My un-resolutions

The NYE feast

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had as great a New Year’s Eve as I did. The husband and I stayed in, dressed up and indulged in an incredible seafood feast that included shrimp cocktail, bacon-wrapped scallops, stuffed clams, lobster tails, fresh bread and grilled vegetables, topped with chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne for dessert. A-maz-ing.

After dinner, I challenged him to a Wii Monopoly game and am shockingly in the lead. I’m hoping this is a sign of an improved financial situation in the New Year (he usually beats me within an hour by scooping up all the railroads and utilities). We ended the night watching the ball drop on TV and snuggling with our dogs. An incredibly happy and peaceful start to the year.

Party animals

Now that 2012 has officially arrived, I’ve been reflecting on this year’s resolutions, or un-resolutions as I’ve decided. Cigna’s new campaign urges people to make one un-resolution, to pledge to keep one thing you like about yourself exactly as it is. I’ve decided to take this one step further. Rather than write up a laundry list of resolutions to make myself a “better person,” I’ve come up with a list of goals that I’m excited to reach – goals that are truly about the journey, not just the destination. If I don’t reach them, I won’t beat myself up, nor will I be any worse for it. But I know I will.

Rather than vague resolutions like “lose weight” or overly-regimented ones like “run five times per week,” I’ve come up with a list that I can work toward in whichever way suits me best and keeps me motivated. So here they are:

1. Run a half-marathon.
2. Officially change my name (this may be tougher than running a half-marathon from what I hear!).
3. Take a creative writing class.
4. Eliminate my debt (my current payment plan will allow for this).
5. Build up my savings account (I have a particular number in mind).

I’m excited to work toward these goals, mostly because they are goals I want to work toward, not ones I’m pressuring myself to reach. A no-pressure start to the year – I’m already feeling good about 2012.

My married life begins

Rex, sleeping in front of the Christmas tree. I should take relaxation lessons from him!

Merry belated Christmas, all. I hope your holiday was as wonderful as mine. Mine consisted of two days of family, doggies, delicious food, vino, a new shoe cabinet (my husband fully supports my shoe addiction) and – most importantly – my husband himself.

Since returning from our honeymoon, our lives have been a whirlwind. First, there was Thanksgiving, then the need to buy a new car, followed by a much earlier second dog adoption than expected, capped off with the holiday rush. All great things, but we’ve been two ships passing in the night – not the happily ever after I hoped for.

As we drove home from our last holiday destination last night, I mentioned to Brendan that I felt like we could finally start our new life together, now that the holidays were over. As always, he knew exactly what I meant without my having to explain. He’d been thinking the same thing (I swear he put a chip in my brain when we started dating so that he could read my thoughts. We often say the same things at the same time. It’s freaky.).

I’m looking forward to getting back to running and yoga (I ate enough this holiday week to feed a small country), writing and laughing with the husband and puppies. Those small things are truly gifts to me every day.