Resolutions

Now we come to the looking forward post, where I record my goals for the coming year. I don't really do "resolutions." Life is such a dance of ebb and flow, with things constantly changing. My goals and plans are the same way. But the beginning of the year is a good excuse to look at things and decide what activities I am going to give some intentionality to. I ended the last post with finances, so I guess that's where I'll begin:

• Budget. More hours at work = more income. Last year was all about moving and almost all of any "spending" money went toward household and garden wants and needs. My budget went out the window, although I stayed within my income until the end of the year, when I racked up my overdraft loan with Christmas gifts, bookcases, and my prescription drugs from Canada. I have now paid that off with my holiday pay for last year. But I have no savings whatsoever. I intend to change that this year, and start saving a portion of each paycheck, even if it is only $25. A major challenge is going to be the car. Can I budget enough to fund a new car, or should I replace the radiator and deal with no power steering in order to save money in the long term? Either way, I need the radiator to hold out for a few more months until I have some savings!
• Fitness. No I'm not going to make a resolution to lose weight, although I hope that will be an added bonus. I have already been trying to walk regularly - 30 minutes a day at least. It hasn't made a dent yet, but I got off track after Thanksgiving when I got sick. Now it is cold and the road covered with snow, so I have been walking around and around through the apartment which is conveniently laid out in a circle. The cats think I am nuts, but I can do it while watching TV. What I intend to do next is add some weight training and yoga to that. I used to do yoga regularly but have gotten out of the habit.
• Beading and knitting. My crafts have mostly sat in the closet since I moved. Time to have some new projects and finish old ones. I still intend to buy some beading software, so that I can produce patterns of the flowers I have designed. Some day I would love to have enough patterns for a book that I can sell.
• Blog and website. Yeah, I really need to find a focus for this blog. Otherwise I'm just writing a diary here. And I would like to create a website - for my flowers, for the Welsh language and dance, for the blog, for family genealogy, etc.
• Entertaining. I got started on this with my Celtic New Year party, but that's just the beginning. I'd like to revive my annual medieval/Owen Glendower party. Maybe have a Gwyl Ifan (midsummer's eve) dance-on-the-lawn party. And back in Iowa City, I used to invite folks over for dinner regularly. Hey! Maybe I'll host one of Mayflower's Mystery Dinners this year.
• Travel. This one might depend on the budget and the car. But at the least, I would like to get to Colorado this summer. And to Atlanta again if Kathryn and Joe have a Michael gathering in the fall. It's been six going on seven years since I went to Wales last. That won't happen this year, but I'd like to be able to start saving for it.
• Name Change. I'd like to make it official this year, and have that special party/ceremony with my indigo robe. Aiming for August on that. But it's not a high priority. A lot depends on the car and the budget for the next several months!