It's New Year's Resolution time, and time to look back on last year's and see how I've done...

New Year's Resolution Update....

It's 2008, and time for a final review of my 2007 new year's resolutions, as well as making my 2008 resolutions.

- Spend more time with my husband. Individual time...quality time. Not, let's run to the grocery store time. So, overall, I think we've done better at this. Definitely can work towards more in 2008, but I think our time together may have become more limited at times, it was quality when we had it. We have some work to do. Work got in the way....Ben's schedule changed and we don't see eachother much.

- Further my education. This does not have to be in the form of actual schooling, but I want to learn more about something. It doesn't even have to be school related, or degree related. I just want to enlighten myself more. Anyone have any suggestions? I have read, read, and read somemore. I've learned some more. Goals for 2008: look into Graduate school more actively and learn to scrapbook. Yeah, so, not so much. I did a little scrapbooking this year, but still haven't taken any classes. I have, however, learned how to sew (basic, but still) and am looking into Graduate school, but not with any seriousness. That will change soon.

- Focus on my health. Ah, the innevitable blip about how I do not focus enough on my health goals, and therefore every year challenge myself to do something about it. This year will be no different. At least, in the challenge that is. Hopefully, with some due dilegence, the outcome will change. Focus includes getting rid of excess weight, unwanted cough, blood pressure medicine, and crazy pills. Crazy pills would be an amazing feat....those are likely with me for life. So my health has been a bit of a rollercoaster....but overall, it's been much better than before. I haven't stuck to the gym like I should, but I have dropped approximately 15 lbs since last year that has remained off, and overall I feel healthier than ever. I made huge strides in changing my health this year. I had weight loss surgery, and am down close to 50lbs. I have a ways to go, but I'm focused. I need to be more dedicated and get my ass in the gym like immediately to further my success, but I am so proud of the steps I've taken thus far. A change has done me good! I feel great!

- Be happier. Stop going through the motions of life and enjoy them. Take some time to stop and smell the roses. Definitely made huge strides here. I have stopped to smell a lot of roses, and worried a lot less. Not happy for the most part. I need to make some changes.

- See friends and family more. Spend that free time seeing people that you don't normalily get to. See friends as much as possible. Visit family as much as possible. Friends has gotten better...family needs to be seen more. Still need to work on this.

- Plan outings. Go to them. That's gonna be carried over to 2008. Still need to work on this. But I have varied my interests this year and seen things I've always wanted to see. Also, we're going to New York for Thanksgiving next year, so I am super excited. New York City, here I come!!!

- Eliminate something significant off that "always wanted to do list." Current ideas: make the t-shirt quilt (this could also serve as the education, since I would need both to complete this task), jump out of a plane, visit California, just to name a few. Ideas? Ok, so I've done a lot of firsts this year....and still coming up with new ones all the time. This has been great!

- Get myself promoted and out of this current position as near as possible to September 1st. This goal is actually carried over from 2006, but can not be accomplished earlier than the September 1st date. I told myself I'd be in this position for a year...Sept. 1st will be the one year date. Yeah....that's a mess. BIG changes with work recently....fingers crossed that it's gotten better...

- Do not quit my job in March. Sounds silly, I know, but I have a track record of 3.5 years with a company. March 07 will be my 3.5 year mark. I don't have any intentions of leaving, and do not really want to, but it all starts out that way. If I do leave, make it worth while. Still there and ticking! I'm a survivor!!

- Love more, argue less. Smile more, pout less. Definitely improved. Work has not helped this.

- Overcome my cold calling weaknesses. Not even a fear anymore.

- Don't get fired. So, I don't think I'm at risk, but....well....you never know. =) I'm a survivor!!

- Learn to love my current position. Yeah, another long story. We'll see...

- Complete this list prior to December 31, 2007. Not bad.... And so starts another one.

The Irony of Election Day...

Today's election day. A pivotal day in the future of our country. Like many of my fellow American's, I stood in line today to cast my vote for our country. I hope you did the same.

On this serious day, I couldn't help but find humor in the scenes I passed. As I drove up to my polling place and walked to the end of the 400 person line, I was struck by how white and Republican we all looked. Talk about stereotyping a group - here we all stood, most of us with our hair perfectly quaffed, our nicely pressed clothing and our designer bags, standing peacefully in line waiting for our turn to change the future. The campaigners stood quietly by the road, raising signs and waving at passing cars and everyone kept to themselves. Is the group actually predominantly Republican? I don't know. But, I would say 300 of us fit the WASP description perfectly....guess I learned today the type of area I live in (not a bad thing...I like a quiet neighborhood). After an hour in line, I completed my task, hopped in my car, and headed on my way.

A couple of hours later, I was headed down Silver Star Road, in the direction of Pine Hills. I had passed several other polling locations along the way, all with varying types of scenes displayed out in front. And then I hit Pine Hills, and the irony of it all hit me.

Just as I crossed over Pine Hills Road, I was greeted by a group of barely 18 year old African American girls, standing in the middle of the road waving Cambrio signs (I dont' know who that is either...not on our voting list), booty dancing to music blasting from the precinct parking lot. The smell of bbq filled the air and what seemed like insanity ensued in the parking lot. Signs were everywhere there was a free spot of land, and the whole thing was a sight you could not miss.

Now, I don't point this out for race purposes, to pick on anyone. I just found the irony in how different cultures and different people live. How funny, that I can drive less than five miles down the road, and be greeted by what seemed like a completely different world? Interesting how some of us take the day so stoicly, as if it were a job, and others celebrate, as if it were a right. I have to appreciate the other precinct for remembering that this is a RIGHT and not a DUTY.

Who has it right? Who knows. Do we have to have it one way or the other? No. But seeing this, I felt like it was clearly divided as to which precinct favored which candidate....and how different people are all other.

A Beautiful Girl

In your life, you often find a line from a movie that will touch you deeply...make you think, change the way you think, or open your eyes to a completely different view. I love movies. I love the brilliant writers that write brilliant dialouge between characters that touches your heart and your soul. Most of the time, you find that in B movies. Deep movies very rarely make it to "A" status. If so, I think it would be safe to say that it's typically for the wrong reason, and has nothing to do with the story or the characters, but the hype that has been played in order to make lots of money.

In 1994, a brilliant movie was released that never did well in the theaters. Beautiful Girls was a story about a group of people who grew up together, in a small town, and were trying to make a go of their lives. Their various dramas played out as the protaginist returned to his hometown for the high school reunion. This list of well known actors is long, and well versed. And the writers...well, were downright brilliant.

If you have never seen this film, you must. It's that simple. It's about relationships, about women and men understanding women and the complexity of a woman. The piece below is my favorite part from the movie....it's fairly insignificant for the story line, but beautiful and has stayed with me for 14 years. I hope you appreciate it as much as I do.

A Beautiful Girl