Happy 2009

Happy New Year to everyone!

So the girl wanted to stay up on New Year's Eve and we cracked cans of root beer at midnight. Not the biggest fanfare, and less so, leading up to it we read and watched the "Elf" marathon.

I chatted with a couple of people and I'm pretty much the only one interested in New Year's Resolutions. A convincing reason not to make them was that it'd be a total downer when you didn't reach them. Another reason that crossed my mind was that they sort of feel like corporate goals--congratulations, another 4 years of completing your resolutions and you'll be certificated. The most common reason is that making New Year's Resolutions is totally cheesy, lame, or passe.

But lordy, I am a sucker for redemption and hope: Oh, to absolve the previous year's disappointments to other people and myself. To be the better person I should have been--not just to others but myself as well. The jaded part of me is embarrassed that I've bought into the New Year Resolution machine. As if you can't make resolutions and goals any other time of the year, for cryin' out loud. But here I sit, alighted with optimistic promise of the new year...

Bottom line, though, my resolutions are ridiculously common and banal. Hallmark could make a card of them: Hey you, Happy 2009! Are your resolutions the same as mine? Family, friends, and lose the fat, That's where the new year is at! Be a better person, grow your soul, write that down, that's a new year goal!

So yes, my goals gravitate to family & friends, health, and growth. I really enjoy time with family and friends--this year it is about making time for them. Health--I weighed in at 157, which is surprising low for the amount of sugar and butter I have consumed in the last month (I thought I'd be above 160 again), but I feel grossly out of shape. I did drag myself to the gym today and did 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Hooray for me.

Growth--I started reading books regularly again and I feel better for it. So far I finished the Watchmen and I'm finishing a biography of Billy Bean tonight. I'd like to keep the good habit of reading. In terms of getting organized, I started using a Franklin Covey dayplanner last year and I need to use it better this year. In terms of my creative growth--I made a little scrapbook page today--an ode to one of my favorite candies: Good 'n' Plenty--and I'd like to continue allowing myself little creative outbursts like that no matter how ridiculous the reason.

And in terms of growing my soul a bit, I'm reflecting on how I can be a better person in this world and serve it better. I tell my girl regularly that there are enough lazy, rude, and selfish people in this world and we don't need to add anymore. But simply being productive and beneficent--is that enough? Sometimes I feel I've got a comfort zone of serving (soup kitchens, blood drives, charity walks, donations, tutoring, labor volunteering, protests, marches, talks, etc.) perhaps I need to reach outside this box a bit? I'll have to reflect more on that...

Anyhoo, I think my first task at hand to kick off the new year will be de-cluttering. Yes, yes, I know, the constant item on my To Do list. But I think I have a plan of action. And it involves a lot of purging. Hopefully.