Resolutions

Every year since I was a kid, my New Year's resolution has been to lose
weight. This includes the years when I weighed under 100 pounds. I
think that's just sad. But anyway... This year, I resolve not to
resolve to lose weight. And if you followed that sentence, you're a
better woman than I. Or man. Or whatever. So, without further ado, my
first list of 2007:

1. Get rid of all the clothes that I don't like or that make me feel awkward, ugly, or self-conscious, regardless of their functionality.
2. Call my grandparents more.
3. Get out of my apartment after dark more often.
4. Pay off a substantial chunk of my credit card debt.
5. Take a vacation.
6. Explore at least three local places on my "list of places to see in the Bay area."
7. Create a functional circle of friends in San Francisco. Preferably of people who know and like one another, as well!
8. Fall in love as frequently as possible. (This doesn't mean with tons of
people, necessarily. It can mean places, smells, events, sounds...)
9. Change the oil in my car when I'm supposed to.
10. Try one new recipe a week.
11. Read 20 books. I'm not feeling as ambitious as the rest of you, I realize, but 20 is all I can imagine having the time for!
12. Start practicing again.
13. Go salsa dancing at least once.
14. Figure out a way to give myself one day off per week, even if that means teaching less.
15. Excel at my job, and hopefully get promoted.
16. Get my shoes repaired instead of wearing through them.
17. Call people back in a timely fashion. (Really, I'm going to try. I promise.)
18. Take more pictures.
19. Cry less than in 2006.
20. Go to at least three of the street fairs in San Francisco. I can't believe I haven't been to a single one!!!
21. Hear more live music.
22. Call my sister in England at least once a week.
23. Surround myself with people who care about me, and stop worrying about the people who don't.
24. Along those lines, stop trying so darn hard to make people care about
me. Um, hi. If you can't like me on your own, that's your loss!
25. Send more letters.
26. Say what's on my mind. At least, occasionally!
27. Laugh more than in 2006.
28. Learn how to stand up for myself without getting so pumped full of adrenaline that I start to cry. That is absurd, and really mortifying!
29. Remember to wash my face before going to bed. Trivial, yes, but important? Definitely!
30. Learn to say "no" to things that hurt me, even if it means disappointing others.
31. Most importantly: Learn to say "yes" to things that, while scary, will make me happy.

That's all I have for now. Happy 2007, blogging world!