In 2008, I Resolve To...

Tonight is the night that we attempt to atone for our actions of the past year by making some resolutions for the new one. According to an article I read today about financial resolutions, about half of us make New Year's Resolutions when the ball drops, but the majority of us abandon our aspirations after the holidaze (no- that's not a typo) are over.

As a fairly driven, goal-oriented person, I set goals for myself every day, and so I've never made a special set on December 31. But as I cleaned the house this afternoon in preparations for our New Year's visitors, I had more thinking time than I've had in months and my mind wandered to pondering what I could have done better both personally and professionally in 2007 and what my missions (yes, plural) for 2008 are. And in the spirit of the season, I developed many resolutions for the coming year, some are sensible and safe and others are simply silly. Perhaps I'll be more inclined to stick to them if I share them here, so in no particular order (I'll add to this list over the coming days as I think of new ones)...

•To call my grandparents (both sets) at least twice a week
•To exercise three times a week (sadly, this is a serious stretch, but a goal nonetheless)
•To wear my hair down at least once a week (sounds easy, but I am a ponytail person)
•To sell our home in Farmington (sad) and move to the Portland area!
•To drink more water and less Diet Coke
•To learn how to graciously accept a compliment
•To not allow the negativity of those who do not matter in my life to get me down
•To make all of my dearest friends and family laugh so hard that they swear they'll pee their pants (at least twice apiece this year)
•To continue to better my photography and business skills so I can provide my clients and myself with emotional and engaging images. This will be encouraged through my upcoming attendance at several professional development opportunities including the Digital Wedding Forum's annual convention later this week in Florida (yeah- Florida!) and my good friend Emilie's brainchild, the Roots Workshop this July in Cape Cod (Do you believe that my husband, my entire family and even his parents all pitched in to send me to Roots as a holiday and birthday present! They all rock!)
•To start running again. I used to be a pretty hardcore competitive runner, but got burned out. Lately, I've been feeling the tug to hit the trails again.
•To act on at least one impulse a day (make a phone call, send an ecard, go glade tobogganing in the moonlight, etc.)
•To widen my network of photographer friends. I've made so many great ones this year and I hope to meet many more in 2008- this benefits me personally and professionally too as I can learn from and teach these fellow photogs, as well as make referrals and stay on the cutting edge of a rapidly changing industry by exchanging ideas and information.
•To go yet another year without getting a credit card. Kyle and I live credit card free and it definitely simplifies our finances- I highly recommend it (though I admit travel is tricky without one). I figure if I don't have it, I shouldn't spend it (plus, I like to shop way too much to trust myself with one).
•To read all the brilliant books Kyle got me for Hanukkah and Christmas, including but not limited to (if you need some book ideas and want to see how much of a nerd I am): My Life In France by Julia Child, Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truth Behind America's Favorite Addiction by Jake Halpern, Power to the People by Laura Ingraham, Kim Jong-Il: North Korea's Dear Leader (Who He Is, What He Wants, What To Do About Him by Michael Breen, Reality Show: Inside the Last Great Television News War by Howard Kurtz, The Castle in the Forest by Norman Mailer, Spin Cycle:Inside the White House Propaganda Machine by Howard Kurtz and total bubblegum for my brain (and maybe a good beach read for later this week) The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella.
•To attend/go to one of each of the following: a bluegrass festival (I used to go to them every weekend with my dad, but haven't gone in a while), a Red Sox game, a ski weekend at Jay Peak, a local theater production, a Sea Dogs game against the Trenton Thunder, a Pirates game against the Providence Bruins, and one of LL Bean's summer concerts.
•To make at least three meaningful blog entries each week (I hope this isn't too trying, maybe two in the offseason) and post five comments per week on fellow photographers' blogs.
•To totally splurge and order the best steak that ever came off a cow from Peter Luger's Steakhouse in Brooklyn in honor of my great-uncle.
•To makeover I Do Click's image with a new name, new logo, new Website and cool colors (same Sam though).
•To return to France and finally visit Paris with Kyle.

Now I must ask, what are yours? Feel free to share them in the comments section...sometimes putting your plans in writing makes them more permanent and thus more likely to be accomplished.

Bonne Année and Bonne Chance!!!