Er, generally I’m not much of one for New Years’ Resolutions because, really, they’re a great big fail target waiting to happen.

However, I do have some goals for 2009 and quite frankly, it’s a good thing to write them down just so I don’t lose sight of them.  If you look closely at them they’ll look quite a lot like resolutions I guess… but without the resolve… more the intent and somewhat less of the internal pressure required to make a ridiculous number of wholesale changes all at once with nothing more than good intentions and will power to back them up… Oh, and these are in order of them popping into my head rather than any order of importance.

1. Get more active.  I really only got back into the habit of walking after Rose asked me to join her in November. I’d so forgotten how much more motivated I am after I’ve got the blood pumping a bit so even once she moved out of town I’ve been back on the beat.  My daily route is beautiful and takes from an hour to an hour and a half to complete around some of Sydney Harbour so I’d be a fool not to take advantage of it… I started walking in October just 2 days a week, have juiced it up to four and am happy to have stayed in the swing of things since coming home from NZ…
2. Make smarter food choices.  No, this is not a diet.  I won’t be weighing and measuring (either me or my food), nor will I be counting points or buying pre-made meals… I will be all about eating when I’m hungry and stopping when I’m not; eating what I want but doing what I can to want smarter things.  I think having a bit more home time on my hands makes it possible to look at my recipe books and find interesting recipes and having a much stricter budget means I’ll need to make some of the things I’d more often choose to go out for… (First attempt at Asian Salad a la the Wock Bar, great big bucket of win)… My biggest battle on the weight/health front is my relationship with food, why I want the bad things… that’s the goal… deal with the appetite… maybe the body will change, in its own time, at its own rate…
3. Plan meals and shop to the plan.  2008 got a bit hectic towards the end and I’d find myself defaulting to a stock cooking repertoire that was quick and easy and quite simply, boring.  There was a time when I used to find prepping dinner relaxing… I want to get back to that… I have good recipes and great produce available locally.  I’m looking forward to making the most of that more often.  I’m also wanting to reduce the amount of food waste I generate… I’ve thrown away a lot of produce due to planning too far ahead and having the plan change on me leaving food to go to wast… this bothers me and I’d like to redress the balance a bit…
4. Spent more time with friends.  Sounds easy… was certainly something I got better at later last year… this might be tricky once University kicks in but the intent is there for 09… and if you’re one of these friends, this is a direct invite to include me in your shenanigans!!
5. Achieve a Merit Scholarship at Uni for 2nd semester.  This is my incentive to work really hard on my coursework…  A merit scholarship is worth 300 bucks per paper… so a saving of $1200 (basically the cost of 1 paper) my student loan would be very helpful… To get it I have to achieve a Distinction (+75%) average… wish me luck!!!

I think that’s probably enough.  These are lofty maybe, but achievable nonetheless… will see how it goes…  What are your resolutions/plans/goals for 2009?

I am in New Zealand.

The weather is lovely.

My family are all well. I have been better… summer colds are very unfortunate things… but I will survive!!  I had a terriffic time with Kiwi Fi for a couple of days in sunny Northland… where I do believe I felt like I was on holiday for the first time!!!  (Thanks again!! Loved it!)

I have finished at work and will be handing back the laptop next
week.  I have many thoughts but limited time to blog them.  I will…
but maybe when I get home.

I have been catching up with your news via blogs, facebook and twitter … but I have been lurking due
to time constraints and the insensitivity of RSS to commenting… I
hope you don’t mind…

As time is short and I’m off to have tea with my mother may I wish you a very Happy New Year??  I’ll see you soon…

(ooh, and I’ve just finished reading ‘The Forgotten Garden’ by Kate
Morton… Loved it… it was great…

I found this over at Debra’s and having completed it am feeling really, really blessed at all the things I’ve been able to do.  I’m so thankful. 

Which is nice considering how much time I’ve spent crying this weekend.  And it’s only halfway through Saturday.

Bold is for Done. Italics is for want to.

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world(do I get extra points for both?)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea Used to be able to do this from my living room window….*nostalgia*
14. Taught myself an art from scratch Photography’s an art, right?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train Chicago to Seattle an amazing trip
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping*recommends*
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise>
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris*total claustrophobia* – had to get down in a hurry!
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie Ok, so it was an ad… close enough for me!
56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies – er, Girl Guide biscuits, where I come from!
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma – but I’m not allowed to any more – I lived in England during the Mad Cow Disease epidemic. I could be a mad cow… (shuddup)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp – Dachau
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone – Actually not one of my own, but I broke one of my sisters’
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book – Edited a published book though!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car – won’t ever. Near new? Sure! Brand new? Nope.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating -Farmer’s daughter… goes with the territory
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous – Sam Neill. Had breakfast with him (babysat his kids)!
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I had occasion this week to visit the Art Gallery of NSW to both view their latest exhibition of Monet and Impressionist Paintings and to hear author Sarah Turnbull talk about her time of living in Paris.

I had loved Sarah’s Book upon reading it (as recommended by Ron) and so I gathered a posse to come see and hear.

What to say?  Sarah’s chat was informal and informative, though, as with the last celeb talk I heard at the the Museum (Stephanie Alexander) the lighting on the speaker was hopeless,  it seems it’s all reserved for whatever artwork they’re standing in front of!!  Sound however, was not a problem and Sarah filled us in on the perceived glamour of living in Paris versus the reality of it…  She’s living back in Australia now, with her husband and I’m stoked to have picked up a copy of the book and got it signed, and even have time for a chat with her about being an expat, after we’d done our tour of the exhibition.

The exhibiton was lovely.  What can a total art gumby say but, Hmmm, I like that one, ooh, but not that one so much.  I like going to galleries, I like seeing what’s out there… but art critic?  I am not…  So, if you want more, check out the website… www.monet.org.au, and, if it happens you’re in Sydney sometime in the next few months, make sure you go along and see it.  It’s beautiful.