Rules of the Game

After much deliberating, I think I have my score card ready (well, version 1 anyway). I've broken everything down into appropriate categories and assigned points. Note: Some items may not be applicable every week. I've explained a few of the categories where necessary. I'll explain them further when describing my end-of-the-week scores and telling stories about the challenge. The total possible score during any week is 50 points.

Relationship: 5 Points
- Go on a romantic date with Meredith once a week (1 point)
- Tell Meredith "I love you" everyday (1 point)
- Talk to Meredith for an hour straight about life, marriage, work, etc. (2 points)
- Don't get jealous of Meredith's attention to dogs (1 point)

Home: 5 Points
- Walk/run dogs three times a week (2 points; difficult because of schedule and commute)
- Help around the house (1 point)
- Pick one room a week and clean it thoroughly (1 point)
- Update household budget (1 point; we track all of our spending and break it down into categories)

Diet & Health: 17 Points
- Drink 8 glasses of water everyday (2 points)
- Eat 2 fruits and 3 vegetables everyday (1 point)
- Salad: twice for lunch, once for dinner sometime during week (2 points)
- Eat fish twice a week (2 points; would be easy, but my wife hates fish)
- Eat red meat only once during week (2 points)
- No fast food (1 point)
- Floss teeth everyday (2 points; I'm horrible about this)
- No more than 1 alcoholic drink at any meal (2 points)
- No seconds at any meal (2 points)
- Average 7 hours of sleep per night (1 point; naps add to cumulative total)

Exercise: 7 Points
- Pushups/crunches: 100 x n, 3 times per week (2 points; n = month number)
- Running/swimming: n x 7 miles per week (2 points; n = quarter)
- Stretch for 30 minutes, 3 times per week (2 points)
- Weight on Saturday within self-imposed range (1 point)

Self-Improvement: 9 Points
- Fill out this chart (1 point)
- Compliment a stranger (1 point)
- Receive a compliment (1 point)
- Turn everything in on time (1 point; school: assignments; work: bill appropriate hours)
- Pray everyday (1 point)
- Stand up for myself (2 points)
- Don't take the easy way out (2 points)

Mind: 7 Points
- Read for 1 hour, 3 times per week (2 points; work/school reading doesn't count)
- Learn something new (1 point)
- Post a blog (1 point; score card report on Sunday doesn't count)
- Work a crossword puzzle everyday (1 point)
- Work on manual dexterity: 30 minutes (1 point; e.g., write with left hand)
- Watch/read news everyday (1 point)

And the game begins . . . .