Begin Again, Again and Again

This morning, I looked at my New Year's resolutions from last year. Here are my 2007 goals and how I did at meeting them:

• Keep evolving as a mom; stay involved with the kids.

Check. I keep trying NOT to be involved, but like mosquitos in my net, I can't get away from these kids. Seriously, though, the thing that hurt me the most at this time last year was that I was so sad and out of shape and unhealthy that I was missing out on my kids. That has changed.

• Get into better shape: eat better and exercise more.

Check. I'm an official exerciser, and if you don't count the week between Christmas and New Year's (or, was it a month?), I eat like a vegan monk. Minus the vegan part.

• Figure out what I want from my blog. A hiatus, a division into two blogs, or a new, anonymous beginning may be in order.

Erm, well, I'm waffling on this one. I made some decisions and have a vision of my future Web site, but nothing's happening yet.

• Have another baby or give away the baby stuff.

Check. I have populated my niece's basement with strollers, a breast pump, and hundreds of itty bitty pink outfits. *Sob*

• Pick up some paid writing work.

Check. This came about by sheer luck, but I have picked up a semi-regular, well-paying client who is thrilled with my work. Thank you, God!

• Hang pictures, and add furniture, pillows, etc., to make my house feel more like a home.

No, I didn't make it this far. That's what next year's for, right?

Speaking of which, here are my goals for 2008:

• Declutter my house down to its cold, naked bones.

• Decorate, adding furniture, wall hangings, etc., as necessary. (Key word: necessary.)

• Deal with the family photos. Get some up on the wall, others into books, and all of them organized. This should only take about 12 years.

• Eliminate unecessary spending and, in particular, do not buy books. Not even one. My psyche is screaming "Unless! Except if!" And I have to say to my psyche, "There is no 'unless' or 'except if'! Only 'don't'." With what I own now, I could open four different libraries in developing countries, so I have to stick to this one. I'm scared. Hold me.

• Keep working and growing as a writer. Squash all negative thoughts that arise when I read the fab bios of ultra-successful writers all over the interwebs, the ones that make me look like a wannabe hack in comparison. (See? There I go again.)

• Play with my kids every day. Take pictures and video of them and make entries in their journals every week.

• Become a more loving person, which sounds kind of "out there" and subjective, but in reality, it isn't. "Love" is a verb, man.

These are all ongoing projects and I've got to just keep plugging at them. I think I'll make good progress if I keep my one resolution for 2008: to keep building on the good habits I created in 2007.

I didn't acquire all that many, but each had a big impact on my life. In March I started walking 2 miles a day. In June I started eating well. In August I cut my beer consumption way back. In September I began getting up early every day. In November I began eating an apple a day.

Christine Kane inspired me to come up with my word for the year. I think I'm going with "attention," to myself, my kids, my responsibilities, my dreams and, yes, even my to-do list, which still has items on it from 2005.

Bring it on, 2008. I'm ready.

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I've got a new post up at my other blog on Heidi Murkoff's new book, "What to Expect Guide to a Healthy Home." You don't want to miss it because I share the story of my biggest gross-out at the hands of another mom, ever. It gives me the willies just thinking about it. C'mon, the willies can be fun!