things i can ...

... live without in 2010:

*car repairs
*sneezing at least 5 times in a row when i wake up in the morning
*oh, about 140 pounds
*paper cuts
*mean people
*creaking joints
*maltesers (yes, this is a minor miracle)
*having my picture taken
*filing
*throwing up

... NOT live without in 2010:

*chapstick
*hugs from my sisters
*thai dinners with my mom
*watching tv shows on DVD with my dad
*a trip or two to red deer
*reading some good books
*a fan in the summer and fleece sheets in the winter
*j.r. watkins lemon cream hand lotion
*ice cream
*lots and lots - i mean COPIOUS amounts - of laughter

how about you? what is something you can live without? and something you can not live without?

2009 in review ...

before i share 2010's goals with you, here is a brief recap on how the goals from 2009 went ...

1. read "the count of monte cristo" by alexander dumas ... okay, so it is december 23rd and i haven't accomplished this one yet. i still have 8 days. i will get back to you.

2. be early ... um. not so successful at this one. would be good to add this to the list again, but instead of doing so, i am simply putting some other goals in place that will help this to happen more often.

3. continually strive to increase health by:
*take my lunch hour away from my desk ... 75% #FAIL!! room for improvement for 2010!
*continue to do yoga 2x a week ... 95% #FAIL!! changing to once a week for 2010
*maintain journal of food, activity, and emotions to help identify problem spots as well as celebrate successes ... 90% SUCCESS!! i really did learn a lot about myself and other issues related to food and whatnot this past year (see my other blog for more information).

4. socialize ... definitely succeeded in this department, but not in the way i anticipated. i feel very good about the progress in this area and am confident the habits i established in 2009 will carry forward into next year!

overall, i am most surprised by how AWARE i remained of the goals throughout the year. there isn't one on this list that i wasn't actively trying to implement more each month. i think that means my goals were appropriate and relevant - always a good thing.

but really? the success of the year hinges on whether or not "the count of monte cristo" gets read in the next 8 days!

seriously.

enriching literature ...

i have decided i need to 'class up' my reading a little next year. sure, i read a lot of books - i am on #97 for the year so far ... and the next two weeks are full of time to increase that number ... but they are all pretty mindless 'brain candy'. i want to get a little more than filling in time from my reading next year. for that reason, i am setting a goal of reading one 'enriching' book each month for during 2010. i will post a short review after each book is read. it should be noted this is a subset of the challenge i accepted to read 144 books in 2010.

i want to leave myself open to new books that come out in the next year that i feel would fit this category, so i am only pre-choosing 9 for now ...

1. the poisonwood bible (barbara kingsolver)
2. the book thief (markus zusak)
3. the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime (mark haddon)
4. 1000 splendid suns (khalid hosseini)
5. book of negroes (lawrence hill)
6. the glass castle (jeannette walls)
7. the pillars of the earth (ken follett)
8. her fearful symmetry (audrey niffenegger)
9. made in the usa (billie letts)

10 - 12 to follow later ...

i will also read any (and all) new books that come out from: amanda quick, anne perry, catherine coulter, elizabeth george, faye kellerman, janet evanovich, jd robb, jo beverley, jonathan kellerman, kate atkinson, lisa lutz, lisa unger, liz carlyle, loretta chase, lori wick, meg gardiner, minette walters, patricia cornwell, robert b. parker, sabrina jeffries, stephenie meyer, sue grafton, or tess gerritsen ... to name but a few.

have you read any of these? if so, please let me know what you think!

stream of consciousness (#2) ...

more musings from moi ...

*singing for supper is my new favouritest thing in the whole wide world. an outgrowth of the former huron carol concert series, it stars tom jackson and is the reason i happy today - three days after attending the most amazing event of the past 10 years. tom jackson, you healed my heart.

*yes. my heart needed healing

*work is crazy and not much fun ... nuff said

*mr. tummy troubles visited me all day wednesday and into thursday - anyone else despise the dry heaves?? ginger ale and pretzels are my friend.

*slipped and fell on the ice last week. banged up the right knee, ankle and calf. but nothing was broken so i am very grateful!

