Welcome 2008

Happy New Year!

We stayed up and saw Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve and both of us cringed every time Dick Clark came on. Some people will look at him and say: "Wow, isn't that great? Even though he had a stroke, he's still doing New Years Eve! He looks GREAT!" M and I look at him and feel uncomfortable watching him...listening to him speak. it would be great for him to be there, in a more ceremonious position perhaps, but it's time to pass the baton onto someone else.

I heard from my children. My son was at Penn's Landing in Philly watching the fireworks. My daughter was trying to make her way to join him and his friends but got lost and was driving around trying to get somewhere - anywhere. She was upset - she missed New Years. I tried to comfort her the best way I could over the phone. I felt for her, I really did.

This is one of the few New Years where I didn't have any alcohol to drink. It's nice not to wake up with a fuzzy head and a sour stomach! I've had some wine/beer over the holidays, but it's lost it's appeal to me anymore. M also wants to stop drinking in the New Year - good for her!

Resolutions?!?! The usual - lose weight, exercise more.

I think I want to change that to: eat better and become more active again. I am starting to understand how eating better affects my over all health and how becoming more active helps with the aches and pains I now have. I also found that I sleep much better even if I only take a 30 minute walk during the day!

M will help me to keep some obtainable goals. I tend to shoot for the moon and I disappoint myself when I don't see the progress I used to see when I was younger and had a faster metabolism and stronger knees.

I want to start painting again. It's been over a year since I picked up a brush and I miss it. It was my escape.

I also want to play more with the photography. My Dad gave me his old Cannon film camera so I can always have a camera loaded with black and white film and a camera loaded with color. I can't afford the digital camera I want at the moment, so this will have to do. I still photos from film cameras are better - but that's just my opinion.

M and I will start looking around for a new place to live in this coming year. We've been in this house for 7+ years now and we both feel the need to downscale our lives. I want small, cozy...manageable.

We have been looking towards Pennsylvania - taxes are lower and there is more room to stretch out and breathe than there is here in NJ. We've romanticised the idea of moving to Philadelphia. To have everything you need within walking distance seems so tempting: Museums, great restaurants, parks, history, art galleries!!! It sounds like fun - but I don't know if that is really what I want in my life right now. I am leaning more towards more open space. I would like to look out my window and see something else other than my neighbors living room! I want a yard to putz around in.

There is time to make this decision. We aren't in any rush. I want to make sure my daughter has a place to go if she doesn't come with us. This gives her time to start looking around.

I am not looking forward to the upcoming presidential elections. I hate the whole process. I don't really like any of the candidates that I've seen so far. I may agree with some of their ideologies, but it doesn't mean I would actually want them as the President. Those are 2 different things entirely.

I wish Bloomberg would go ahead and throw his hat in the ring.

Whatever...let's not go there.

Welcome 2008 and all of the possibilities it brings along with it!

M and I wish you and your families a very happy and healthy New Year!