Tuesday, January 02, 2007

new start


I hope everyone is back safe and sound from your holiday travels. It felt good to come back to work today. I had so much been looking forward to a relaxing break over the holidays, and in some ways it was, but in other ways... um, I am very glad to be back at work. I think I OD'ed a little on family time.

I am pondering New Year's resolutions and what to promise to do this year to make the world a better place and myself a better citizen of it. Every year I get awfully ambitious. This year I think maybe keeping it simple will be a smarter thing to do. In contemplating this year's resolutions, I thought it might be wise to see how last year's resolutions fared in 2006.

The 2006 Resolutions End-of-Year Progress Report

2006 personal resolutions
  • Stop thinking that my job is the most important thing there is.
So, maybe I don't think this quite so much anymore, but I sure do act like it. Right thinking, right acting. I need practice.
  • Go to yoga at least once a week.
I actually did pretty well with this. Many weeks I went twice.
  • Stop being so G-darn bossy, especially to Sis and HWWLLB.
You would probably have to ask them how this went, but I continue to make a conscious effort on this, and that's probably the most important thing.
  • Wear something I knit once in a while (I have become the butt of jokes at Stitch & Bitch. They just don't get it. I don't feel the need to wear the things I make - I recently learned the term "process knitter" to describe this very phenomenon. But I will do it - to avoid further mockery).
Yes! This has gone well. I think I'll knit myself some more things (and wear them) in 2007.
  • Practice violin at least three times per week.
Oh gosh. This may be my biggest bomb. I haven't picked up the violin since March.
Hm. I kind of forgot about this one. Does playing more Boggle count?

work-related
  • Become a kick-ass fundraiser! Raise twice as much money as last year!
I wouldn't say I have become kick-ass, but we definitely raised more money from more donors this year, and it felt really, really good.
  • Spend more time enjoying the wonderful people I get to meet through work.
I don't think I did this. I am such a darned introvert.

saving the world
  • Eschew plastic. No more plastic take-out containers, no more toxic Nalgene bottles, no more plastic bags from the grocery store. I have around 100 canvas bags and I'm darn well going to use them.
Man, I suck! I definitely cut back on the grocery bags, but take-out containers? Sheesh. There is plastic in piles all around me right now. Argh!
  • Buy less crap. Crap includes: new clothes, anything from Target (even things with amazing ylang-ylang nano elf technology), and especially things that I justify purchasing by thinking about how the item will make my life better. Crap does not include: yarn, pricey Japanese-made knitting tools, or things purchased at thrift stores (it's my list and I'll write my own definitions, thank you).

So, I'd call this last one a C-plus. I did buy a little less crap this year. I participated in the Wardrobe Refashion and went two months without buying any clothes at all, until I crashed on hiking gear at the end of the two-month run. I bought only two Christmas presents, and made everything else that I gave. On the other hand, I have spent a small fortune on crap for the new house at the Home Despot lately. Probably all crap I could have scavenged or bought used at a thrift shop, too.

Overall, I think I was a little too ambitious, and that's probably why my ratings year-end are so mediocre. I'm always setting too many goals for myself anyway. This year, one goal only. But what??? Are y'all making resolutions? Should I resolve to say y'all less? Or more...?

5 comments:

  1. I love the way you review the old NYR's first, before setting up the new ones! I admit, I went back to my (long) list for 2006, crossed off 2 items, then transferred all of the remaining things to the 2007 list.....with hardly a thought. Yikes! I think my biggest NYR is "Try Harder." I believe that if I can just try harder,put more effort, have more discipline in all of my endeavors, I'll make some great progress this year on so many things....art, friendships, housecleaning, skiing....

    ReplyDelete
  2. hee hee
    your comments
    on your resolutions
    made me laugh!
    i thought that
    i was
    the bossy one!
    maybe with
    the reminding
    of our new blog,
    we both will
    buy less crap...
    a toast to buying
    less crap
    {looking you in the eye}
    *toast!*

    ReplyDelete
  3. You guys are really making me think....I like this idea to buy less crap. I don't buy a lot of crap as it is, but I would dearly like to cut down on my trash-creation, since the town where I live has NO recycling and it's breaking my heart to see the size of the landfills in this beautiful country.....so. Buy less crap, throw out less crap, recycle more crap. Overall, rid myself of dealing with a lot of crap. "2007: Year of Less Crap."

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think ya did real good! U just recycle the list from last year, every year! But hey, at least I am recycling, no?

    ReplyDelete
  5. cheers to
    2007: Year of Less Crap!

    ReplyDelete

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