight I wanted to lose, and my overall quality of life is vastly improved. There is also this profound clarity in my life that I never would have found if I hadn’t made a decision to quit drinking entirely, and face things that made me feel unhappy, or overwhelmed, or just some version of not good. I’ve talked with professionals and concluded that I never had a drinking problem like people who go to meetings to get sober, and I may decide that I can have a beer or a cocktail every now and then at some point in my future. But right now, I honestly don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Grade: A+

Read More: I set my Goodreads Challenge to 30 books this year. It’s always been 20, and people who have lots of time to read or who can read incredibly fast and not miss out on things have been kinda judgy at me about that in the past. I always felt like 20 was more than zero, and it was about two books a month, which seemed reasonable and achievable. This year, I upped it because I wanted it to be more of a challenge than a goal, if that makes sense. So I’ve been reading like crazy, carrying a book with me everywhere, and branching out from the stuff I usually read. This last month, I read Mara Wilson’s magnificent memoir, Where Am I Now? which I give 5 out of 5 and 12 out of 10 because it’s a very good book, Brent. I’m also still in William Gibson’s The Peripheral, which is still a bit of work to stay connected to, but not in a bad or unsatisfying way. I’m also doing lots of magazines and short fiction, because that’s the sort of writing I’m working on. I’m on pace to make my goal for the year, and I’ve kept my reading pretty diverse, so I get an A.

Write More: I haven’t finished anything for my short story collection, but one of the stories that I thought would be about 3500 words is now just over 32000 words, and is maybe even on its way to being a novel. I’ve been writing about it here and sharing little bits of it as I work on it, so I won’t rehash all of that. You can look at those links if you want. I don’t know if it all holds together, but I’m pretty sure that I can make it hold together in rewrites, if it needs me to do that. The important thing is that I’ve been enjoying the process, and I’ve been growing as a writer the whole time. I hope that I can get it finished soon, though, because it’s almost October and I have a scary story that I want to write and release before Halloween. A+

Watch More Movies: I don’t feel like I’ve watched as many movies as I could have, but I’ve watched a wide variety of movies, from silent movies to Kenneth Anger art films to exploitation movies to some very good recent releases. Anne and I have been watching a lot of super good quality television, with great storytelling and writing, though, and I’m getting out of it what I wanted to get out of watching more movies: I’m inspired to create, and reminded why I still care about being an actor in an industry that doesn’t want to return my calls right now. A+

Get Better Sleep: Last month, I wrote about how frustrating this part has been for me. The last couple weeks have been marginally better, mostly because I stopped trying to fight my idiot brain that doesn’t want to power down and go to sleep when I do. My nightmares are still pretty intense and I’m currently experiencing that unsettled weirdness that comes from a couple nights of vivid terror that feels real when you’re asleep and can’t fight it. I read somewhere that our bodies don’t know the difference between imagined emotion and real emotion (this was in the context of being an actor, who spends all day pretending to fight with someone, and has a hard time letting go of that adrenaline when he gets home because his body’s fight or flight system doesn’t know the difference between real and pretend) so my stupid brain is making me feel like I was actually in the movie Green Room, and then actually missed a flight home. Yay for stress dreams, I guess. So I’m still doing what I can do to get better sleep, like not having late day caffeine, wearing the dumb orange goggles before bed when I read, and hitting the sack the instant my brain even suggests to me that it may be willing to go to sleep, whether that’s at 9pm or 1am. The only thing that I think I could do that I’m not doing is just force myself to get up at 7am when I want to get up, and force my body to get on board with this, so it’s tired when I want to go to sleep, but I just can’t bring myself to do that right now. So I’ll give myself a B.

Eat Better Food: My only vice left is ice cream, and I have ice cream almost every night. I’m not going to feel bad or apologize for it, or make any excuses. All my other meals are really good, and we are cooking our own food at least three nights a week. I track my calories in and out, and I’m staying right around 1300 calories every day, which I guess is good for a guy my age and activity level and all that stuff. A.

Exercise More: I really want to be out running at least four times a week. I haven’t done that, because it’s been miserably hot here for no good reason. But when I do run, more like twice a week, I’m going for anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes, doing just over 20 minutes without stopping, and even getting my 5K time down to just over 30 minutes without really pushing myself like I would in a race. My goal is to increase my time and distance so I can do a 10K, then a half marathon, and a full marathon next year. I’m on pace for that. I’m also walking with Anne for about 3 miles on days I don’t run, and we walk our dogs every day. I’m adding a tiny bit of strength training, mostly just pushups and squats and planks in the house, and that’s making a positive difference. Without getting all obsessive about exercise, I couldn’t do better than I am, so I get an A+.

Before I total up my points and give myself a final grade, I want to do one more thing, and look at why I chose each of these things to reboot, and see if I am getting what I wanted out of them.

  • Drink less beer.

I wanted to be more present in my life, lose a bunch of bloated weight that I was carrying around, and clear my head so I could honestly assess what I liked and didn’t like about myself. Is it working? YES.

  • Read more (and Reddit does not count as reading).

I wanted to nourish my brain and my spirit with narrative fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels and other comics, and find inspiration in those creative works. I wanted to be Someone Who Reads again, and I wanted to not spend a lot of time err, waste a lot of time doing Someone Is Wrong On The Internet. I wanted to be informed about current events, have a better understanding of things that I don’t know enough about, and be a more well-read, well rounded, and interesting person. Is it working? YES.

  • Write more.

I took this whole year off from a lot of work so I could be a writer. I was depressed and unfulfilled and unhappy and sad, all the time, because I felt like I’d spent years doing other people’s work. I’d lost my way, creatively, and I know this sounds wanky but it’s true: I needed to find my way back to The Art. I needed to write stories and tell stories and finish stories. I needed to grow as a writer so I had the confidence to start a thing, and keep going when it got tough. I needed to develop the discipline to put down words without judgement and go back to fix things later. I needed to be the Writer that I was telling people I was, before I got distracted three years ago and didn’t write every day. I needed to do something to express myself creatively because I want to be a writer when I grow up. I need to honor the very good writers who I know and love and respect who tell me that I am a good writer, and that I need to write more. Is it working? HELL YES.

  • Watch more movies.

I needed to stop playing arcade games and pinball. I needed to stop goofing off online, reading Fark and Reddit and Hacker News and Imgur. I needed to rediscover the art inside of making movies. I needed to find a connection to the part of me that wants to be a filmmaker, that loves to bring characters and their stories to life, even though the part of me that needs to Prove To Everyone That I Can Do It is constantly in my way. I needed to remember why art matters, and why there is room for everything from a shitty Michael Bay movie to a deeply moving little indie. I needed to watch things that are great, to get inspired, and I needed to watch things that aren’t great so I didn’t judge myself solely against Kubrick and Welles and James Gunn. Is it working? YES.

  • Get better sleep.

I needed to stop staying up late just because, and sleeping late just because I stayed up late. I needed to stop having nightmares and panic attacks every night. I needed to get more out of my days, feel more productive, not dread turning out the light every night. Is it working? NOT LIKE I WANT IT TO BUT IT ISN’T MY FAULT.

  • Eat better food.

I had to stop having a #burritowatch every day, even though they’re delicious. I needed to lose weight and get my body fat down. I needed to lower my cholesterol, and I needed to start respecting that my body is older and that the food I put into it is fuel for this meat sack I rely upon to move my consciousness through our shared reality. Is it working? YES.

  • Exercise more.

I had to get off my ass and move my body. I needed to acknowledge and respect that, even if I am mathematically in middle age, whether or not I was “middle aged” was up to me. I needed to put in the work now, so that I’m strong and healthy and not prone to injury in ten years when I’m in my fifties. I needed to do this thing that is actually productive, that was hard, that gave me immediate and tangible results, because most of what I do feels like it isn’t real. I needed to assert control over my body and my health, because I have a long time left in my life and I want to enjoy it. Is it working? YES.

So before I even get to my grades, I know that this has been totally and unquestionably worth it. I also know that it’ll continue to be worth it, and probably next month I’m going to add some new goals, because I feel like these are now a solid foundation that I can build something awesome upon.

OKAY GRADES! 36/28. Um. Hell yes go me that’s an A+ and I think I might even make the Dean’s List.

89 thoughts on “One year ago, I rebooted my life. Has it worked?”

  1. I’m proud of you too!!! It’s weird how you don’t know me and yet I feel like we’re good friends. Gl

  3. Congratulations and well done!

    Are you doing the Zombies, Run! autumn/”fall” race this year, btw?

