New Year's Resolutions

Since we are nearing the end of the first month of the year, I figured I should probably say something about New Year's Resolutions. Here's the deal... I'm actually not a huge fan of them. I used to buy into the whole tradition of setting a goal for the year, but I always seemed to fail before the month was out and/or my resolution was something near impossible to begin with. I've learned, however, that making resolutions isn't a bad thing, for many people it helps them focus and accomplish goals. But, for the rest of us normal people, we usually give up. Why? Because we are creatures of habit, and although we commit at the first of every year to change our ways, time and time again we only slip back into them.

Now because I notice this trend in myself, for a few years I never set actual goals and what not. I always told myself that my one resolution (the main one, anyway) was to be a better person than I was the year before. I never used to have specifics, but I would try to just be better, nicer, more confident, etc. than I was. While this is great and fantastic, it's hard to measure your progress if you don't have specific things to look at. And, it's hard to accomplish a goal without a game plan. As a friend of mine always says, "Plan for success."

With that said, I decided this year, since it's my first official year as a real-world, working adult, I should probably have a set, written plan for things that would make me a better person. I'm not going to share all of them with the world because many of them are personal (be more spiritual, more healthy, etc.--I have more specifics/plans, so don't you worry), but I will share the ones that you can help me with and the ones I'm most excited about (that's right, I'm excited for a few of my resolutions). First there's the usual/normal ones:

• Finish reading several of the books on my shelf (some of which I have started, but haven't finished), namely The Host, Breaking Dawn, The Princess Bride, and I Am America (And So Can You). (I also had another one on the list that I just finished! YAY!)
• Finish some projects: Photo album, graduation scrapbook, and Mom & Dad's stockings (which were started when I was in middle school/high school... I know I'm pathetic).

Then there are the ones that you can help me with/remind me of:

• Write on my blog more often, meaning at least once a week.
• Be a nicer, kinder person: do something nice, even if it's something small like a smile or compliment, for someone everyday without the hope or expectation of being acknowledged, thanked, or recognized; do it because you want to.
• In that same tone--volunteer more often, do something service-oriented at least one a month.

Ok, and now, apart from my favorite goal of catching up on movie-watching, this one is the one I'm most excited for!

• Do something new and different/learn something new every month.

Each month I listed something that I was going to do. Now because I kind of want to keep some of them a surprise and show you the documentation of my newly acquired skill/experience, I'm not going to list all of them. However, I'm on a fantastic start because January was to learn how to sew a skirt. That's right, I sewed a skirt (blog post with pictures coming soon). And as an enticement for you... for the month of February I'm learning a new dance move (or dance) and the art of flirting.

I'm so excited for this last one, and because I'm so excited and that I have a game plan, I know I'll be ok at accomplishing this one. For the others, here's the last thing I wrote on my "New Year's Resolutions" paper and I hope it helps you in your pursuit of resolutions, too:

Realize that it's never too late for anything. If I fall behind, or "fail," I can start up again or start over. What's important is that I try to be better. The fun is the journey and the growth while in the process. If I don't complete all of my goals, I just have to remember, there's always next year. :)

My Non-Date

I apologize to those of you who have already heard this story from me already. I'll try to keep it succinct because I'm sure you don't want to hear about it again. Here goes:

On Christmas Eve, this guy from Church called me to go to the movies with him that day. My family wasn't really doing anything till later on, so I agreed to go with him. Honestly, I should have just stayed at home playing Rockband with my brother. So, he picks me up and pays for the movie, so this is sort of like a date, right? WRONG! The entire time he cried and boo-hooed/whined to me about his ex-girlfriend and how he couldn't understand why she broke up with him because he totally thought she was the "one"! Oh... my... gosh. Seriously? So I knew from the moment I got into his car on the way to the movie theater, this was not a date.

Maybe he sees me as a friend (even though we've only spoken for more than 5 min. one other time before), so I decide to try to help him by giving him advice on what to say to this girl and how to get over this situation. Nope, that didn't work; I could tell he didn't want to hear it.

So then, I think maybe he wants a distraction. I try to change the subject to something a little happier--Christmas. Well, not only does it bring him back to his ex-girlfriend (Side note: We talked about the weather and he had to tell me the weather in the place where his ex is vacationing. Can we say obsessed? I did and told him so.), he brings up that his family isn't having Christmas because his dad got laid off.

By the time he was dropping me off at home after the movie, he had told me how he broke up with his girlfriend, his dad got laid off, he misses his brother because he left on a mission, and his grandmother just got diagnosed with cancer. To sum up he told me that 2008 had been the crappiest year of his life. Wow...

The movie wasn't even that great either. I think I was more than helpful and nice with the situation. I tried my best, but believe me when I got home, boy was I so happy to be there with my annoying brothers. Let's hope I don't have a repeat experience. Yeah, definitely not a date.

I know, I know..

I know! I'm such a slacker. I really have thought to myself that I need to blog. So many ideas and topics come to my head that I want to blog/write about, but then I forget them, or I run out of time to do them. Just to let y'all know, I am alive... Here's what I hope to be posting about soon (no not today; I need to go to bed):

• What do you do when a "date" isn't really a date, but more like a "Listen to me whine and try to comfort me as I miss my ex-girlfriend and how much I'd rather be with her than you," shoulder-to-cry-on date?
• New Year's Resolutions or lack there of
• Realizing that if something happens, you just have to accept it and have it help you not hinder you (kind of a "lemons make lemonade" concept)
• Why is it that guys don't notice things like haircuts? Is it they're just oblivious and don't pay attention, or is it deeper than that (they don't want to seem "womanly")?
• Oh how true that song by Bowling For Soup "High School Never Ends" really is
• Spontaneous trip taking and ticket purchasing--Why do I second guess it after it's too late?
• Learning how to sew--why don't they teach you how to sew something a little more useful in Home Ec than how to sew a pillow?
• Why I should be the next DJ/ in charge of music for the next YSA Dance
• The Quest to replace Old Blue--what's happened to my car anyway?
• I promise I'm a little more interesting and do know more than just grammar
• I really need to get out more... meaning I really want to go out on a date (a real one this time)

Ok... I've got more, but that should be good for now. Be on the look out for the above topics. I promise I'll try to be better about this whole bloggin' thing. (One of those New Year's Resolutions, if you will).