After my previous bummer-esque post about why I don’t like New Year’s Eve, I figured I’d do a 180 and wish everyone a Happy 2010. It turns out that a change of scenery was just what I needed to wring out the old year. We spent the night in downtown Denver last night. We kicked off the evening with a horse and carriage ride around LoDo, had burgers and milkshakes at Sam 3’s diner and capped the night off with the 9:00 family-friendly fireworks on the 16th Street Mall.
I watched the fireworks again at midnight from the windowsill of our hotel room while everyone else slept. I have to admit it was a little magical.
After a buffet breakfast and a swim in the outdoor semi-heated pool (it can only be so heated when it’s below freezing outside), we came home to a big warm dog to hug. I feel rejuvenated and thus inspired to list ten things I’m looking forward to in 2010. These are in no particular order:
- Not having a real job anymore. It will be nice to have more flexibility in my schedule.
- Writing this blog. Perhaps sounds a bit self-serving, but I’m having so much fun I can’t wait to do more with it this year.
- Writing in general. Given that focusing on my writing was my #1 reason for leaving the real job, I so hope that in one year from now I’ll be reflecting on how wonderful it was to have been published by someone – anyone. Anyone??? I am especially hopeful about my children’s books, although I hope to publish some articles this year too.
- Family vacations. Probably repeats of last year: skiing, Michigan, Rainbow Trout Ranch – but all good.
- Summer with the Kids. Last year was so crazy trying to manage child-care, work, vacations. I’m looking forward to having some good old-fashioned summer fun with the kids this year. Please remind me I said this at the beginning of August when I’m at the end of my rope!!
- Running. I want to get back into it this year. I’ve continued the recreational runs, but I want to get fired up and do a few road races this year – the Bolder Boulder in particular.
- Having a DOG!!! Rocky is a fixture in the family already, and I can’t believe how happy it makes me to have a dog warming the hearth.
- Book Club. I finally get to be in a book club! I’ve tried multiple times to start one or join one, but the people I’ve invited have either already been in a club or the ones I’ve wanted to join were already full (or I’m just unpopular, which is also a distinct possibility). This year, however, a good friend of mine is starting a new one and I get to join! I know some of the women, but not all, and I can’t wait to meet everyone and get started! Our first book is The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. This leads me to…
- Reading. No matter how many books I’ve read the previous year, I love the open canvas of a new year and all-new books to read. Last year, the first book I read turned out to be my favorite for the whole year – The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.
- Volunteering. If I have any traditional resolutions this year, one is to get more involved in the community. Now that I have a dog, the only other big hole is feeling like I’m making a direct difference in the lives of others. I’ve never been huge on volunteering, mostly due to time constraints but also because for some reason it makes me self-conscious. I hope to overcome both obstacles this year and get my kids involved too.
That’s all for now, folks. Happy New Year!
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