Happy New Year indeed!

Yesterday afternoon, I drove up to Sacramento to spend New Year's Eve with my honey. Some delicious dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant in Elk Grove, strolling downtown Sacramento and standing on Capitol Mall to watch the fireworks over Tower Bridge . . . So very nice. We split some champagne and kissed at midnight. Of course, without the advantage of Anderson Cooper or Dick Clark, we had to wing it on the countdown. I was watching the clock on my iPhone while we trotted across the Capitol Mall grass to get closer to Tower Bridge with me tugging on Alex's hand like I was a little kid, so eager to watch the fireworks.

I wish I'd had my camera, but alas, it was sitting on my bookcase in San Jose. I've realized that Alex and I really aren't (so far) one of those "picture couples." You know, the kind that photographically document everything. There's nothing wrong with doing that (please don't assume I'm judging), but it seems like it's not really our thing. I would like to make it a point, though, to start carrying my camera more . . . I did for a while, but not so much anymore.

I like optimism. I'm not always good about practicing it, but I like to believe in it. I like to think positively, I'm just lacking in the routine of practicing it.

Which brings me to my New Year's resolutions . . . I haven't always been good about keeping them (who is?), but these are resolutions with strategies, so I'm optimistic. (See? I'm getting better already.)

- Losing weight
This is a tried-and-true resolution, one that inspires many each year. I've recently joined Sparkpeople.com, an all-encompassing weight loss and motivation site. This website is . . . incredible, for lack of a better word. A nutrition and fitness log, a diet and exercise plan, forum, an advice center, a social network. To say that it 'has it all' would be putting it mildly. The best part, though is that as overwhelming as that sounds, they make it very user-friendly. Tutorials and guides to help you get used to using the website. I'm really jazzed about this and have gym plans tomorrow. ;o)
- Taking better care of my skin
Even into my 20s, I'm still dealing with teenager-ish acne. It can be really embarrassing and downright frustrating. I feel like it makes me look like a kid and I work in the so-called 'adult world.' So from tracking how much water I drink (Sparkpeople actually helps with that too), to washing my makeup brushes more regularly, to taking off my eye makeup every night and wearing sunscreen daily (I used to be religious about this), I've got plenty to work on.
- To learn a new language
Not to toot my own horn, but I'm good at languages. I'd like to try my hand at German or Spanish. Maybe work on recovering my French or ASL. But for fun, I think Russian, Italian or Chinese would be good choices. If I'm trying to get in touch with my roots, any Celtic language, Polish, and again Russian (I'm not Russian explicitly, but ancestors came from the Ukraine, where they likely spoke Russian).
- To run another marathon
I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna do it right. I'm giving myself 12 weeks to start building my aerobic base again, but then I'd like to start adding distance runs and applying a training plan. Maybe I'll do the Seattle Rock & Roll Marathon in June? It would be a nice long weekend and a chance to check out a city that I'm not only dying to visit for the first time, but to live in as well.
- To log reading with Goodreads
I started an account with Goodreads.com a while back, but I'd like to get back into reviewing books. It's a neat site that keeps track of the books I'd like to read, have read and reviewed.

There are a few more, but I'll wrap up and not bore anyone reading too badly. ;o) Hope everyone had a happy New Year! May 2010 bring some fantastic new adventures.


To those reading, what are your resolutions?

Excited!!!!!!

New Year's is almost year! Er, here. :o)

New Year's Day has to be my favorite holiday . . . ever. Hands-down, there is nothing I get more thrilled about than the promise that comes along with turning over a new leaf and starting fresh. I'm reminded that while New Year's comes once every year (hence the name, I'm sure), every day can be the start of something new, something good, something profound. Maybe it's hard to see, but at each phase of the journey, the best thing we can do is take a glance back, maybe linger over some memories that have truly shaped and defined us, and then turn our faces forward to walk into the future.

Now, before you start chiding me for being so gosh darn Pollyanna-esque, I should come clean and state that I am a chronic critic. It is my most crippling affliction. I resist change, I'm stubborn and obstinate mostly because I poke holes in ideas and feel that sometimes, if things can't be perfect from the get-go, they're not even worth attempting. So I'm sure you can imagine how hard this is to overcome. Every goal I've ever had (college, running a marathon, making my long distance relationships work) has been punctuated and peppered with the excuses I make for not following suit with Nike's mantra and just DOING it.

Back in April, I finished a marathon, which is big. Except, for all of the cheating and slacking I did because I didn't have the faith in myself to actually complete it, the accomplishment feels . . . tainted. It doesn't seem as sweet. It's something that I would think would motivate me to lace up my sneaks as soon as I recovered from the injuries I gained, but it didn't -- because I criticized my own victory. I'm so happy to be happy for others, but for myself? Not for long . . .

So where does this leave me? With some inspiration to actually embrace change. I'm not going to be a happy person (well, happiER person -- I still think in spite of my snap judgments and self-doubt that I'm a pretty happy person), I'm not going to be a runner again and I'm not going to be a more motivated person unless I PRACTICE them.

I'm sure this seems elementary, but at 22 years old, I'm finally getting it . . . just in time for New Year's, my favorite remember? So here we go . . . again. Practicing. Right now, I'm sitting in my workout pants, running socks (because cotton is rotten!), and my shirt from Big Sur (it was the first non-cotton shirt I pulled, but serendipitously enough, the one from my marathon). My Brooks Trance 8's are unlaced, right next to me. I have pulled my unusually well-behaved curls into a messy bun with the feeble hope that they will look just as good when I'm done. (But who are we kidding . . . Lightning really doesn't strike twice, does it?)

And I'm off to practice . . . :o)