Day 3 | Saturday, January 3 | 2009

Brand New Day...

I have never liked the Winter season but I have always revered the possibility of newness and of change.  Newness and change for the better, that is.  New years bring about resolutions in the general sense and here are some of mine for this year:

1.  To ride my bike more

This has several benefits for me -- one it will cut cost in gas prices and parking meter fares.  Also, it will be a source of exercise and activity in daily life.  Another benefit to riding my bike with more frequency will be to reduce any CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.  It is a small part but every little bit counts.

2.  To keep in touch with my family and loved ones better

I figure that I should just make a list of e-mail addresses of people that are close to me in my life and send out an e-mail or an eCard once a month.  Life is too short for me to lose connections with people who have meant so much to me.

3.  To keep a regular journal where I can record my thoughts

Here is where Beans with Garlic comes in -- I vow to take a photograph (and the quality just has to be somewhat present) everyday to record where I was, what I was thinking, how I was feeling, my hopes, my dreams, etc.  Perhaps that will help me feel a greater sense of direction.  Call it a work in progress.

4.  Manage my time better

There are many times where I have a lot of idle time surfing the Internet or just spending time badly.  I know this will be a hard habit to mend but I need to spend my time better.  There are courses at the AAC in the library that I should enroll in (or take survey in) that could help me with

5.  Grow in my relationship with Caitlin

We see each other most every day but it is important to me to keep this relationship strong and healthy.  She means more to me than anyone else in the world and I know this is something that is beautiful and good to me but it is also something that needs to be nurtured and worked at.  Simple communication, gifts, gestures, and reminders that I love her will be something that I will work towards.

6.  Have a healthier lifestyle .

I feel like in this past year I have been pretty unhealthy as compared to years prior.  I have gained somewhere between 17-19 lbs. (in just a year!!) and a lot of my clothes do not fit me anymore.  I really need to make a conscious effort to get back (a little more) to where my life used to be.  If I break it down, I could do things in smaller and gradual intervals.  I'll try to eat more vegetables, less fats and sugars, little or no alcohol, and make exercise a part of my daily routine.  

By the end of the Winter quarter, I'll try to lose 5 lbs.

By the end of the Spring quarter, I'll try to lose another 5lbs.

These are all pretty general and in no particular order.  I will come back to these in future entries to see where I am at.