Monday, December 31, 2007

On the other side of Chistmas

Home again in Southern California where the cold cloudy morning burned off into a sunny beautiful day. After a VERY long visit to the doctor's office (during which we left and ate at IN N OUT and then came back to wait longer still), we now know that Silas has bronchitis just like his cousins. Bummer, but hooray for antibiotics.

Today is New Year's Eve. I usually do little reflection on the past year until a week or so after New Years when Ben and I write in our Yearly Journal (this is one of my very favorite traditions -- thank you Cary Umhau -- email me if you want to know more!). And as for new year's resolutions, I usually don't make them at all (Ben will just laugh if I tell him I am going to join anything else -- gym, yoga studio, art studio etc) or pretend not to and make "private resolutions" -- resolutions that no one else knows about so there is no accountability or judgment.

This year, however, I had a glorious entire day to myself just in time for a wee bit of reflection on the days past and the ones to come. Ben and I both left DC yesterday but on different flights, so Ben took Silas and left me lightly laden with hours of sky time to nap, read magazines, start a novel, write letters on my airport-bought Crane's stationary, and write in my journal -- unheard of!!

So, at the end of my 8 hour day, here are some resolutions that I came up with (that seem practical enough to implement which is why I dare say them out loud, though now that I'm looking at them, there are a lot):

-set up a babysitter for 5 hours a week -- one morning and one afternoon

-wake up for 6AM writing at least a few times a week (or make it happen some other time of day, though less likely)

-have a date with Ben, out or at home, at least every other week if not every week -- the key is that our time has to be planned

-be faithful to a spiritual practice daily. This resolution seems least helpful because of the vagueness, but the lack of rigidity may work in my favor (?) -- to light a candle and pray for 10 minutes, to read for 10 minutes, to sit for 10 minutes, to draw a mandala, journal madly about anxieties, to do something to connect me with God and my inner world consistently. The first 10 minutes of Silas's nap may be a good time for this...

-to try to listen/breathe/receive people when I'm feeling on edge/uncomfortable rather than talk and say something I'll regret

-work on not being negative/bitchy (esp in side comments and commentary to Ben)

-buy a bedspread

-have the living room painted (what color?)

-magically transform house into spa-like zen center before the baby comes in June

-find a place to put the baby when she comes (we think she's a she)

-plan some girls' nights

-go away just with Ben for a night, weekend, month (ahhh)

-reduce the insane amount of trash my house produces, maybe even suck it up and find a thorough recycling center and join the 21st century (which Orange County presumably is not a part of)

-make some aggressive efforts to save money -- it's been a while and it's time!

-and lastly, get physical, be active, go outside, go (a friendly goal -- no mileage, time allotment, number of days per week, memberships)

Happy 2008*

No comments: