1. Save the Dan

Timeline: August 10 – December 31 (deadline extended)

Obby Description:
Help Dan overcome his eating disorder as I talked about here. Since I’m interested in counseling, this is a good test to see whether I have the patience and sensitivity to do this type of work. Aside from that, I will also learn about nutrition and then make a collection of healthy recipes that he actually likes.

Ooby: Celebrate by going out to a gourmet pizza place.

Status:
11/14 – Dan’s heart burn is still pretty bad but at least it’s not getting worse. He hasn’t been eating the nightly potatoes because eating close to bed time gives him acid reflux. We also can’t go out to pizza for now because tomatos are too acidic. We will have to take a rain check on the gournet pizza. But I know where I will take him though, Emma’s in Kendall Square. If you haven’t been there, you’ve gotta check it out.

9/5 – finished reading The Sugar Addict’s Total Recovery Program, see my summary on the post Sugar Addiction.

8/28 – talked to a health counselor at MIT Medical, reserved a couple of books that she recommended.

8/27 – successful recipes so far are: veggie dumplings, tofu-napa-miso soup, vegetarian chili (actually this one is bad, it gives him heartburn), tofu veggie stirfry, red bean soup, smoked salmon sandwich, tofu sandwich. Snack substitutes: pan-fried plantains, Adwalla bars, whole grain crackers & humus, watermelon, corn on the cob.

8/16 – scanned the book China Study – new findings on nutrition.

8/11 – started making Dan food to bring to work

2. Personal Finance & Investing

Timeline: August 1 – December 31, 2006 (deadline extended)

Obby Description: learn about personal finance & investing. Read the Little Book That Beats the Market by Joel Greenblatt.

Oobby: make a small investment

Status:
- 11/14 developing automated trading software
- 8/16 finished reading The Little Book That Beats The Market and discussed it at dinner with several people tonight.
- 8/1 organized an investment discussion dinner to be held later in August