Happy New Year

This year is dedicated to trimming the fat.
This means to use more of what I've got and to accumulate less.

1. The hubby and I are not buying books for a year. This a challenge because we are bibliophiles with piles of books on the bedside table. Aside from the public library option, we have boxes of books in the garage waiting for us. We will be revisiting books and clearing out some of the garage. I like to think of it as my own personal Amazon. Dozens of brown cardboard boxes full of forgotten treasures from my own personal recommended reading list.

More creative output and less stash input.
2. Make more with what I've got. Move through the yarn and fabric stash. Be Creative. "Make it work, People!" - Tim Gunn.

3. Create a Budget! Yikes what a concept and something I find a more than a little daunting. It is scary but more scary to think I will be eating cat food when I am eighty. Yes I am at an age when this stuff matters. I wish I had the good sense to figure this out at a younger age.

Health
4. Walk one dog every other day. I have a big dog and a little dog. It is difficult for me to wrangle them on walks together unless they are relatively short. We had a big dog incident where he tried to eat the neighbor's dog and since then I have been a little paranoid. Then this past fall he knocked me on my ass when a couple of other dogs walked by on the other side of a car. I do not like to fall down or hurt myself. I have been this way since I was an awkward too tall kid and prone to clumsiness like a new born foal. I have grown into my body (and added sufficient padding) but I still don't like to fall down. My solution is take one dog on a walk and alternate the days. The heart breaking stare of the left out dog is something I will have to get used to until we get into the routine.


The ultimate resolution for 2008
4. I am finishing my dissertation and walking this June. Look forward to lots of whinging, sweat, and tears to come. I am trying to finish my draft by my birthday in 15 days. All right it's out there in the universe. I had only told my closest friends and my therapist, but now you all know. I also know that it is a slightly unrealistic goal. I promise not to beat myself up mercilessly if it does not happen. I promise myself to keep working and not shut down if it does not happen. I will keep going.

Legend of the Warrior - Joseph Marshall

The young Lakota asked his Grandfather
why life had to be so difficult sometimes.
This was the old man's reply.

Grandfather says this...
In life there is sadness as well as joy.
Losing as well as winning.
Falling as well as standing.
Hunger as well as plenty.
Bad as well as good.

Grandfather does not say this
to make you despair
But to teach you reality.
To teach you that life is a journey
sometimes walked in light
sometimes in shadow.

Grandfather says this...
You did not ask to be born
but you are here.
You have weaknesses
as well as strengths.
You have both because
in life there is two of everything.
Within you is the will to win
as well as the willingness to lose.
The heart to feel compassion
as well as the smallness to be arrogant.
Within you is the way to face life
as well as the fear to turn away from it.

Grandfather says this...
Life can give you strength.
It can come from facing the storms of life
from knowing loss
feeling sadness and heartache
from falling into the depths of grief.

You must stand up in a storm.
You must face the wind
and the cold
and the darkness.
When the storm blows hard
you must stand firm.
For it is not trying to knock you down
it is really trying to teach you
to be strong.

Grandfather says this...
Being strong means
taking one more step
toward the top of the hill.
No matter how weary you may be.
It means letting the tears flow
through the grief.
It means to keep
looking for the answer
though the darkness of despair
is all around you.

It means to cling to hope
for one more heartbeat
for one more sunrise.
Each step no matter how difficult
is one more step
closer to the top of the hill.
To keep hope alive
for one more heartbeat at a time
leads to the light of the next sunrise
and the promise of a new day.

Grandfather says this...
The weakest step
toward the top of the hill
toward the sunrise
toward hope
is stronger than
the fiercest storm.

Grandfather says this...
Keep going.