Happy Frikkin' New Year!

I usually don’t think much about New Year’s resolutions. The date is somewhat arbitrary and I often set resolutions other times of year (like September, for some reason…probably because I still haven’t grown out of the school schedules that had everything start again after a long summer break). But this year, I’m trying to think of them in a positive and fun way because 2015 is going to be amazing, damn it.

2014 had a lot of low spots, but I think I’ve had enough of all that and instead am thinking about what I liked about 2014 and what I’d like to be doing more of.

Firstly, I decided that I read way too much negativity in the form of blogs. Be it a few personal blogs that don’t do me any good to read or the copious amounts of social justice and political blogs I’ve been reading, I have to say that I need to step away for a while and get my head back into gear seeing the positive in the world. Everybody needs a break. I acknowledge and have extreme distaste for all that injustice, but I have been inundated by it by my choice of reading material to the point of near madness…and full on exhaustion. So I went into my Feedly account and replaced all of the blogs I was reading with humor, photography, and science. I’m stepping back from being “in the know” about all this stuff for at least January, maybe longer depending on how much better I feel.

Secondly, I’m taking another crack at the Whole30. No, I don’t believe in all the stuff they claim BUT I went and read some article about someone who half-assed their first one and then whole-hogged their second one and the difference was huge. I want to see it through and see the difference. Also, January is a good time to do it this year because we’re going to Disneyworld on January 31st which means reaping awesome health benefits during the month and then one big awesome reward at the end! I tend to eat terribly on vacations, so while I will not be following the rules down in Orlando, I hope to be in a place where I easily make better choices. Our schedule while we’re down there is packed and I want all the happiness and energy I can muster! But I think it will be easier to make it to the end of the challenge this time because each day of the Whole30 is a countdown to a vacation I’ve been looking so very forward to for months.

I’m also taking this month to finally figure out a regular workout schedule and schedule my life around it, not it around my life. I want to get into yoga and meditation this year because I need ways to move through waves of anger and grief I still experience and will likely continue to feel because I’m human. In addition, I just want to finally get into decent shape, especially because trips to the Colorado Rockies and Yosemite have been discussed for a few years from now and I want to get into habits that bring my baseline level of fitness up so that training for awesome, challenging hiking won’t be this huge endeavor that I will invariable fail at.

Next, I set a reading goal on Goodreads. My book reading track record has been abysmal over the years, to say the least. I decided that 15 books for the year was a good and attainable goal. A little more than one a month. I ordered three books from Amazon that I will likely read rather quickly because they are bound to be hilarious and I’ve been meaning to read the one for a long time. I’ve got a copy of Neil Patrick Harris’ “Choose Your Own Autobiography” on the way, as well as Jenny Lawson’s “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” and the Hyperbole and a Half book. I want to start the year off with entertaining reads! I preordered a copy of Gretchen Rubin’s “Better than Before”, a book about good habit forming (something I need help with definitely!) and I’ll have that in March. Other than those, I have several books around that I started to read and liked, but never finished because reading used to immediately put me to sleep. As it turns out, this had a lot to do with that pesky vitamin D deficiency and I think I’ll be able to do a lot better now! Also, Amber and I are going to have reading parties. I think that just means lazing around and reading in the same room, but that sounds pretty awesome.

I want to do lots of art! I did lots of art in 2014 and it greatly added to my happiness. I just want to keep that going and explore different media and get better. I sold a piece last week and that was pretty awesome. Maybe that is a trend that will continue! I also want to set up a screen printing space in the basement (and get down to our friends’ house and pick up all the screen printing stuff they have graciously offered me). I am still thinking about doing a stained glass class because I draw everything like it’s stained glass already and would love to do that! I think I found a good one, but I’m still looking around.

In addition, I want to learn how to take fabulous and artful photos with my fancy pants DSLR. I already take OK pictures with it, but I want to really learn how to use it because I currently use it mostly as a point-and-shoot. And I want to get a really great zoom lens for it or whatever kind of lens helps you really play with depth of field and all that. My friend Kelly taught me all kinds of stuff about F stops and all that years ago, but I have forgotten it all and have never truly learned how to use the thing. I want that to change! So I’ve signed up for digital photography at my beloved Fleisher!

There are various other things that I want to do, but those are all pretty big and good ones! Here’s to a healthy, happy, and kick-ass year. May it be a year of excellent decision making and of healing and positivity. May I grow to feel well enough to be my best at home and at work. Sure, these are lofty goals, but whatever. That’s what January is for!