HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year! I wish you all Peace, Joy, Love, and Prosperity in 2008!

Here are my 2008 Resolutions, in no particular order (Yes, I know, they are 2007's resolutions recycled, but they still are good!):

• Be fearless. Take risks. Be positive. Be confident. At the age of 46, you’ve earned it!
o Try to do one new thing a month.
o Take the metro somewhere…..anywhere…….
o Go out to dinner alone. Continue to go to the summer concerts.
o Go out more. Although I love love love being alone and nesting and knitting at home, I do need to go out more.
o Take ballroom and latin dancing lessons
o Take Chinese language lessons
• Be kinder to everyone.
• Try to be more of a friend to my children.
• Take medicine EVERY DAY.
o No excuses for forgetting to take it for a month. That’s when you get scary mammogram results!!!!
• Try to blog at least once a week, even if it is off-topic and/or very short.
• Try to give more of yourself to others. Be kinder to those in need.
o Do not complain or sigh when volunteering at cancer support center. Knit something for charity at least once a month (it could be a hat or a sock or a blanket).
• Smile more. Try not to be so aloof, especially with strangers, especially with HANDSOME strangers.
• Health and personal appearance.
o Try to be the best person I can be; this includes being more watchful of some things (like weight and exercise and diet) and indulging myself more (massages, foot massages)
o Lose weight (25 - 40 pounds)
o Eat healthy foods
o Exercise at least three times a week.
o Put moisturizer on 2x per day
o Pay attention to clothes.
o Since I’ve re-discovered the bargains in Downtown L.A., spend more money on nice shoes.
• Knitting.
o Do not buy any yarn this year unless it is meant for a suit that will be knit within the next two months.
o The only knitting things I am allowed to buy are knitting magazines and DAK.
o Knit 1 item to wear a month.
o Try to knit at least 2 hours a week.
• Money
o Save A LOT of money this year.
o Do not go out to eat every week.
o Bring lunch/dinner to work.
o Put money in bank every paycheck.
o Live within means/stay on budget.
o Decide what to do with all the different 401Ks I have from all my other jobs.
o Either move them, consolidate them, or re-allocate them. (Especially the two money market ones that are just sitting around doing nothing!!!!!)
o Pay off all debts except for student loan debts.
Try to manage money so that I’m not scraping by the end of the month. In other words, have some money in the checking account at the end of the month.
• Work
o Be on time for work. Work starts at 8:30 a.m., NOT 9:10 a.m.
o Start cleaning out office and putting things in the right place.
o Look for a new job in student affairs before the end of the year.
• Procrastination.
o Do not procrastinate.
o Open mail and DEAL WITH IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE!!!!! No procrastination or denial
o Don’t let unwashed dishes stay in sink for longer than 24 hours (well, okay, maybe 36). My record was 3 weeks (the dishes were rinsed, though. I was BUSY writing my papers! And, I eat out a lot).
o Keep office clean and files up to date.
o TRY to make bed, even if it means only pulling up the covers.
o DO NOT TURN IN PAPERS 2 WEEKS LATE.
• Household
o Very similar to the procrastination category, but oh well…..
o Keep clutter to a minimum
o Hang up clothes every night.
o Keep home desk kind of neat
o Try to put everything away. A place for everything and everything in its place.
• Flirt more. I need the practice.