So, three months on, project Brave New Jon enters phase two. What started as a means to pine over an ex-girlfriend changed into a self re-invention exercise, and now that I feel I’m well and truly over her, it’s time for this project to change again. Now, it’s all about making myself a better person, and not about anyone else.
I’ve decided to keep my modified diet going. I really quite like the veggie thing, and although I’m not likely to become a vegan (read: I like my non-soy lattes), I don’t really feel any pressing need to start eating carb. heavy foods, seafood, and all that stuff. I’m not opposed to having an occasional sushi dinner, or a visit to Legal Sea Foods, but there’s no desperate urge to do that either. I haven’t eaten any bread, cheese, fish, or even potatoes in over three months – my diet is largely a Californian fruit and nut diet, complete with protein-rich smoothies. I am not opposed to carbohydrates in general, but they’ll get re-introduced gradually, and really only when I’m out at dinner with friends, and so on. I have much more energy than I ever did before.
My daily regimen now includes a visit to the gym, a lot of walking, running, or other physical activity. I am trying to go down to the gym when it opens in the mornings, or in the evenings, and I might even get to the two-a-day ideal at some point in the future. I’ve decided I’m sticking around the 30/30 jean size now and I’m not desperate to change that. It’s a nice round number. There’s a strong need for further toning…and that’s simply got to happen this summer. I am spending at least 20 minutes a day on weight machines, and I will try to increase that, and my other upper body building activities. I want to try being much more physically fit and healthy than before.
I can probably stop buying so many new clothes all the time now. I went down to the Banana Republic outlet in Wrentham, MA, bought a couple of new pairs of jeans and other random crap, with the goal of rebuilding my wardrobe properly. I definitely enjoyed being able to go down there and not have to buy that stuff on Newbury St. or in the Galleria – Banana Republic get enough out of me as it is, and the price difference between retail and outlet is almost obscene 
Of course, the new Jon also admits to frequenting a bathroom outlet store and buying a toilet lid cover for asthetics too. I’m trying to turn this apartment into something more than a “geek” pad…something more respectible. I still need to affix additional picture hooks…and hang these giant photos…it just needs some planning, in order to avoid damaging the walls.
Buying a car was a really useful thing to do. I have driven several thousand miles in the last couple of weeks, in two different countries, and many different States and Provinces. I will try to do a lot more hiking, climbing, and other activies that were previously much harder to get involved with. I can also now more reliably be in the office during the week, which is useful.
Jon.