A few resolute New Years suggestions...

Well, I'm narrowing things down in my mind, from a vast course in self-improvement to wider, gentler, more generic overview type suggestions of an improving nature. So far, after picking the brains of many OTHER bloggers (I've been catching up - slowly-slowly with my vast backlog of blogs I enjoy) I've narrowed the field.

So, I think I have found a few things that may work for me. To date, these "suggestions" (or "evolutions", thank you Lee!) are seeming to resonate within:

- Laugh more - (but try for less cynically)

- Embrace change and the unexpected (re: when it comes from my mother)

- Bake things I've never made, like cream puffs and custard tarts -and try not to eat them all

- Dance way more - shoot for maybe about 15 minutes/day with the headphones and my clever little SanDisk player.

- Go to places that make me feel happy.

- Eat only when hungry, not when curious or bored.


- Spend time with people I really like and less time with people who make me anxious or drained [note to self: Interact more with people.]


Interspersed in there as well are the "suggested resolutions" pushed forward by my tedious conscience (that interior hall monitor with the stern look over the half glasses, and the impatient tapping foot) ie:

- JUST GO THROUGH the bloody boxes, already; yes, in the box room- the ones from our last move ten years ago!
a) speaking of boxes- go through the boxes and look for photographs that are loose and do something with them.
b) (do not burn unflattering photographs of self)

- really clean the kitchen [especially the bookshelves and all the italian tiles behind everything]

- meditate on nothing 15 minutes a day (head off neurotic mind squirrels with Dalai Lama "OM" on SanDisk player!)

- go through the Learning Greek Textbook and listen to the CD's again. (well, give it a shot anyway!)


As for any other things that are needed for self improvement, if I manage to accomplish any of the above I should be well ahead of the game.


~~~

Meanwhile, I lifted a great family Christmas shot from Facebook after perusing the Christmas albums of my son and granddaughter:




a great gathering including all the usual suspects. Missing, of course, is us! (boo-hoo)


... then there's this great shot I couldn't NOT include...




and this one with the 'lion king' obviously taking orders at the restaurant:

So. Peace and resolve to all til the next post...

~~~

[re: 'Soundtrack of my life' and i are currently disagreeing so the only soundtrack I have, are the voices in my head (my HEADPHONES, ok?)

Perhaps we'll manage to reorganize ourselves and insert mixpod back again, but currently it's suspended as it's choosing malaysian music which i am not so fond of...]

Resolutions

For the sake of old times, I suppose thinking about New Year's resolutions is a good idea. Any resolution I have made for the new year has generally been easy to keep, as I had pretty much decided to do that thing anyway. [For instance: the year I decided to quit smoking, I'd already had a two month "trial" period wherein I HAD actually quit smoking, thereby making it much easier to fulfill the terms of the resolution, as I knew I could do it.]

This year I think I will need to actually think about what it is I need to resolve (whoa! OK, limiting it to a few things I may be able to resolve) and accomplish this year while at the same time maintaining a level of well-being I will enjoy and appreciate.

I am guessing this will play out over the next few weeks. I am not rushing into just any fly by night resolution! I sort of like the idea of choosing a physical resolution, a mental resolution and a spiritual resolution. (Except of course I can think of eleventy million physical ones and NO mental or spiritual ones right this minute.)

So. Thinking cap is on... project 'figure out the resolutions' is on the drawing board. (I am open to suggestions!)

~~~

Meanwhile, our Blue Moon evening was delightful. We danced to good live music, and had a meal with good friend and neighbors and toasted the new year in with much enthusiasm.

This morning we woke up without a headache! I can only say "Yay!" and really mean it.

The moon last night was lovely!

We got dressed up and enjoyed ourselves. This is the first time in two years I have actually "danced the night away". My knee behaved and I only have a few little twangs to remind me of last night.

Today I made a turkey and a potato-spinach mash for our holiday lunch (with friends coming later this evening to enjoy a cold turkey and leftovers meal as well!) I made a lovely apple pie... unfortunately we cut it up before I took a picture of it... whine. (But at least you have an idea...)

Last but not least it rained for a while but just before our friends arrived it cleared up with big gusts of wind and suddenly the sun broke through, and we had a marvelous rainbow to launch our new year!

For what it's worth, I'm taking this rainbow as a sign. It's going to be a good year... because I really want it to be!


[Our friends arrived just as I was about to finish this entry. They've only just left which is why I am finally finishing this post a little bit late! I couldn't very well say "Excuse me, I'm writing a blog post about you coming by, and I need to finish it!"]

~~~


the soundtrack of my life remains the same - we still have a blue moon and I'm still singing along with Elvis...