  5. Excellent post Wil – I can associate with everything, especially the drinks and books. May also add games… I’ve spent 16 years dealing with depression without medication. Isn’t always easy. There with you. Take care. P

  6. I know a guy that used to live in your neighborhood and remembers when you were a skateboarder… ;D

  7. It’s been interesting going on this journey with you, Wil and I’ve recently started a journey of my own. Right now, I’m failing pretty hard and struggling to figure out how to NOT fail.

    Why does life have to be all hard and crazy like this?

  8. Well done you, really proud. And think maybe some of these are things I should also do, especially the reading.
    In terms of your sleeping I can’t really help, but have you tried listening to stories to calm the panic? I’m thinking Under Milkwood as read by the great Richard Burton. I honestly have no idea what it’s about or what happens, because his voice is so lyrical and soothing I fall asleep really quickly. I also find the album ‘Come Away with Me’ by the amazing Norah Jones really calming. Just some thoughts – good luck!

  9. You are awesome. I made a similar change 2 years ago, fell off the wagon a bit when my father passed away this past July, but am now feeling ready to get back on track. Really proud of your accomplishments.

  10. Thanks for sharing! My “Reboot List” is identical to yours, but I’ve been slacking lately. This serves a reminder for me to do better too. Thanks for the encouragement. I especially need to write more. I start a ton of projects, and only finish a few.

  11. Hi Wil –
    This probably won’t help with the insomnia or the nightmares, but it may help you feel better about the sleep you do get. It calculates how many sleep cycles you will get, not just the number of hours of sleep.
    http://sleepyti.me/ (sorry – I’m handicapped with links) I’ve been using it for a few months and while it hasn’t revolutionized my sleep, I do feel more rested and less groggy when I wake up, regardless of how many (or few) hours of sleep I’ve gotten. Hope it helps.

  12. I thank you for the reaffirming blog – I have done some of this already and seen results in my life – I shall endeavor to do the complete list as it does make sense to do so. Be well. And, thank you for the writings. I enjoy he read.

  14. You’re inspiring me to do by own reboot…..but I’m not quite there yet. But you give me hope that it can be done (I’m the same age as you and have Depression and GAD), so thanks for that.

  15. I’m pretty sure that 1300 calories is “weight loss crash” level for someone your size who’s also running. Especially if you’re having sleep issues, you may want to look at ways you can add quality calories to your day. It does sound, though, that writing is nutrient your life needs the most. You mentioned in an earlier post that the acting started out as more of your Mom’s enthusiasm than your own. It’s great that it worked out so well, but what if its best purpose is to serve as a foundation for your writing? From some of your posts, I really get the sense that you might be happiest working half-days in a board game store at a crappy retail-worker wage, just to connect with interesting people and keep your ideas fresh, then spending the other half of the day sitting at home writing stuff. Acting is something you have done well, but with all respect to your Mom it shouldn’t define who and what you are. For that matter, how many retired actors have opened restaurants or similar businesses? A “Just a Geek” board game store might kick butt and give you a financial base between sales of your books/scripts/etc. Whatever you end up doing as a writer, I really get the sense that you’re on the verge of some important shift for the better in your career. Good luck with it all!

    1. I am agreeing with Ido Cracy in thinking that the low calorie count diet might be part of the nightmares. Fat (like a spoon of peanut butter, that amount) eaten right at bedtime can settle diabetes ‘blood sugar crashing’ or sometimes help with nightmares. One being able to remember one’s dreams perhaps too vividly, or one being able to be asleep while dreaming & not awake (which is not good) depends upon physical mechanisms that might can be adjusted biomechanically.

  17. Well done. And I am loving reading the little snippets of your short story/novella/novel/trilogy/epic series….. 🙂
    I was not ready to go on the full reboot with you, but you did inspire me to make a start at some simple things to make my life better. By simply reducing (not eliminating) the amount of sugar in my diet, eating more fresh fruit and veggies, and getting on my bike a few more days a week, I have lost 24 lbs in the past 2 months and am 4lbs from my target weight.

  18. Congrats on one year! I’ve been rooting for you and thinking about ya when goals get tough on my end.

    I had to do that dumb “wake up everyday at 6am” thing. Avoid it as long as you can, lol. It sucks, but my sleep is so much better.

  19. Nice going!!! And I love the process behind it, understanding why you want to do things is really important, if the reasons aren’t sound it’s going to be tougher to follow-through.

    I tried to start this process myself a few times since you first started – I realize now that I was (1) already in the process of transitioning as a transwoman, and (2) about to give up my job to go back to school – so other “life projects” were going to have to wait 🙂 But it might be time to pick it up again!

    Keep up the awesome work!

  20. This might sound crazy… but on Wil’s first photo (top), if you block out all but his eye, there is a reminiscence of Patrick Stewart looking back at the camera. It is there, look through a gap in your fingers at those eyes.

  21. Wil, your reboot post has been a total inspiration. Congrats on accomplishing so much of your reboot. I’ve rebooted as well. Still in the early stages, but working to better myself every day and I have your initial post to thank for it! Live long and prosper!

  22. Hooray and hooray! So glad to read this post. Love the enthusiasm and love that you are standing proud. Well done sir, well done!!

  23. I’m super happy for you (and even though I’m not the boss of you, I’m proud of you) and I’m also very, very inspired. This summer has sucked for depression, but I’ve had some psychological revelations lately (which came, in part, from reading Mara Wilson’s book) that have added to other stuff I’ve been working on. Your reboot inspires me to work even harder. Thank you.

  25. I have lived in denial for years that I suffer from anxiety and to a lesser extent depression. Not being able to sleep led me to lose all passion in my career and I found myself retiring early 3 years ago, with no plan and no direction. Whenever I try to sleep, no matter how exhausted I am, my mind just races and will not stop. A few months ago, my 11 year old cat Cosmo, who I bonded with closer than I have with any other living being, unexpectedly was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. Euthanizing him back in July was the hardest, most life altering thing I have ever had to do. It was like a bomb went off in the middle of my life. The emotional trauma that I have felt has forced me to face the realization that I have depression and anxiety, and that I have had them for years. Wil Wheaton has convinced me that I need to do something about it, even if it means the dreaded drug approach. I’m seeing my Doctor on Monday to talk about it. They want to put me on Lexapro or something. I’m not doing a life reboot. When Cosmo died, it has been more like my hard drive crashed, and now I need to rebuild the whole machine that is my life.

    1. I’m so sorry for your loss, Glenn, and I’m proud of you for getting some help. Meds are nothing to be ashamed of or worried about. I’ve been on them for years, and they’ve made all the difference.

    2. Glenn, I’m so sorry about Cosmo. Love and condolences to you. And what Wil said about meds: they’re there to help you. They’ve been a lifesaver for me.

  26. Well done, sir! I expect you know high quality people who can give you excellent advice, so I’m curious what their recommendations are for marathon training and the rest of your priorities. (When I’m training for a marathon, I have to drop a lot of stuff. But I’m not trying to say that’s universal.) Definitely rooting for you!

  28. Great job! I am 9 months on giving up the booze myself and really thought that it was going to be much harder than it actually was. I started off completely nixing it but learned to just change my relationship with alcohol. Glad your grades are looking stellar! I remember reading your status report posts a few months ago and it inspired me to start grading myself as well. Keep writing!!

  29. It’s my birthday in jusssst about 15 minutes. For the last year, I’ve watched as you’ve rebooted your life and changed the way you approach it. It has truly been an inspiration to me. This past year has been a challenge for me as I have dealt with anxiety and depression, and the physical realities that go hand-in-hand with each. I’m starting to fight my way through it, but I still have a long way to go before I am the best me I can be. Tomorrow I start my 36th year, and my own life-reboot. I’m daunted and nervous, but I also have a kernel of hope that a year from now I’ll look back and marvel at the changes I’ve made in myself.

  30. I’m so proud of you. I’ve been following you for years, and I keep your depression lies post handy for bad days. I haven’t done a full reboot, but I did just hit 50 pounds lost over the last two years. Also went back to school a couple years ago and I’m (hopefully) graduating in December at age 37 with a bachelors because better late then never. You’re a true inspiration and I’ve been glad to follow you.

  31. I am proud of you. Thanks for the check up. I am starting my own reboot. I like your positive message that things are hard but you just have to work on it.

  32. Good job Wil!!! Stick with what makes you… well you. As a man of 42, with a beautiful wife and 2 kiddos; I feel Mid life Man Toe Pause more these days. I feel like a weed you spray with round up. Instead of dying completely I wilt for a moment and say “Fuck this shit!” I’m coming back stronger than before and the kill weeds year round bullshit goes out the window. The dandelion will bloom in the end.

