I Resolve.....

So today is New Year's Eve, a day to reflect on the year that has passed, to think about what could have been better, and to make resolutions that will, hopefully anyway, make the year to come all it possibly can be. That's what I'm doing today, between prepping for the party tonight (post to follow tomorrow, of course), cleaning the house and getting a little pampering.

For 2009, I resolve....

1. To take better care of myself. Truly, my biggest regret of 2008 is that I did not faithfully exercise, did not make taking care of myself a priority. So for 2009, I am taking control of my schedule and making sure I have time to do the things I need to do for myself.

2. To figure out my job sitution, once and for all. OK, a bad economy isn't the time to be thinking about changing jobs. But I AM at a crossroads in my current career as I develop a new specialty and see if that can turn my job burnout around. And by the end of 2009 I would like to love what I do for a living, whether it is at my current place of employment or somewhere completely new.

3. To forge stronger friendships. I haven't been the best friend in 2008 to those who meant the most to me. For the first year since moving to CA, I have slipped in my communications with my friends in other places. And it's somewhat nonsensical that I let this happened considering I am not even remotely as close to anyone here as I am to my friends in St. Louis. For 2009, I want to both build stronger friendships here in CA and also to hold tightly to the most wonderful friends in the world, Foodie and Jules, even though they are far away.

4. To have more life in my life than on my computer screen. Hello, my name is RSCY and I am an internet addict. There. I admitted it. I adore all kinds of Facebook games, get all my news on-line, do most of my shopping on-line and communicate more on the computer than I do on the phone. But for Mr. Y and my friend Dee I would be a hermit who only leaves the computer to use the restroom. But for 2009, I would like to streamline a bit and spend more time with my local friends in person than I spend with them on-line. (Yes, Dee, that means you.) And I would also like to explore the possibility of turning some internet relationships into phone relationships.

5. To look fabulous again. It is a sad state of affairs for a girl to stop caring about her hair, and yet that is exactly what I did in 2008. With the arrival of my brother, who promptly took over my personal restroom, I streamlined my primping process and cut haircare out of the picture. It is now a stringy mess that never gets blown dry or styled. And that is about to change (starting with my hair appointment scheduled for the day before I return to work).

6. To be closer to family, both biological and inlaw. I have an aunt and cousins that I haven't spoken with in a very long time. I also have awesome inlaws that we don't see often enough. Sorry, Mr. Y, but for 2009 that is going to change.

7. To continue taking vacations. Yes, the economy is bad and we could spend our vacation fund elsewhere. But that genie isn't going back in the bottle. I have the travel bug and, more than that, the need to spend time with Mr. Y far, far away from our respective jobs. So we will continue to vacation in 2009 (thanks to our Taca debacle, we have vouchers to use, and I'm thinking a tour of South America's wine country is in order).

8. To volunteer regularly. I am pretty good at writing checks, but not so good at giving my time. Mr. Y does not like when I write big checks, so our compromise is to write smaller checks and give more of ourselves. So I'm looking for a good place to volunteer, and hopefully soon I will be regularly scheduled to give my time to help some worthy cause (wish me luck!).

9. To spend more time with the girls. Truffles and Posi are a joy, yet since my brother moved in, he has spent more time with them than I have. That has already started to change, and will continue to do so (especially as I make time for myself to exercise, as I can exercise while spending time with the girls--a win-win).

10. To be a better person. Yes, it's cliche, but when I reflect on the past, I know I was not the best me I could be. In 2008 I got caught up in more drama than I should have, was sucked into behavior that helped me fit in with a group to the detriment of individual relationships, as well as all the other shortcomings I have enumerated above. I'm not exactly sure how to be a better person, but I will start by being a better friend and doing more giving back, and we'll see where it goes from there!

So Happy New Year to everyone out there! Be safe, have fun, and don't forget to make your own resolutions. Having a fabulous 2009 could depend on it! =)