Happy Fiscal New Year!!!

Every New Year, I make some resolutions. I know this is cheesy and I hear distant groans, but I don’t care what anyone says: “It’s just a date; nothing’s going to change just because a number rolls over or you have a new calendar.” Bullshit. The only reason nothing changes is because we don’t make it change. And obviously I’m not talking about curing world hunger, but about minor self improvement. The new number and new calendar are just a motivator and a reminder that new beginnings are possible, and today is the day to start!

BTW, I feel the same way about Valentine’s day – I always hear the “it’s ridiculous to have a day where you’re obligated to do stuff to prove you care about some one, we should be doing that every day anyway….blah blah blah” or some version of the previous. The thing is, most of us do not go out of the way for our cared ones every day in a grandiose manner. Sure – the little things that happen every day are more important than anything, but it’s nice to set special occasions apart and go even further out of the way, have a reason to get dressed up and feel appreciated. And if I were single, I think I’d go out of my way to get my girlfriends together for fondue and wine and movies, because they all need appreciation too!

I am sappy and I digress. So yes, I missed real New Year’s this year, and failed to make resolutions, so I am taking the beginning of the fiscal New Year’s as my second chance – and if you missed this one too, fear not, there’s also Chinese New Year’s.

Here goes:

I will try to get myself in a financial position to buy a house (a cute tiny dog friendly house) by the end of the year, so that I can start looking in early 2008. This will involve cutting back on certain things like breakfast burritos, an abundance of new clothes for summer, using a smaller dab of shampoo and toothpaste (I always end up spitting half of it out in a big glob anyway), fewer drinks at concerts ….just the little things. Hopefully they’ll add up. But I will not skimp on eating healthy food, because nothing is more important than my health, and feeling good.

I would like to get down to the weight on my driver’s license. I wasn’t far all last year, thanks to NY’s Resolutions 2006, but the holiday season took its toll.

I’d like to do more volunteer work. I may not have much money, but I do have time to help those that need help more than I do.

I will learn more about skin care and get myself started on some sort of anti aging care program. I will be 30 in less than three years so it’s about that time to start. Currently, I walk by that isle and see about 60 products, all of which I don’t understand. I pick up the bottle and read the ingredients and most of them sound like they can’t be good… any suggestions? This program will include many fewer night passed out with make up still on, and going out the next day in wakeandwear. This is now even more important since I seem to be developing some wonderful skin condition which is some sort of Dermatitis – yay!

I will perform more random acts of kindness.

I will be less of a sucker when people’s intentions are not kind towards me.

I will read more. I can’t remember how many books I read last year but it wasn’t enough. This might also help with the money situation, if I can downgrade the cable with reading as a crutch – life will be heard without E and VH1 but I guess I can’t have it all. I will especially read “Smart Women Finish Rich” after a through dusting.

I will try to have more patience with my dog, even when he’s running around in circles in excitement. He cannot help this I’m afraid, and if I get my nose broken because he runs by me while I’m tying up my shoes, I should know better! I need to accept the things I cannot change in him.

I will cry less over spilled milk. If I go out to a bar and run my tab out too high, there is nothing I can do about it the next day. If people that I care about leave my world, I will know that there was a reason for that.

I will work on passive aggressive behavior and try to communicate my problems to people rather than thinking they are too petty to bring up, and then slowly going nuts inside until I do something bad.

I will worry less about what ifs. If I take care of myself and my issues, and the people I care about, and do the right thing, things should take care of themselves.

Wish me luck!!!