How former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson (and current American Red Cross CEO) spent his summer:

Goal:  Watch what he eats and try to avoid cookies and soft drinks that get put out in afternoon meetings.

Reality Check:  Mission accomplished.  The former IRS commissioner was careful all summer about what he ate: "So when I go to Subway at lunch I only get the 6-inch tuna on honey oat bread, and a diet soda and I don’t get the Fritos, which I really like," he says.  Mr. Everson says that part of his motivation in watching his weight is vanity.  "You want to look fit.  I think I’m willing to admit that."  But "looking fit is consistent with the job," he adds.

How I Spent Squandered My Summer Vacation, Wall Street Journal, by Nancy Keates ("Summer may be a time for cookouts, berry picking and cold beer, but it’s also a time for setting goals. Like a second New Year’s Eve, many start the season with ambitious plans to lose weight, write a screenplay or grow a perfect tomato. But summer is also about kicking back and doing nothing. To find out whether sloth or diligence prevailed, in June we called 60 people to ask them their goals for the summer. Of course, their intentions were impressive. But so were the excuses when we checked back in late August to see how they fared.").