I Resolve...

I used to make resolutions every year. Never kept ‘em. So I quit. For some reason, I feel like making some this year. And what has possessed me to publicly broadcast them is beyond me, but here we go.

1. Do one nice thing a day for my husband. It’s rather sad that this should even be a resolution, but after 16 years together (and the last two pretty much 24/7) one gets lazy and self-centered. I’m going to fix that.

2. Find a balance between the social butterfly who has emerged from her cocoon and the solitude that I need for my craft and my soul. Never thought that would be a problem for lone wolf me, but life does take strange twists.

3. Lose 5 lbs. Ha! You knew that one was coming. Losing weight was always on the list (isn’t it on everyone’s?), but I was never specific. Besides, I need to lose at least 10, so I’m splitting the difference hoping that perhaps by setting my sites lower (and more reasonably) I’ll actually be able to reach the goal. But first I need a cookie…

4. Get out there. By that I mean, marketing my images and my words. Which is a huge challenge seeing as how I’ve always sucked at self-promotion. And getting out there also means following thru on my intentions to actually meet some of my cyberspace friends in the flesh. Which is a huge challenge because it means putting my shy nature on the shelf. Shut up. I am shy.

5. Self publish at least two books, maybe more. I’ve had a book or two in me for years. It’s time. Because – duh – I’m not getting any younger.
(I’ve already started laying out the first one. Yay!)

6. Get thee to a beach!!! With cookies.

7. Speaking of cookies, start baking my own dog biscuits again. Everything I pick up in the store is made in China. Back on the shelf it goes. Nope. Not gonna’ do it. Not to my dog. God knows what's in them.

8. Grow my hair out. Again. Sheesh. I was doing so well there for awhile…

9. Give back. I know that's a very broad statement, but it's going to require a lot of thought as to how I'm going to do this. Living the Charmed Life as I do, it's long overdue.

10. Get a colonoscopy. I’m 53 and my doctor has been telling me since I turned 50 that it would be a good idea to get a baseline. O joy. Do I know how to have a good time or what?!

11. So on the heels of that last one ~~ be kinder to myself. I’m the Queen of brow-beating ~ no one beats me up like me. Which actually kind of falls into line with what I read earlier this morning in my “Horoscope for 2008.” It recommended my mantra for the year be “lighten up.” Seeing as how I’m a Scorpio ~~ and we all know how passionate and intense Scorpions are ~~ that’s going to be a challenge. But actually it makes sense. I just finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" and soaked up so much inspiration from it; I think Elizabeth would endorse that mantra. I really am going to try to BE in the moment more. And along those same lines ~ be more myself. (I know what that means.)

So. There ya' go. I really was going to keep it to 10, but as you know, I can't do anything in a small way... I’ve got a couple more, but they’re private. One can’t blog about everything, ya’ know. Here's to an exciting and inspiring 2008! It's going to be a great ride...