Resolving

New Year Checklist:

Cupboards reorganised....check.

House tidy...check

Navel gazing complete...check.

Right, must be time to do that resolution thingy.

I was fairly specific last year with my resolutions and that worked fairly well as I had a number of specific things I wanted to achieve. I'm in a big picture frame of mind at the moment, so I've developed the following mantra:

"Positive, Active, Creative." [repeat]

Chuck in a few well placed "ommmms" and I could start my own Ashram.

What are your resolutions?

Resolution Round-Up

Way back on 2 January 2008, I penned my manifesto for the year.

It is now time to have a look and see how I did.

Item 1: The Body

• Enough with the smoking already - it will kill you. Stop it.
  Result: WIN - although not without some hiccups and obsessive washing-up.
  
  
• Exercise and fun are not mutually exclusive. Get on your bike, back in the pool, join a team. Anything. Make sure it is fun.
  Result: WIN. Longer rides in the summer, and a year of biking around town.
  
  
• Moderation is not a dirty word.
  Result: FAIL. Bugger.

Item 2: The Mind

• For your own sanity, try harder to learn to speak German. Sign up for more classes.
  Result: WIN. Apparently language acquisition is very good blogging fodder.
  
  
• Write every day.
  Result: FAIL. For proof, check out the online castigation I cop from my blogging friend, jb, over at Mainz Daily Photo (in the side bar under the heading "introducing").
  
  
• Take photos every day.
  Result: Technically a FAIL, as I didn't take photos everyday, but I give myself an 'honourable mention' for my babysitting of Mainz Daily Photo while jb was away.
  
  
• Read something every day.
  Result: Technically a WIN, as I didn't go around with my eyes closed, but I'm ashamed to say, I still haven't finished this book.
  
  
• Get a job. The life of a Hausfrau can be somewhat tedious.
  Result: FAIL. I promise to try harder next year...

Item 3: The Soul

• Travel, travel, travel - you live in the middle of Europe, you can go to France to buy cheese if you want - do it.
  Result: WIN. Surprisingly, my travels didn't really get a guernsey on the blogging front, but I can assure you there were trips to Paris, Berlin, a brief Belgium drive-through just for the hell of it, Strasbourg and of course the world's loveliest honeymoon in Scotland.
  
  
• Try 3 new things this year.
  Result: Technically a WIN, but really a FAIL. You can't really count; not smoking, speaking better German and learning to love bike riding as three new things, can you?
  
  
• Make a new friend.
  Result: WIN. Internet, you'll be pleased to know that I still meet up with my language school friends nearly every week. Also, mr & mrs jb are ace and I'm looking forward to having dinner with them tomorrow.
  
  
• Write more letters to Dad.
  Result: FAIL. I have thought about this issue and have decided that it is the whole writing with a pen and paper that just is not doing it for me. I'm much more likely to type a letter than to write it. Does this make me a heathen?
  
  
• De-lurk.
  Result: WIN. You know what, Internet - you're really nice.
  

Given a gaussian distribution, I'd give me a passing grade.

Stay tuned for the 2009 edition.

Come the Resolution

Comrades, while the year is all shiny and new, unsullied by disappointments and annoyances, I thought I'd draft my 2008 manifesto, and do so publicly in the interests of transparency and accountability.

Item 1: The Body

• Enough with the smoking already - it will kill you. Stop it.
  
• Exercise and fun are not mutually exclusive. Get on your bike, back in the pool, join a team. Anything. Make sure it is fun.
  
• Moderation is not a dirty word.

Item 2: The Mind

• For your own sanity, try harder to learn to speak German. Sign up for more classes.
  
• Write every day.
  
• Take photos every day.
  
• Read something every day.
• Get a job. The life of a Hausfrau can be somewhat tedious.
  

Item 3: The Soul

• Travel, travel, travel - you live in the middle of Europe, you can go to France to buy cheese if you want - do it.
• Try 3 new things this year.
  
• Make a new friend.
• Write more letters to Dad.
• De-lurk.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck.