Revolution and Resolutions

What can I say, 2008 was both good and bad. I lost my father-in-law and one of my kitties, but I witnessed (and was a part of!) the most pivotal election of my lifetime (so far, anyway). Some of my clients were victorious in their lawsuits (meaning they had to pay much less than if some other law firm had been representing them) and some of them annoyed the shit out of me because they haven't yet got what they think is coming to them (and don't even get me started on what that might be, other than the millions they're expecting). Overall, though, I suppose, it was not a totally awful year, perhaps even better than average. Even though first the housing market and then the economy tanked, meaning I'm stuck in my fucking too-small house for a while or at least until I can figure out a way to convince a bank to give me another loan so I can keep my current house (and rent it) while buying another one (to actually live in). We'll see.

But I am hopeful, thanks to our President-Elect whose take on the world I believe is revolutionary -- imagine, thinking that an election should be about the people and not the corporations that employ them. That an inauguration should include everyday folks and not just the famous and powerful. That people from all regions of the political spectrum are asked to be a part of the governing body. Imagine what can be accomplished when the government really is of the people, by the people and for the people. If it wasn't simply a return to the original precepts of this country, such a position would be revolutionary.Hell, to some of the power brokers, it still is. And that makes me think that 2009 might be even better than 2008, even if the economy is slow in recovering, even if I have to stay in my too-small house longer than I would like; even if I don't get tickets to the inauguration. :) It's amazing how a little hope can create brightness in times of darkness. So on with the revolution!!!

And now, the resolutions....because it's hardly new years until I make some promises to myself. So...

1. Take better care of myself.
Tomorrow I will have been smoke free (with a few little slip ups) for exactly six months, so hooray me. But while that is a step forward towards healthfulness, the problem is that those 6 smoke-free months also led to me gaining nearly 15 fucking pounds, and that totally sucks. So, this year, I WILL get rid of those pounds, plus a few extra I was already working on before quitting smoking. And that means eating better, exercising more, drinking more water, etc. I could make a whole bunch of specific sub-resolutions/promises to myself, but I generally don't like "rules" so an overall idea of caring for myself will probably work best for me.

2. Clear out the clutter
I've got a basement plus two storage units full of stuff. Most of this stuff came out of my father-in-law's house, and was the natural result of selling his home, but there's also a lot of stuff that was ours that just got shoved aside following a nasty flood a few years back. Hell, I don't even remember what is in some of the boxes. But getting rid of that much shit is much harder work than you would expect. With the FIL's stuff -- the DH and his brother want to "go through it" but they're both awful procrastinators, which means I have to do it myself or it will be 2010 before I get the fucking SAM out of my driveway. And then there's the question of what to do with all the stuff -- it seems terribly wasteful to throw it out -- its all in good condition, but what does one do with 27 boxes of books? Or 4 boxes of old maps (no, I'm not fucking kidding)? My plan is to answer these questions and reclaim my driveway. And it would be great if I could get it done by the end of May.

3. Be timely in acknowledging life events
I am TERRIBLE at remembering birthdays and shit. I mean fucking awful. I don't really forget them, I just forget to send cards (even when I remember to buy them) or forget to call to actually say happy birthday. In other words, I am the queen of the belated birthday card and present. This isn't a big deal with my grown-up friends, but with my nieces and nephews, it's pretty shitty, right? So, I resolve to be on time this year, at least with the kids. Step one will be adding all the dates to my Outlook calendar, which will then send my reminders!! First up, Mom on January 16.

4. Cook more; take out less.
Somewhat related to number 1, I've decided that while take-out is simple, its not particularly good for you. And kind of expensive too. So, more home-cooked meals are on the agenda. I started the year out really good actually -- with the exception of New Years Day, no take out. And for me, that's monumental -- seriously, no take out on a Saturday night at home? I've amazed even myself. This is all thanks to a little gift I bought myself (can you say crock-pot people?); hopefully I can keep it up.

5. Break the procrastination habit
I procrastinate. I do. And I can't help it (ok, that's a cop out, but you get my drift). I will often think to myself, no need to do that today, there will be time tomorrow. And then tomorrow comes and I say the same thing and next thing I know, I'm working until 3AM because I didn't get shit done earlier. Or I'm scrambling to get an overly long to do list done during a long weekend when I could otherwise be relaxing. Or, I'm calling my 6 year old nephew a week late to say happy birthday (see resolution #3). So, no more of that crap. Starting today, I will be more mindful of my time. Because outlook is half the battle, right. If I believe there is time to get things done today and choose to do those things today, then there is the time and nothing has to wait until tomorrow. Or something like that. I'm working on it.

And finally, # 6 -- do actual work when actually at work. This one obviously is going to take some effort since I'm actually at work right now. ;)