Hey Rocky, Watch Me Pull A Rabbit Out Of My Hat

Happy Chinese New Year's. This year is the "Year Of The Rabbit". According to http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese-new-year/ the year of the rabbit is "a placid year" following the "ferocious" year of the tiger.

It starts today, February 3rd and lasts 15 days until the next full moon when it ends with a night-time lantern festival.

I didn't do anything to celebrate it today but I think I will in the very near future make up a list of indeterminate length of resolutions. After all it is my last chance of sorts.

Chinese New Year's has always been my last minute resolution stop ever since I can remember. First there is New Year's Day, then comes my second kick at the can, Ukrainian New Year's. Finally, third time presumably lucky (and Chinese being more into lucky things I think) Chinese New Year's.

I guess the future is now. Now being as good a time as any. So what are these resolutions? How about a list. I've seen so many on other blogs. My first I think. The time seems ripe for it here. So here goes...

1. Lose some weight. A serious amount! No less than 25 pounds and no more than 100 for now as I worry about baggy skin.

2. Go swimming 10 laps to start/3 times a week at least and take a "brisk" 30 minute walk daily (in a mall if necessary).

3. Do my taxes in a timely fashion. Fix up the previous years in need of it. Further resolve to do it on yearly basis.

4. Read and save my mail in a serious, adult fashion that involves a filing system. Do not wait to open my mail ever!

5. Get a new part-time job at H&S temporarily before trying back at Xentel in April of this year as per Jatin's suggestion.

6. Pick a charity to sponsor for the year and donate the $30ish dollars I save on an AISH bus pass monthly when working.

7. Blog on a regular basis. Eventually resubmit to AAYSR review site. Save for a Cutest Blog On The Block package.

8. Read 5 different blogs on a daily basis for inspiration for my blog as well as for my Toastmasters speeches.

9. Go to the library and read 5 different newspapers & newsmagazines weekly for the above reason as well.

10. Take Mom out to lunch/dinner once a month after I start working. Try and get her to go to new places sometimes.

11 Call friends/family on a more regular basis. Remember that we do have un-limited long distance for a reason.

12. Write letters where calling is not possible or when a card/letter is the more appropriate choice.

13. Always have my calling cards and my "info-lets" to hand out as needed. Make sure to always have pens and extra paper too.

14. Write in a paper version of a diary daily - both as inspiration for blogging regularly and to have an alternate "voice".

15. Go through all the papers/magazines I have on my desk and nightstand on a regular basis and keep the piles to a minimum.

16. Sort through the 3 or 4 remaining drawers in my plastic cabinets and organize/rework/purge what is in them.

17. Plow through the 3000-5000 backed-up emails at live.com main email and get it down to a daily amount then check daily.

18. Go to Goodreads, AVEN, IMdB, and other sites I belong to on a more regular basis of at least once per week if not more.

19. Complete my new CTM/equivalent in 1 TM dues period if possible - 2 tops. Do some "outside" speeches if necessary with 1/2 @ my club.

20. Take a TM officer position if they continue to offer it but find out exactly what's involved & plan accordingly.

21. Re-do my parlimentary procedure & my contest judges training again by end of calendar year. Also do a speech contest as participant.

22. Attend this years AGM at UCE to put parlimentary procedure skills to work as well as attend some city council meetings when I can.

23. Learn about civic/provincial/federal issues and candidates well in advance of the next elections for each of the above. Then vote strategically.

24. Find a volunteer job. UCE Sunday School, Lung Association, Food Bank, Bissell Centre, Food Not Bombs, etc. are all some good possibilities.

25. Go back to O.A. Ask K.C. if she wants to do this too. If L.U. is still there try to "make amends". Get and use a sponsor this time. Make a F.P & E.P.

26. Use a mentor in TM this time around. When I reach CTM/equivalent level offer to be one. Keep/get new mentor as needed for next level of certification.

27. Take a sales training &/or writing/editing course through continuing education if it is a "reasonable" price. Find a partner to go with if I can.

28. Keep up with Laura at Mental Health about job status and also about my possible attendance at Highwood to do my diploma and not a G.E.D.

