Shiny, Bright, and New!

I love celebrating the New Year. I have always been very superstitious about it. When I was a kid, I believed that if I did not watch the ball drop in New York City on TV, then I would have a bad year. (I admit, I still kinda believe that.) As I got older I dreamed of the cool parties I would go to on New Year’s Eve and the boys I would hang out with. In the mean time I just partied with my cousin Jennifer. I remember one year we made wigs using a paper shredder and ran around yelling “Happy New Year!” We were sorely chastised for that one, and I longed for the New Years when I would be 16, and therefore cool: New Years Eve 2000! Well, I’m not sure how cool New Year’s Eve 2000 really turned out to be, but I did dance with the guy that ended up being my first boyfriend. I’d say that was momentous enough. So you see, New Year’s Eve is a time when magic can happen.

Anyway, one of the other reasons I love New Year’s is the chance to start again. Lots of people mock “resolutions” for their notorious lack of any actual resolve or lasting power. Well, this perhaps true at times, but I think it’s a nice opportunity to do some life evaluation. And sometimes they do last: I made a New Year’s Resolution once to floss my teeth every night, and I made it pretty much the whole year. (The trend was ruined in Novemberish when I was student teaching...worst time of my life.) So, on this momentous occasion of my first ever blog post, I present to you my New Year’s resolutions!

1. PR in Canyonlands Half Marathon

My goal is a 7:59 pace. This should be attainable if only I could get out in this horrible weather and run. So far I haven’t been too bad.

2. Look less frumpy

This goal is difficult considering my hatred of shopping and getting up in the morning. Oh, and my lack of hair skills. And my teacher salary….BUT I intend to document some of my efforts through the next goal…

3. Take more pictures!

I am bad at taking pictures, and even more so at sharing them. Clint and I nor his family took a single picture at Christmas this year. And it was our first Christmas together! Fortunately, I had his mom take a couple of pictures at Clint’s alumni hockey game. Unfortunately, those pictures are still on her camera.

4. Have a blog!

Check! Done already! Well, actually we shall see if this experiment continues.

5. Write!

This could mean writing in my journal which I completely ceased doing about a year ago…or it could mean blog posting! It could also mean creative writing. I kind of want to apply for this writing seminar over the summer—but perhaps more on that later.

6. Read the Sunday school lesson ahead of time

I always feel the need for a spiritual resolution as well. I have been getting worse about reading scriptures lately. I think part of it is being married and the change of routines. I figure reading the scriptures for the Sunday school lesson is a way of holding myself accountable to a course of study.

7. Procrastinate grading less…. :(

I didn’t even actually want to make this resolution….I dread grading so much, especially papers. I was soooo disappointed when I found out I wasn’t getting a student teacher this semester after all. Think of all the relief from grading! I could just focus on developing some cool curricular stuff….sigh. At any rate, starting is half the battle. I must re-motivate myself somehow and figure out how to make a schedule to do a little each day.

So there you have it. My 2011 resolutions. Hopefully pictures will be forthcoming.


PS Bonus points if anyone knows what the month of January is named after…without looking it up.

PSS Sorry for this rather unfortunate font. I didn't realize that composing in word then pasting in would be an issue.