Stray Signals and Diabolical Apps I Say to Myself, Stay on Task.

There has been a mystery at our house for a few weeks now. We have some Bluetooth-controlled light bulbs that change color. Somehow, they kept changing color on their own. I was flipping music channels from my desk, which sits below the Bluetooth bulb lights, and discovered the source of the stray commands. Any Bluetooth controller will make the lightbulbs change color or blink. I imagine even the neighbors can make the lights change color. It's a first-world problem. For example, when you pick up the smartphone to check or call about something, and a half hour later, you have ordered new pants and missed the purpose of picking up the phone. Watch out for the stray signals.

This year, I am trying to sort out the signals my dog sends so I know we are on the same page when meeting cats and dogs. As she ages, she has no patience for other critters in her space. After watching several YouTube dog training shows, I am learning about queues and tail positions. Some wags are bad o ens. Who Knew? There is rhyme and reason to my dog being good or bad. I am watching for the queues and making new habits for her. I started by making her sit next to me last week when another dog approached us on our walks. If I give her an easy job, she won't need to be aggressive. Also, she loves the boy dogs with all their junk. I stopped letting her do her Snoopy Happy Dog with Balls dance until she had sat for me.

Goals

A word on goals. Goals don't get you what you want. Better habits are where you should put your effort. Who are you trying to become this year? What actions will reinforce that identity? James Clear

I started looking at a goal-setting program because I am preparing to reevaluate my habits before the end of the first quarter. Automating my activities or habits allows me to progress toward my goals. For example, I start writing my next blog as soon as I have posted the current one. This habit is to write just enough to say it's started. The rest follows more easily.

I take my habits and notebooks about habits too seriously.

• It's why we don't have swords in our house. Someone would have lost an eye by now. Anyway, at the end of March next quarter, I will do some tweaking of the habit journals. Like Gomez Addams says, That's when we talk about new business - next quarter. See the YouTube video attached if you are unfamiliar with how seriously Gomez and I take our new business.

I know next quarter is quite a ways off. However, it's good to think long term, like quarters and years, and act short term, like days and weeks. So, I know I want to change my habits. I stopped getting up early to stay awake long enough to go to a movie and not fall asleep at parties. But my habits are suffering a time crunch. Like with cell phone apps, I am easily distracted as soon as I am not the only one awake on the planet.

What diabolically clever new habit tweaks can I work on now that will be ready to implement next quarter's goals?