29. Help Katherine with potentially finding a new apartment in a better location transportation-wise and use that experience to consider my options.

30. See if L.B. is willing/able to be reasonable and if I can get my stuff back from her. If she does decide to do this, don't let her "bully" me this time.

31. Use my digital camera and learn how to upload and print (after getting printer hooked up finally). Get Virginia, etc. to show me how to do it.

32. Start adding pictures to my blog or if it doesn't suit the background and I can't or decide not to change it then start a 2nd blog for pictures too.

33. Get my scrapbooking materials from Mom's place, cautiously buy what else I need to do a full, smail album. Is Jin or K.C is interested in doing it too.

34. Find out from Karen about the writing for money (to a paypal account - set one up) site she uses called __________. Try & write sometime daily/weekly.

35. Get Larissa to make good on her promise (of 1-1/2 years! ago) from back at the Life Without Limits Challenge. Try and get this done by the 2 year mark.

36. Buy a single Lotto-Max ticket weekly as it is hard to hit the jackpot without an actual ticket. LOL. Have "my pie" divided and my exit strategy in place.

37. Continue to do the Random Acts of Kindness gifts both small (Werthers, Sweet & Low Candies) and larger (Purdy's, etc. cards). Set a goal and a limit.

38. Always carry adequate money for a payphone/to use someone else's cellphone esp. but not limited to if I decide to stop using my Telus cellphone.

39 Have one package or portion thereof of bus tickets in case my bus pass is ever lost/stolen & to possibly help out people. Keep separate from pass.

40. Clean out purse & any carrying bag daily. Do this so I can safely carry food, important papers needing later filing, etc. Give set time to do this.

41. Remember people's birthdays/special days with a card. Try to find a blank card to personalize when possible. Use dollar store/find sales due to volume.

42. Save money in a rainy day (emergency) fund. Try to save $25 per check when working and $25 a month when simply getting my monthly benefits.

43. Drink more water. Try for the oft-quoted 8 glasses a day amount. Carry a non-toxic water bottle with me in my tote bag or in my purse, ie. Nolan one.

44. Eat salad or raw vegetables every day. Use far less dressing and possibly even low-fat/low-sugar varieties. Vary the vegetables even if I end up buying.

45. Tell ten people something nice every day. Try and make it specific & out-of-the-ordinary when I can. Do this for family/friends/strangers alike.

46. Make a list of affirmations for myself. Post them within my room at "Veggie House" and at Mom's, and general ones in common areas incl. work.

47. Continue to use bus link, and the complaints and commendations line at ETS on a regular basis. Also start utilizing the safety line as well.

48. Write a to=do list daily and also do a weekly and a monthly version. Use the check off boxes & numbering system. Write in pen and check in red felt.

49. Be prepared to add/subtract from this list as needed but check it daily either first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Be flexible about it.

50. At the end of each month (and finally at the end of the calendar year or next Chinese New Years!) make a written list of now well I did. Then celebrate.

As I said, and then amended myself, at the beginning the time went from in the near future to now and as you can see the "indeterminate length" was soon to be decided on 50 items.

I picked 50 because a lot of my resolutions where in twos and therefore 50 was the best number for a major (and in some cases minor or "glossy"/"detailed") list to fully renovate my life. A resolution make-over if you will.

A make-over seems appropriate since it is also a bit of a do-over what with the 3rd time lucky Chinese New Years version of resolution mania. Now it's just a matter of starting out keeping them.

One thing will make it easier though, I think. I picked both small and large things and with the large things made them "measureable" as they say for the most part. And to further make it easier I will try to capture my successes (and failures) here in periodic update posts.

I'll end this with a few final thoughts. First, do let me know what you think of my resolutions. Too much? Not realistic? Ambitious? Silly? Also, which ones do you think are more important to keep? Which ones inspired you (if any) or made you laugh at their triviality perhaps? Second, if you blog, consider a list of your own.

Carmen

P.S. If you aren't a blogger but are a commenter consider giving me a few of your resolutions - big or small - to see how they compare. And Happy (Chinese) New Year. Again.