I've seen a lot of anti-resolutions posts this year, saying it's better to take a daily approach to bettering yourself. I agree on some level, but I love to set goals for myself at the beginning of each year and then at the end look back to see what I've accomplished. I feel good about 2012, since it's the first year I don't have something huge (like a wedding or house-buying) looming on the horizon, so I can focus my attention on other things.
Get Lost. In 2011, I spent my vacation days and travel budget on visiting family, and it was wonderful. But I'm in desperate need of an adventure. I'd love to commit to going somewhere new each season — whether it be New Orleans, Asheville, or Venice.
Get Crafty. I've found so many projects (mostly via Pinterest) that I want to try but rarely get around to doing. Whether I have to force myself to go to Michael's or host a craft night with friends, I will get my craft on this year. Starting with this, this, or this.
Write. After more than 10 years, I think I'll start keeping a personal journal again. I also want to do more freelancing and maybe even write some poetry.
Get Strummy. I got Todd a ukulele for Christmas (two actually, long story), and I plan to borrow it and learn how to play. I've always wanted to play a musical instrument and this one seems easy enough to learn.
Stay Home. Todd and I both stayed so busy this year that a weekend at home with absolutely nothing to do seemed like a luxury. We have so many plans for this little house, and we can't make them happen if we're running around town like hooligans. Here's to porch-sitting, dinner parties, painting, gardening, and patio-building.
Happy holidays to everyone. I hope if you're going home, you've arrived safely (and without two flat tires, like we did). Tonight we're tasked with making the Christmas Eve meal, so I'm looking up recipes that should please some picky palates.
What's your favorite Christmas dish? Is it basically Thanksgiving deja vu or is it completely different? Does your family booze it up or do you stick to non-alcoholic beverages? Do you get to open a gift on Christmas Eve? (Me: Pretty much deja vu, and happy with it; maybe a glass or two of wine, although I'm considering a specialty cocktail for tonight; yes, but I already opened my gift at 1 a.m. this morning — a bike basket from Todd!)
I've been quite the procrastinator this Christmas, waiting until this week to buy most of my gifts. And half of them aren't even wrapped yet. At this point I doubt I'll even put much effort into wrapping, but if I had a little more time, I'd be all about making them so pretty you wouldn't even want to unwrap them.
I really want a white Christmas. I've only experienced a handful in my lifetime of Southern winters, and it's currently 75 degrees and sunny outside, but I still have this tiny unrealistic childish hope that we'll wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas morning.
On Sunday we took Muni and his cousin Sammy to Sullivan's Island to play in the water. Although technically dogs aren't allowed off-leash on local beaches (unless you're a crazy early bird), the beaches are fairly empty in the winter so you won't be hassled.
Sammy enjoyed chasing his ball into the tidepool, while Muni preferred to wait in the shallows or run along the surf. Seriously, there's nothing more joyful than a dog allowed to run free on the beach.
I've yet to be bitten by the baby bug (knock on wood), and I think it's because I have so many nieces and nephews to give me my fix. Shopping for presents for them is so much more fun than for anyone else, and Etsy is just full of cute little gift ideas.
What was your favorite Christmas gift when you were little? Mine was probably a microscope (nerd alert!) and the big dollhouse my parents made me.
Speaking of kids, how cute are these ones? That's me and my sister in 1990ish. The funny thing is, I recently thrifted a little brass rocking horse identical to the one on that shelf and it's sitting on my TV table right now.
I've finally gotten around to watching Portlandia, and this funny skit really hit home for me — I'm definitely technologically overloaded. I'm on my computer all day at work, emailing, writing, blogging, and tweeting, and then I come home and feel pressure to update my Tumblr, Pinterest, Facebook, blog, Etsy, Google+, and two Twitter accounts, not to mention keeping up with my favorite TV shows. Man, oh man. Something's gotta give. I'm just not sure what I can give up yet.
How do you deal with technology overload?
Here's another Portlandia skit that makes me laugh: the crazy bike guy.
