Resolutions? They are so 2008….

Normally I make a detailed list of resolutions for the upcoming year. And, as expected, those resolutions fall by the side of the road by mid-year.

So this year I’m doing something a little different. I’m making one resolution, and one resolution only.

To do whatever I need to do in order to be happy.

If working out makes me happy, then I’ll work out. If I want to veg on the soft on Thursday nights, then damn it, that’s what I’m going to do. And I won’t feel guilty about not meeting some crazy resolution to work out 4 times a week.

If I want to go on a trip and get blitzed for that horrible birthday that’s a good year away, then that’s what I’m going to do. If I decide to take off for a weekend to Buffalo with the guy I’m dating, then that’s what I’m going to do.

This year is all about me and doing what I want, and need, to do in order to find happiness. Resolutions only make me depressed when I look back and realize I didn’t accomplish half of what I set out to do.

So bring on 2009 and whatever it entails. I’m ready for it.

2008 Endless Possibilities

Nothing lasts forever, 2007 included. And now, after reviewing the ruins of what was once 2007, I look forward into the unknown abyss that we call 2008. I apologize for the dooms day feeling I attach to the coming year, but after what I’ve had to deal with during the last 365 days, I think any trepidations I have are understandable.

What do I hope to accomplish this year? Better yet, what will I accomplish and will I fail miserably at? Only time will tell, and there’s a lot of time during 365 days (or 366 if it’s a leap year).

Because I’m running out of steam (did you see the length of my last post?), I will not be categorizing anything. So, let’s get right to it shall we?

Resolutions:

1. Complete 50% of the courses required for my Marketing Management Certificate.

2. Start the Yoga Booty Ballet series.

3. Increase physical exercise (outside of DVD series), to a minimum of 4 hours a week.

4. Clear out 90% of remaining debt load by the end of 2008.

5. Continue reading a minimum of 3 books a month.

6. Limit the number of bought lunches to twice a week.

7. Organize my financial files.

8. Maintain a clutter free work and home environment.

9. Continue visiting with friends and family on a regular basis.

10. Update photo albums and scrapbooks.

11. Blog more often.

2007 Year End Review

2008 is at the door waiting to be welcomed in. And how will I be greeting this new guest? With open arms, that’s how. 2007 was anything but good and if I had my way it would have ended much sooner that it has. I don’t think that anything could have improved the year after the loss of my Dad back in February. Every day I think about him and sometimes it hurts so much I can’t breathe. I never know what’s going to impact me. Lately it’s been “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw. And then there are these small thoughts that pop into my head like when I was decorating the Christmas tree. I stopped and realized that I couldn’t remember ever hearing what my dad had on his tree when he was little and that now I would never know.

A few weeks ago we went to a Memorial Service at the funeral parlor we had the service at. As I was sitting in the room with my Mom and Granny Flo, I could feel the panic welling up inside of me. The urge to run from the building was very strong and only with some controlled breathing did I manage not to give in and avoid a full blown anxiety attack. When we were having refreshments afterwards my side of the conversation was limited to one word answers. I was grateful when the service was over. Now that some time has passed since the Memorial Service I can look back and say how beautiful it was. While it was taking place all I could think of was “Get me out of here”.

2007 was also the year where I let go of a friend. It was time. Who they have become is not the person I once knew. I wish them the best in life and happiness in whatever they do. Ironically, although I no longer consider this person a friend, and at best an acquaintance, they still have ties to my family. I’m not sure those will ever be entirely severed and I have no problem if they aren’t. I have severed my ties and what happens with my family and this friend is up to them.

So, 2007 is nearing the end (as I write this there is just under 12 hours left), and 2008 is a wide open plain of possibilities. I guess that means it’s time to review my resolutions for 2007 and plan my resolutions for 2008.

In 2007, I set 15 goals. Of those, I successfully completed 7. That’s not even 50% completed. So what have I completed and what did I fail miserably at? Okay, here we go.

Completed:

1. Write my Resolutions
Um, obviously completed.

2. Stop using my credit cards
For the most part this was completed. Although I have 6 credit cards I currently only have cards for 2 accounts, and only use 1 card sparingly.

3. Plan my trip to Paris and have the money saved by June
Unless I dreamed of those two glorious weeks in France that took place in September, this was successfully completed although the money wasn’t saved until the middle of August. And, because I’m awesome at saving when I choose to be, only the Hotel was put on a credit card and even that was immediately paid off.

4. Move to a different apartment
Accomplished but not in a way that intended. I moved home after my Dad passed away.

5. Declutter my apartment
Again, accomplished when I was packing up my stuff to move back home.

6: To clean out my email and maintain it
Okay, so this was only completed back in November, but it was completed so that counts.

7: To visit with friends and family more
Definitely been accomplished for this year, but something I’m going to keep working at

Incomplete

1: Be bikini ready by the summer of 2007
Excuse me while I laugh my way to the fridge. This didn’t even come close to happening.

2. Go to the gym and minimum of 3 times a week
I think it’s safe to say that this didn’t happen unless walking from the fridge to the couch counts as exercise.

3. Clear 70% of my debt load
The numbers are significantly lower than the beginning of the year but not quite where I wanted to be.

