Resolved (Or, Deb vs. The Universe 2010)

It's hard to believe that this is the second New Year's Resolutions post I've written for this blog.  It doesn't seem like I've been blogging that long, but it is unmistakable: again, it is time to attempt to even the score between Deb and the Anti-Deb Forces in the Universe (ADFITU).


To update, here were my resolutions last year:


1. I will attempt to limit my Twilight reading.  


Happily, I can say I was successful in this one, to the point that I am down to re-reading the series once every couple of months or so.  Crossed off the list!


2. I will sing again.  Since having my children, I have been sadly neglectful of my voice.  I will stop telling myself that singing "Run Around" by Blues Traveler while driving counts as a warm-up.  I commit to warming up for 10-15 minutes daily, ceasing all caffeinated drinks, and only using my voice properly during teaching.

Sadly, this one will carry over into next year.  I have still been neglectful of my voice.  I have not ceased all caffeinated drinks.  Terrible.

3. No babies this year!  I had one in 2005 and one in 2007.  I will break the streak in 2009.   

Win!  No babies this year.

4. I will stop crying during the Sara McLachlan/ASPCA commercials, in which my daughter relentlessly points out "That doggy is sad, Mommy.  That kitty is sad, Mommy.  Where is the kitty's mommy?"  I will also try to stop crying when the news shows clips of people meeting celebrities, or when the fat woman wins on The Price Is Right.

Fail.  I cannot change myself this deeply.  Although I didn't succeed on this one, I'm not carrying it over.  I must accept what I cannot change, I realized the other night while weeping into my pork loin at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Christmas Show.

5. I will stop making excuses about not shaving my legs.  This will just make the occasions when I do it more special.

Another win!  I let my tresses flap proudly in the breeze this year, so I can cross this one right off.

So, my first resolution will be the singing thing, and we'll go from there:

1. I will get my voice back in shape this year.

2. I will cook at least two nights a week.  We eat take-out approximately 7 nights out of 7, which is terrible for our health and bank account.  I resolve to be proactive and cook at least two nights a week starting in January, my busiest month of the year.  I hope to increase that as we go on.

3. I will exercise at least twice a week.  My dear, wonderful Sven has moved the treadmill downstairs, so I can wake up early a couple of days a week and go downstairs and (hopefully) not wake up the children with my power walking.  If I do 30 minutes twice a week, maybe I'll be in good enough shape to do some hiking and physical things this summer.

4. I will write or edit at least 10,000 words a week.  NaNoWriMo taught me this year I can really produce quantity if I give myself a goal.  Quality is something else entirely.

5. I will go out on a date with my husband WITHOUT the children at least once this year.  So far, since Princess was born in 2005, Sven and I have been out without the children two times.  Once for my friend Mary's wedding in 2007, and once on vacation in 2008, when Momz came with us to Branson and kept the kids for a night so we could go out to dinner.  Now that Dexy is 2 and Princess is 4, maybe we can hire a babysitter and go out on a real date.  Our anniversary is June 5.  I've promised Sven something special this year.  We'll see...

I know I can do it.  I can feel it, 2010 will be a great year.  They say life begins at 35, right?  I can't wait.