New Years accomplishments

So I never start New Years resolutions on New Years Day...it's too depressing that if you screw up on day one that you blow it for the rest of the year. Plus it gives me time to reflect on what I really want to accomplish this year and why, not just a list of "oh, I have to lose weight, I need to do this, I need to do that"....again, just verbal spew. This year I am taking the initiative to have resolutions and state WHY I want to achieve these goals...not sure how many there'll be, and basically all of last years resolutions went the way of the crapper...except stopping smoking. Yes, the major resolution of last year did take...As of last Jan I had I think something like 9 cigarettes between January and April, and have not touched one since. There were a few iffy times where I thought to myself "Self, it won't hurt you to have just one, or sneak a few smokes from Loverboy's stash"...but it would have hurt me not only in the physical, but in the aspect that I'm not cheating others with this action, but I'm cheating on myself and letting myself know that I do not have the willpower that it takes to be a better person. I think the car accident was a major factor there, and the fact that I want to get into nursing and it's hypocritical to tell others that it's bad for them when I'm doing it myself. So kudos to me, the only resolution that I've stuck with since I began making resolutions.

So here are what I'd like to call not necessarily resolutions, but accomplishments I'd like to achieve in 2009. Resolutions sound too demanding, that if you don't comply that you'll be ridiculed for the rest of your life. So here goes...

1. To eat healthier and make smarter choices in the food department. I'm not saying weight loss since that's a major downer due to family gatherings, company lunches or parties, or getting together with the girls for a movie night or wine tasting gathering. If I start to make smarter choices and watch what I eat, then the weight should just come off naturally. I'm not even saying that I want to lose 40 pounds by May (non realistic, but non the less, it'd be nice to do), but by portion and food control, I could reach that goal. Every little bit helps. Also by doing this and putting more healthy choices in my corner will help me not only battle obesity, but multiple medical problems, disease, blood pressure problems, clogged arteries, and strain on my being as a whole. This means cooking better, more food from scratch, less food that is premade or quickly deep fried for a tasty treat...and bringing my lunch to work throughout the week rather than relying on frozen dinners or microwaveable delights(unless it's to heat up homemade food).

2. I will exercise more. I'm not saying I'm going to go out and join a gym (though I'm thinking about it), but going out for walks after dinner, or on the weekends with the dogs (weather permitting). Not staying inside in the summer when it's hot outside when I could be burning fat pulling weeds, working on the garden, making the yard pretty (with what I can do with it right now till be can actually start to do landscape)...I had a lazy year this year and I'm kicking myself for it. Again, this goes in hand with number 1 as well, it will help me be healthier, strengthen joints, and increase my overall health to fight medical issues, diabetes, cardiac health, etc. Hopefully this will also help my constant battle with injuring myself as I did this past year. Here's to no injuries other than papercuts and splinters in 2009!

3. I will stop buying every piece of crappy thing that calls my name. I've actually done quite well the past couple of months, but I need to keep up with that. I do NOT need bamboo placemats that I say I'm going to use for craft inspiration...it's all still in a bag under my computer desk begging to be used. I do NOT need to buy colored pipe cleaners and boa's to make pencil pals in Christmas colors (something I was going to do prior to the holidays, but will stay hidding until next Christmas if I feel perky enough to make them). I WILL not buy anymore cake pans just because they're on sale, I neither have the room, nor the time, nor the waistline to make the goodness shown on the sleeve of the pan. I will NOT purchase clothing just because it's on clearance, that glittery shirt looked cute on the hanger, and for $5 was a steal, but I am not at the age to go clubbing with the twenty-somethings anymore...I'm old.

4. In hand with #3, I will learn to manage my money better. I will also pay myself first and learn to consolidate credit cards as to lower finance charges, monthly payments, and eventually be able to get rid of some of my credit cards. I do not need 10 different methods of credit cards, if I need more credit, I'll ask for an increase on an already used card. This also includes store credit cards, I do not need a credit card to Torrid or Kohl's if I only grace that store once a year...it's not worth it to keep it on my credit report or my conscience.

5. I will plan on spending more time with myself. Not that I'm not with myself 24/7, but I do more for others than I do for myself. I do not feel that I need to stretch myself paper thin to be socially active, then feel stressed that I can't make it to every party/gathering/birthday that I am invited to. It is okay to say "No", and I will begin to say it more often if I feel that I am not treating myself accordingly. I can go to the movies by myself, I can see a play if I want to, and I can go to a concert without the need to have someone with me...if I want to do this by myself, then I will. Hence causing less stress, and increasing my own mental and physical health (going hand in hand with #1). This also includes trying to get more than 4 hours of sleep a night, sleeping is a much needed act that I need to start taking more seriously.