4. Get a part-time job
This will never work with the hours I put in at my full-time job. It’s all good though since the work has been acknowledged.

5. Limit the number of lunches I buy to twice a week at the most
This was killed a few months ago when the renovations started at work. We didn’t have a kitchen for the longest time, and then when we did it was on the 17th floor, and 2 elevator rides away.

6. Take no less than 3 college course this year
HAHAHAHAHAHA

7. Read no less than 2 pieces of literature a month
HA! I was successful for the first few months before I went on a non-lit binge.

8. Start cooking and using my recipe collection
I can hear my friends laughing right now.

Inspiration from outside sources

Since it’s Monday and my last post was sometime last week (curse my stupid home computer), I felt the urge to write something. Unfortunately I am lacking in the creativity sector. So, as a temporary solution for I went to Theresa for suggestions.

And this is what I end up with:

1. Jay got his license and can now drive on his own. Next step? Conquering the highway and its chaos. I told him I’m finding a bomb shelter and hiding.
2. Theresa once put her hand on a hot burner to see if it was hot because she didn’t believe her mother.
3. I once swallowed a screw (and nearly choked on it). Don’t ask why I did it because I don’t know why. Anyone else thinking of the the lady that swallowed a fly?
4. Ben got a puppy this weekend. Her name is Bailey. She scares the bejeezus out of my cats who are easily 5 times bigger than her. Tigger spent the better part of the weekend on my microwave stand and Mia on top of the chair.
5. I drove the Blazer last night. The first time I drove it I didn’t have a license. I now have a G1 but didn’t have it with me. This does not bode well!
6. I found a link to a girl I went to high school with. I feel like a lurker reading about her life but I don’t know if she’ll remember me.
7. I current have a whopper of a case of heartburn.
8. I threw out 2 bags of paper/junk that was floating around my apartment.
9. I want to tackle the boxes in my closet in an effort to purge and entertain myself for free (yes I find purging garbage/old junk/crap in general fun). I think it will be a very liberating experience.
10. I’m hoping my brother-in-law will fix my computer for me and get me a copy of Access this weekend. I love databases and have been wanting to create a DB to track my books (which ones I’ve read, which ones I own, what I want to buy, what sets are incomplete, etc.)

I am now done. I have nothing else to say right now. My life is boring but I love it!

A New Year and new resolutions

Because it seems to be the required protocol for every human being, I’ve made my list of New Year Resolutions. I have no idea if that New Year Resolutions should be capitalized, but I digress. Some of these may seem mundane to you, but they are my resolutions so suck it up and deal with it (I mean that in the nicest way possible).

I’ve also created an additional page on this site to track my successes. All active/incomplete resolutions will be at the top and identified as such, followed by the completed tasks at the bottom. Makes sense, right?

Category: Miscellaneous

1. To write my New Years Resolutions. Task completed.

Category: Physical 

1. Be bikini ready by the summer of 2007 (I will not state how many pounds that is because although it’s a disgusting number in regards to myself, it is nothing compared to what other people need to lose).
2. Go to the gym a minimum of 3 times a week.

Category: Monetary

1. Stop using my credit cards. Task completed. I cut up every card I own prior to New Years Eve! You can’t use them if you don’t have them.
2. Clear 70% of my debt load.
3. Get a part-time job. (Yes, I currently have a full-time job, but all income earned from a part-time job will be used for faster debt repayment, RRSP contributions and general savings.)
4. Limit the number of lunches I buy to twice a week at the most.
5. Plan my trip to
   Paris and have the money saved by June.
6. Move to a different apartment. (This resolution is categorized as monetary simply because a move to a different apartment will result in lower rental costs. I could also include this under Organization because my apartment does not provide nearly enough closet space but added space is just an extra perk.) 

Category: Organization

1. Declutter my apartment and keep it that way.
2. To clean out my junk email and maintain it.

Category: Education/Development

1. Take no less than 3 college courses this year.
2. Read no less than 2 pieces of literature (meaning anything but romance or mystery novels).
3. Start cooking and using my recipe collection.

Category: Relationships

1. To visit with friends and family more.

Keeping it brief

(Please ignore the change in font for this entry. As I explained before, I’m new to this whole wordpress thing-a-ma-jig. Although I have been doing pretty good so far.) 

I’m keeping this brief because it’s Friday at 12:11 pm and the office closed exactly 11 minutes ago.  I’m using my own time to post this entry despite the fact the last 2.5 days at work have been boring and dead.  I work on a team of 11 people and only 4 of us were in this week (and we were in and out anyways).

New Years Eve is quickly approaching and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I will be heading to a friends house on New Years Eve for drinks, laughter and board games (because we’re geeks like that). I’m not planning on getting drunk, but spending the night with my friends means that more than likely we all will be slightly tipsy to say the least.

So when I’m back in the office on Wednesday I’ll take some time and post my new years resolutions on here for you all to see. I’m thinking about creating a page to keep track of the progress I make on my resolutions, and another page just for my weight loss journey.

Until then, here’s the best to you and yours. Whatever you do, I hope its safe and fun filled.