Eat My Shorts, 2008

I sort of have a problem with resolutions. First of all, most people don't keep them, so they just became an exercise in bullshit posturing. Secondly, while I have no objection to self-improvement, I think some people take it too far. Always striving to be better can make you terribly unsatisfied with who you are, what you have and what you've accomplished.

So, keeping those things in mind, I'd like to strike a balance: 80% celebrating what I have and who I am, and 20% growing. So here goes:

1. Make more, spend less. Max out my IRA contribution and start being more vigilant about budgeting. Since my take-home pay continues to rise, I have no excuse for managing my money carelessly. Also, I am going to open a separate account for clothes purchases, with only $500 to last me the entire year. Oh yes.

2. Absolutely no shoe purchases. I'm not even going to go into DSW or the Nordstrom shoe department unless I am accompanying a family member or friend.

3. No hair-dyeing. I went in for beautiful red and brown lowlights a couple of weeks ago, and they've already faded. The cost just isn't worth it, especially since my hair is an attractive enough honey blonde in its natural state.

4. Get more involved with the community. This helps counteract the feeling of being an apathetic, entitled yuppie asshole, I'm told. I already volunteer at the Humane Society, but I should do more. I might get involved with the local group in support of my favorite presidential candidate, start tutoring children at the library, or get involved with the local lawn bowling association (hey, lawn bowling is hilarious).

5. Apply to grad school. (Getting in is quite another matter! Heh.)

6. Go abroad. Reconciling this with resolution #1 might be difficult, but I think I can manage a cheap trip somewhere.

7. Be honest yet kind. I've just about mastered honesty, but while I certainly have kindness in my heart, it doesn't always come through in my interactions with others.

8. Battle jealousy with gratitude. I've felt jealousy bubble up lately, and it's eating away at me. I think gratitude is a good way to keep jealousy at bay. Plus, counting your blessings is always a good idea. I might start making daily lists of good things that happened/things I can be thankful for. Totally cheesy, I know.

9. Make things. Cook good food, make beautiful art, take lots of pictures. Create beauty and capture it wherever I find it. This means going to the farmer's market EVERY Sunday (no excuses except vicious hangovers!) and wandering around the neighborhood taking pictures at least once a month.

(And if you'll excuse some kvetching...wait, actually don't excuse it. This is my own damn blog...)

Frankly, I'm fucking bummed right now. My rat is dead, my boyfriend keeps blowing me off which leads me to think he's screwing around, and after visiting Portland, I'm down about the insane cost of living here in SD. This year is not looking auspicious so far, though I will certainly not forget that it could be much, much worse. Sigh.