*last monday the power went out from 4 am to 9 am. the temperature in the house dropped to 9 degrees. the garage door wouldn't open. i was too dumb to know there was a simple red cord i could pull to release it. late for work (see above)

*cold. i am so very cold. when i am not so very cold, i am usually a little too warm.

*yesterday the pipes froze. missed church. really wanted to go.

*watched the season finale of dexter ... OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*it says "mint and chocolate ice cream twisted with candy cane pieces". it should say "WARNING! DANGER! EVIL CONTAINED HEREIN!!" oh, and it is delicious.

*after last year's diatribe against christmas and the "joys" of accommodating multiple blended family, i will simply say this: the only day off i will have all holiday season is december 25th. weird. looking forward to reading all of the count of monte cristo for christmas day!

okay. that's it for now. i really do have high hopes for starting the spending moratorium. i also have high hopes for posting real blog entries! hmmm ... good thing the new year is on its way - goal setting here i come!!

stay warm, dry or cool (depending on your location), and remember to pause a little bit over the next couple of weeks and just enjoy the meaning of this season - giving, sharing, and peace.

stream of consciousness (#1) ...

so busy. lots of things to say. no time to type. enjoy ...

1. driving home the other night. paul mccartney's "wonderful christmas time" came on. as far from profound as a song can be. repetitive as all get out. AND it was playing before cath's 'acceptable-date-to-start-playing-christmas-music' (dec 1st in case you were wondering). and yet ... it made me smile. actually, it made me grin, bop & sing along all the way home.

2. i have discovered i have two speeds: full throttle and inert. this is not acceptable. once things slow down i will try to figure out a compromise. (yes. i see the irony.)

3. i am not good at delegating. i was for awhile, but i got lazy and now i am behind.

4. as my car slipped around the corner and the other car got closer and closer, i simply breathed deeply and turned into the spin and everything worked out. i didn't even cry when it was over. maturity can be a good thing.

5. for the first time in my life, i am concerned about the wrinkles on my face. maturity can be a bad thing.

6. no matter how easy i find it to socialize and interact with other humanoids, i am still ridiculously nervous when talking face to face with men in positions of authority over me.

7. whole grain rice isn't as atrocious as i thought it would be.

8. the 'vanilla bean noel' scent from bath and body works makes everyday a special day.

9. laser hair removal works.

10. after months without seeing a movie, i have been to TWO in the last couple of weeks ... 'this is it' and 'new moon'. liked 'em both. but not as much as the CD and the book, respectively.

11. goal was to read 104 books before the end of the year. have read 92. goal was also to read count of monte cristo ... one of these goals will not be accomplished. i will keep you posted on which way it goes.

12. adoption is a lovely option. i am so sorry for a dear friend for whom it did not work out, and who is still grieving that loss. at the same time, i am overjoyed for the friend for whom it did work out. i pray everyone in both situations will be blessed.

13. shoes. i am thinking about shoes A LOT. i need some good shoes - one in tan, one in black & one in navy. they have to be flat, fun, and comfortable. i know, i am asking for the impossible.

14. purses. i think i might actually be leaving the purse addiction behind! or maybe i am too lazy and busy to change things up as often as i used to. too soon to tell.

15. having a garage to park my car in has increased my quality of life exponentially. i highly recommend it. especially if it is below zero where you are.

that's it. hope to be back soon ...

buy nothing day ...

well. isn't this fortuitous?? buy nothing day (how did i not know about this until now???) is today and tomorrow - how appropriate for a gal who is getting back on the spending moratorium wagon.

this go around i will be more flexible, but just as accountable (apologies to those who aren't interested in reading about where my selfish single paycheque goes).

i am still working out the guidelines ... but i will do my best to make it more insightful than merely factual. and if i can make you laugh at me along the way, so much the better!

bringing back the moratorium ...

and since tomorrow is black friday (a day symbiotically connected with shopping) i think it the ideal date to start up again.

this is prompted by an increase in spending of almpost 390% since going off "the plan". oh yeah. and a large car repair bill.

details to follow tomorrow ...