The Real New Year

I am not a big fan of New Year's as a holiday, because I feel that it is highly overrated.  Don't get me wrong, I am 100% behind any holiday that means offices nationwide are closed... but I feel that the typical New Year's celebrations are overpriced, overcrowded, and overly glitzy.  This year, Joel and I spent New Year's Eve the same way we have for the past several years: in our living room.   We made steaks for dinner, drank a lot of wine, and watched a marathon of Man vs. Wild that we had Tivo'ed.  At midnight, we went up on our deck to watch the fireworks in the freakishly warm weather.  Then I stayed up until 3am reading a book.  Rockstar, that's what I am.

Another thing I don't like about New Years is the resolutions that everyone makes, and no one keeps.  I'll lose 10 pounds!   I'll write the great American novel!  I'll solve world hunger! 

So, instead I make birthday resolutions, for the new year in my life.  A Rebel, that's what I am.

So on this day, the beginning of my 26th year on this earth, here are my resolutions.  With The Internet as my witness, this year I resolve to:

• Break some of my unhealthy eating habits.  I'm not giving up frozen pizzas or Diet Cokes, but I need to cut back on the chips and other salty crap, and replace them with more fruits and veggies.
• Continue on my odyssey to become a better cook.  I want to try more cookbook recipes, and add at least three new dishes to the list of Things I Can Make Really Well.
• Continue reading for pleasure.  This was my big resolution last year, after falling off the reading bandwagon for about 10 years.  I used to average a book a week when I was a kid, and sometimes I'd go through a novel in a single day.  Then school took over my life somewhere around age 13, and I got into this rut where I felt like if I was reading, I should be reading for school... which lasted all the way through college.  Since I never felt like reading for school, I stopped reading altogether until last year.  This year I want to continue what I started, and read at least one book a month. 
• Start a reading journal.  I am totally copying this from another blogger, because I think it is a great and fun idea.
• Write something for fun.
• Be less judgmental (of myself and others).  I also made this resolution last year, and jury's out on whether or not I succeeded. 
• Find a volunteering gig that I actually like, and stick with it.
• Finish some of the billion projects I've started at home.   I would love to finish My Wall, or at least make some really good progress on it.  Ditto for the painting, which has come to a standstill lately as we waffle about colors for the first floor. 
• Fully fund my IRA.
• Start dressing my age, instead of masquerading as a college student in my sweats-and-sneakers weekend uniform. 
• Stop being sporadic about exercising.  Start running outside once the weather is better, and try to mix in hiking and yoga when I can.

If I can get all of those things accomplished, I'll consider it a very good year. 

I've been overwhelmed already today with emails and e-cards and good old fashioned paper cards and even one comment on here wishing me a happy birthday.  My mother sent me an email that made me cry.   I totally overslept and was half an hour late to work, and nobody fired me.  I'm wearing a new dress and new shoes that I bought this weekend, on sale.  Tonight Joel is taking me out for a surprise dinner (I know we're going out, just don't know where), and there's an oreo ice cream cake in the freezer.  So far, it's shaping up to be a pretty good year.

Comments

[Kirsten]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (again!)
and i am just wondering what time you'll be eating that ice cream cake and can I have some!!
i never was much into making new years resolutions. Maybe i'll do like you and pick my own day to start them. I think i'll start my "eating healthier" resolution when i finish this big box of chocolates sitting on my desk.
Joke is planning to start a recipe blog i believe, so maybe that will help you with your cooking resolution to get some ideas. (it has not yet started though) Or you can join my Cooking Club i started here in ATL!
(OH NO! there are only 2 more peanut butter cups left in my box of yummy chocolate..now i'm gonna be eating chocolate I dont even really like!!)
Kirsten

[janet]

Happy birthday! Any day that includes anything Oreo-related is probably a good one :)

[Mary]

Happy birthday! Thanks for writing such an entertaining blog. I sure do enjoy reading it, yupper.

[Carolyn J.]

Happy Birthday! I think if you can get half that done, it will be a spectacular year. Not because I don't think you can do it, but because that's a hell of a lot to do!

If you're looking for some book recommendations, visit my book blog at http://deodand.vox.com

[Isabel]

I am such a BAD INTERNET FRIEND for missing your birthday. And for that, I am sorry.

I hope it was a good one.

And hooray for a new year with new goals. Good for you!

[Jemima]

Gah! I KNEW my comments got eaten yesterday. Stupid internet. Anyway, I said something along the lines of happy birthday and then went prostrate with amazement over your wall. You've got to finish it and post photos. It's the coolest thing EVER!