You know, last year I seemed not to have made any resolutions. I can’t imagine why, what with leaving a job I’d loved and been in for six years, moving, starting a new job with lots of new (to me) responsibilities, selling two houses, buying a house, moving again, getting married, chairing an ACRL section, dealing with staffing changes in my department, spearheading a search for two librarians, and in between all of that managing to lose a bit of weight, get a grip on my mental and physical well-being, and keep a sense of humor about life.
Huh. Imagine that. No resolutions when I knew most of that was staring me in the face. Funny! Pardon the sarcasm there - it’s just that I’m super-impressed that 2006 didn’t do me in!
But 2007 - this year I’ve made some resolutions, since I don’t have a boatload of life change barreling down the train track in my direction this year. It’s good to be focused, so focused I am. I’m going to tie these to what a friend called the five components of wellness: physical, social, emotional, mental & spiritual. A lot of them overlap, but that’s to be expected.
Physical
1. Maintain my current weight. Easier said than done - last year I managed to drop 15-20 pounds, which had crept on over the course of a year or so. But over the holidays some of it returned (I’ve since stopped eating peanuts, which has helped). I’d rather feel healthier than not, and frankly I’d like it if my underwear fit me the way they should. So I would like to make that my first resolution.
2. Increase my activity! I play hockey a couple of times a week - usually on Sunday and Monday - but I’d like to do something else during the week. This morning I had a flash of “I should walk to work!” but that’s probably not going to happen. However, more walks before and after work definitely could, and I think that on the weekends we’ll be hiking more with friends T&B and their dog (who met Maggie and Otter this weekend, mostly successfully).
3. Cook more. Amy’s really been the primary cook for the past year, and that’s been fine and dandy, but I’m ready to play too. I’d like to learn 3 or 4 signature dishes, and figure out how to throw together a nice meal for friends at the last minute.
Social
4. Date. Yes, yes, we’re married. But dating is still fun! So I’d like to resolve to go on more dates with Amy. Maybe to the movies….
5. Go out in Boston and the surrounding environs more. Seriously - this area has to much to offer and I’ve not made much of an effort this past year to explore. That’s going to change in 2007!
Emotional
6. Continue doing what I’m doing.
Mental
7. Finish decorating the bulk of the house. Seriously - this has gone on long enough. It’s almost there. The remaining tasks are: hang some pictures, rugs for the bedroom, mirror for the stairwell, chair for the living room, back entryway jacket/hat/shoe system, and revamp of my office in some way. This resolution goes under mental because it’s really a matter of putting my brain to the task and getting it done.
8. Play more games. Last night we played Apples to Apples with some friends and hoo boy was it fun! I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time, nor have I had to wrack my brain quite like that. Anyone know of any good strategy games that two people can play easily? Board games are preferable…
9. Read more this year! Last year I read 51 books - nearly one a week - but a lot of those were children’s and YA books. This year I’d like to balance between fiction and non-fiction, and read more adult books and fewer YA/children’s books.
Spiritual
10. Get into the woods, hike, lay in the hammock, walk barefoot in the grass, play in the snow, dance in the rain, and wear lots of sunscreen during it all.
So there you have it. Ten resolutions for 2007. We’ll see how I do with them this year. Like in previous years, I think I’ll print these out and hang them near my computer at work to look at over the course of the year, and will periodically report back on how I’m doing with them.