6. I'd like to be more organized and clean in the process. However, this is difficult while living in a construction zone, but I feel that I have been leaching off this fact in turn creating MORE problems. I will start off with small things and do daily affirmations of what I will try to accomplish for that day/week (depending on the project, Sarah talked about flylady, but I deleted the daily emails since there were all repeating themselves and ended up turning into more junk email), writing things in a calendar, and letting Loverboy know in advance when there will be a family gathering, where it is, and if he's available. In turn, when the house does come into order (someday, maybe when I'm 50?), then it will be easier to incorporate that into the rest of the living space and in turn my sanity. Keeping in with the being more organized, I will also not feel the need to constantly sign up for anything under the sun online, and in turn get daily spam-mail that gets my blood boiling.

7. I will increase my knowledge through books, museums, and culture. I love going to the museums, zoo's, aquariums...heck, Chicago is a major cultural icon of the United States!!! And here I take it for granted, saying that I enjoyed it during grade school holding a sack lunch while on a field trip taking the bus from the suburbs. I did go to the Shedd Aquarium by myself back in 2004, but have not ventured anywhere since then (it was my birthday present to myself, and the first time I'd ventured out without my boot on from breaking my foot playing Turkey Bowl 2003 with the boys...ah the priorites). I would love to see the new exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry, or see the new African frogs they just got at the Brookfield Zoo, or experience the light show at the Adler Planetarium...and I will, this year I will. Plus I am going to begin reading a book a month again. I am not going to push myself for more, but if I read more, then bonus to me.

8. I would like to travel more this year, go to places I've never been before. Scenarios like this do not necessarily require great deals of money either, but just nice road trips, going to the surrounding towns around where I live, check out the history of where I'm at...I'd like to start a map with all the places that I've been (Lindsey had a map like that when we were kids, I was amazed at all the places that she'd been to). Plus I'd like to check out the rafting up in Wisconsin, or even out towards Virginia...I've heard good things about both.

9. Patience is a virtue and one that I have increasing been losing throughout the years. Whether it be a patient who doesn't read what they're supposed to, or a rampant child that I feel the need to correct (and an not their Mother, so what am I doing), or someone in the 10 items or less lane with a full cart, or even with Loverboy and the state of our living conditions...I can have a nasty temper that lurks and strikes when I least expect it too. I will learn to step back, assess the situation, and either deal with it in a calm manner, or remove myself completely from the scenario if I have no other choice. I think this will also help out with #1 in the health/stress situation.

10. I will more involved when it comes to the environment. I try to recycle about 75% off everything that comes in the house, I even have sacks from stores so when I go there, I don't need plastic bags...and guess what I forget to bring everytime I go to that store? I'm good about junk mail (and need to bring this to Loverboy's attention when I take junkmail out of his garbage can by his desk) and recycling paper, I breakdown cardboard and try to recycle by the numbers that our Lions Club location recycles for plastics...I need to be better with food wastes since we do have a compost corner in the back yard. I am a HUGE fan of farmers markets and shopping local (there's a grocery store down the way that sells fresh chicken/eggs/beef from a local farmer down the road), but I also need to learn that I do not have to go to the farmers markets every weekend. I have a garden, but I need to utilize it better, and I am thankful for my Aerogarden (yes, I got one) where I can grow fresh herbs in my kitchen...the only thing with that is the amount of electricity it uses, but it makes a great nightlite! I'm looking into solar panels and wind turbines for the house with Loverboy, we're waiting for pricing to go down and see what we can do about getting our own power cells for the house. Not that we expect to be off the grid, but we want to see what we can do to help out with the money aspect (as long as it doesn't become an impulse or crappy buy).

11. I will write more in my blog! I can write in more whimsical, interesting info rather than the latest nasty vomitious spew going on in my life, though it may not be as interesting as my monthly dilemmas. I will try to be more upbeat and not so depressing (though sometimes that's half the entertainment right there). SO here's to a better blogginess for 2009.

So there are the accomplishments I'd like to achieve for 2009. Ask me in 2 months if I've even started any of these, most likely I'll have already dropped half of them. But I will at least start off with these today, I have no inkling to blow these off right now, but with a little sweat and persevearance, I think these can be quite achievable.

I'm off to clean off my computer desk and clean out the fridge...hopefully I'll complete both tasks before getting bored and crashing in front of the TV with Loverboy...who's taken today as a task to clean the garage to the point where we can sort of have a living room back before the floor gets ripped out...serenity now I tell ya, and putting the loveseat in storage is no easy feat, but can hopefully get done by the end of the day.

Bless all who've kept up with me this past year, and hope you're accomplishments are within your grasp!