  33. I have been following your progress as you’ve posted updates. I continue to work on many of the same things. Sleep, exercise, food, reading, learning, creativity. I think they are really all lifelong practices that require each other. It is so easy to let one slip and everything go crashing down. I had a minor injury two weeks ago, which brought exercise to a halt. And then the food went to hell, the sleeping went to hell, the mindless Netflixing shot up, and so on. So, injury recovered this week. Back to exercise, prepped tasty food, sleep habits, and BOOKS.

    A quick non-commercial plug for finding a good kettlebell instructor and learning to use kettlebells as a form of exercise. As the middle years progress, I have found them the best way to keep the metabolism up and get much fitter without having to crush it or get obsessive about exercise. 30 minutes a day 3-5 days a week has been a game-changer for me. Much fitter, much stronger but without getting stiff or bored in other forms of exercise. YRMV. I’m just putting it out there for all the other like-minded middle-aged bodies out there who are in the struggle against gravity.

  34. Of all the Wil Wheatons, you’re clearly in the Top 5 of Wil Wheatons. Maybe even the best Wil Wheaton. Good job. 🙂

    1. Top Ten Wil Wheatons Ranked:

      10) Wil Wheaton
      9) Wil Wheaton
      8) Wil Wheaton
      7) Wil Wheaton
      6) Wil Wheaton
      5) Wil Wheaton
      4) Wil Wheaton
      3) Wil Wheaton
      2) Wil Wheaton
      1) Wil Wheaton

      Only surprise really was that jump from six to three. Crazy.

  35. While you’ve done a really good job, I think you grade a shade too generously — I would only make it an A+ on beer, the others you have as A+ I’d call A, and the As I’d call A-. Writing and exercise, in particular, are solid, but could be better.

    I’m a professor’s kid. I don’t approve of grade inflation.

    Still a mighty fine report, though.

  37. You go, Wil! thumbs up That’s a lot you have achieved in one year—I wouldn’t worry too much about the things you didn’t get done yet, but just keep working on that and look at what you’ve achieved so far and be proud of it.

    Like when I start to berate myself how my place looks like a mess, how I still haven’t got a handle on a lot of things . . . Then I need to remind myself I haven’t touched alcohol for well over two years now (and I am one of those persons who probably should go to meetings, but I don’t, because I’m very introverted), that I’ve lost 20 kilos of weight last year, that I am now working at a place with great co-workers who are like a family to me instead of experiencing mobbing daily, that it’s been almost two years since depression last reared its ugly head. I’ve finally started drawing again. And I’ve now gotten help to handle certain things and am working on getting professional help with my anxiety. It just . . . needs to go slowly, not all at once, so that I wont feel overwhelmed and exhausted. That’s the key for me, apparently. Baby steps, lots of breaks, so that I can keep advancing and not slip back.

    I used to be an avid reader, but to me, right now, 20 books a year sounds crazy. I’m glad if I get maybe three done, though lately I stick to non-fiction textbooks.

    As for the sleep. What helps me settle down is listening to guided meditations/visualisations or . . . documentaries. I do need some sort of white noise during times I’m upset, and I loop that stuff, so when I wake up during night, that nice calming voice is still there . . . I work shifts though, completely irregular schedule (retail), so my sleep schedule is doomed to forever f♥♥♥ed up.

  38. I don’t drink alcohol. I want to read fifteen books this year (suck it, people who read fast and don’t work fifteen hour overnight shifts at work – yes, I feel they are judging me, too, Wil – but we’re OK, honest). Lately has sucked for writing and exercise (walking more, but no running or other stuff). Sleep is a constant struggle with overnight work. Food and movies/TV are ok for me. So, overall, I’m doing…OK.

    One day at a time. One day at at time.

    Congrats on your progress, Wil. Keep up the good work!

  40. You’ve always felt like that older cousin that I’ve heard of but never really met lol, but I am SO PROUD of you. You are doing awesome, and really inspiring me at my almost middle age to really DO something about this. Thank you for all your inspiration over the past year with this journey as well as in everything else. Cant’ wait to see what you add next month!

