Do I have to write a New Years post?

Probably not, but I will anyways.

Remaining true to my style, I have absolutely no recollection of my resolutions last year. I definitely didn't write about it.

I have a love/hate relationship with resolutions. Being the constant dreamer, they are quite enchanting. I simply make a decision to change and, because a new page has been turned on the calendar, it simply cannot possibly go wrong. I used to go for the gold. Why limit myself to petty goals when I could reinvent who I am?

Then I realized that I pretty much always forgot about them by the time the month of January was done. That seems to be true of lots of people, not just me. Regardless, I've been thinking of a few changes that I'd like to make in my life (I always am), but I've also been thinking of how best to implement them. It's hardly an original idea, but it's taken me quite some time to actually understand and believe that small steps are the key to success. That means that I'm not about to announce my plan to go to the gym twice daily and write to my grandparents every month. I do want to put a few things down in writing, and January 1st is a convenient way to give a concrete start to these goals.

Without further ado, I present to you my top five resolutions for the New Year. As of now, I have only thought of one, the rest will be spontaneous.

1. Spend less money - I wrote about it recently and it remains true, I need to slow down. How? Well, I definitely don't need any more clothes. I will readily admit that I'm vain and the whole point is NOT to take drastic measures, so I won't swear off buying clothes. I would like to go back to my thrift store roots a little more and will try to avoid putting myself in situations where I get that urge to splurge (Trust me, I did not see that rhyme coming. Honest). I also want to stop eating out just because I'm too lazy to prepare food for myself. I pretty much never packed a lunch for the days that I spent on campus this past term. Not only did it cost more, I also didn't eat much of a lunch and I ended up losing a few pounds. I only weigh 130lbs. I can't afford to lose any weight.

2. Eat better - I suppose that makes this resolution a logical one. I came into the term with grand plans of mastering the culinary arts. How foolish of me. I just need to eat more and have a little more variety. The grocery store is one place where I will allow myself to spend more, not less. But not frivolously.

3. Be active - I think this is possibly the most generic resolution possible. Who hasn't wanted to be healthier? This last term I signed up for a bunch of intramural sports and only went to one or two games for each (with the exception of curling). My plan? Sign up for just one (probably dodgeball) in addition to curling. Also, go snowboarding as much as possible with Dave, go longboarding as much as the weather will permit (I think this one's a given), go climbing once or twice and do pushups and sit ups a few times a week. I don't know if running is going to work anymore.

Dang, I'm grasping at straws already and I still have two to go.

4. Listen to music from my youth - I often forget how I've come to the place where I am right now. I'm not always sure that I like the person I've become but I can't remember who I used to be. Listening to MxPx is a surprisingly good way to get in touch with my roots and takes me back to happy days.

5. Go camping - This is necessary, but it seems increasingly difficult to find time and energy to do this. I guess that's why it's so important to do it in the first place. Plus, my parents gave me a sweet camping stove and cook set and I really want to use them.

There you go. 2008 will be different, not because I made these goals, but because it is a given. I just want to give some direction to the differences. And now I will leave you with something that I apparently said on my old blog two years ago:

"Remember, every day is new, the whole year long."

Damn, I'm good. Love you all!