  41. Two years ago, I went through a similar reboot. I was stuck in a job that bored me due to it’s simplicity and had exactly nothing else in my life to look forward to or feel proud of. I was 30 and had nothing to show for it. I spent all my time playing online games, watching netflix, eating junk and hating everything about my life.

    One day I decided enough was enough; I was going to find a way to do something productive. My older brother told me about some courses he had seen on Amazon Local to do with corporate sounding stuff so I went to have a look at them. I ended up purchasing a course in…wait for it…Creative Writing! Not exactly corporate but who cares?

    I found myself totally enthusiastic and engaged in the course and it affected other areas of my life too. I opened myself up to dating again, I applied myself at work by pushing and pushing for more interesting things to do and generally began to believe in myself again.

    Two years on and I have been promoted at work, i’m engaged to someone I wouldn’t ever have had the good fortune to meet had I not been brave enough to contact them through a dating site, I’m about to start my second year studying for a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, and I have a short story being published in an anthology in time for Halloween.

    I hope you are proud of all the amazing things you have accomplished this year and I hope you keep pushing forward in giving yourself the care, attention and dreams that you desire. It can be a tough road, but the positives are more than worth the stresses.

    Onwards and Upwards x

  42. Wil, I think this is the first time you’ve mentioned on your blog the big M word (“marathon”) without preceding it with “half”. I might be wrong, but it is something I’ve had an eye on.

    As your doctor, I’m sorry to have to tell you this… first, put your pants back on and get back on the table with the crinkly paper… Wil, this means you have Running. You are finding out that your body can do things, and you want to know how many things you can push it to do.

    The only cure is to fucking find out.

    The symptoms include talking about running with everyone you meet, so it’s good to know some runners that you can talk to. People who don’t run are afraid that running is contagious, and is spread through talking about running (this is sometimes true). By talking with other runners, you are simply sharing the virus amongst yourselves. You also might develop an unhealthy obsession with your bodily functions and nipples. Try to avoid that.

    There is also a chance that you will grow a very long beard. This is completely normal.

    Also, your legs will turn into solid rock.

    Anyway, we have a support group over at /r/running if you ever want to stop by.

  47. I’m so proud of you! Your journey has been an inspiration to me. It came on the heels of losing my dad and being diagnosed with lupus last year. After following you for this year, I’ve decided to do my own reboot as well so I can get back on track and be less tired and cranky. I appreciate you sharing this with all of us, and I hope you know how much it means.

  48. Sorry Will, I got so wrapped up in my own problems I forgot to congratulate you on doing so well on your goals. I challenge you to keep up the running every other day. I get on my water rower every other day and try to do 3-4K. You also gave me the idea to create my own set of goals that I’ll use to help rebuild my life. During my daily 2 mile walk today, I got the idea of writing my own “thing” about sailing through a hurricane in 1983. I’ll post it to the comments of your next blog thing if it’s finished by then.

  49. Dear Wil,

    for quite a while now, I had planned to comment on project reboot” – its first anniversary seems a fitting opportunity. First and foremost: congratulations! That’s quite a feat you did with this endeavour!
    I also want to say thanks, since – similar to many others here – project reboot was probably that little nudge I needed at the end of last year to inspire me to take on a similar self-improvement journey. Even though I am (luckily) not affected by clinical depression, I found that I could relate quite well to the feeling that my own well-being does not matter a lot, as well as the slightly increasing sense of discomfort that comes with the realization that the years to come are decreasing and those gone are piling up. As of now, I am down by about 80 pounds, but more importantly, I actually started feeling like it makes sense to have some personal and health-related plans for the next years – something that would have been highly unlikely, if not outright impossible a year ago.
    Also, thanks for choosing the NES as the icon of this noble campaign – it was the system that introduced me to video gaming 25 years ago, and thus shaped my life more significantly than many other things. It seems, it is an avatar of change again, now 🙂

    Finally, just to reiterate: no matter what your depression or anxieties, or random dickish people on the Internet, keep telling you, you’re great and an inspiration for many of us!

    Best regards from across the ocean.

  50. Very cool and informative post. Congrats on becoming a Will 2.0 with the reboot. In regards to the reading, for those who aren’t avid readers, 20 per year is a very acceptable goal to strive for. If you want to read about one about dieting and overall strangeness, Penn Jillette has a new one out called “Presto!” about his adventures in losing 100lbs and keeping it off.

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