New Year, New Post

Hi All!

Yes, it's a New Year! I am posting. Unbelievable isn't it.

Anyway, I have been doing some thinking about 2007 and goals that I would like to accomplish. One of them has to do with actually posting in this blog, so hopefully you will be seeing more posts from me in the year to come.

Here are some resolutions/things to strive for in 2007

• Back to the Blog- I am going to try and do the 365 day project. If you are a blog reader I am sure you have heard about it. The goal is simple. 1 picture a day for the entire year. Keep in mind I am no photographer, but it still sounds fun. DJ is going to do it also so we may need to get a new camera. We have a Canon SD300 (I think) that works great and DJ had a very nice Nikon D50 (which is too much for me to operate at times). DJ also gifted me one of his old Sony cameras last year, which I could use for while, so I don't take his trusty Canon from him.

• Back to the Blog (again)- I also am going to journal 5 things at the end of the day that I am grateful for. I used to do that and I found that it helped my outlook. 2006 brought a lot of things to celebrate and I am sure that 2007 will be the same.

• Get back into exercising- Dec I rarely worked out. 1 time per week (perhaps). Like the rest of the world, I need to get back on the wagon. I have 1 month until our trip to Belize and I do not want to be on a beach unless I feel good. Working out helps that. If I loose a couple of lbs that would also be good, but the goal here is to change the behavior.

• Eat when I am hungry- No more mindless munching for me. I need to get back to listening when my body is hungry.

• The Restaurant Tour- I asked DJ if he wanted to try 1 new restaurant per month. He agreed. We haven't been going out to eat all that much, since we are trying to save cash, but 1 time per month shouldn't be too daunting. I'll post a list separately and update as we cross them off. If you are in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area please list places you like.

• Get back to saving money- It's simple. I need to stop the bleeding from my checkbook. The goal is to put $250 per month away.

• Pay Down Debt- I need to get rid of my credit card debt. Goal is to get my debt down by 25% by Jan 2008. That is an aggressive goal, but it's doable. Just quit using it, move the balance to a lower interest card or ask for a lower interest rate, and pay as much as I can per month to it.

• The move- The big plan for the year is for DJ and I to move to LA. DJ moved here to be with me, but the time has come for us to leave. It will be sad to leave loved ones behind, but I am ready for the change. I've lived in Minnesota all my life. The winters are hard on us, so we are off to sunnier places. The plan we currently have it so put the condo on the market in the spring and go from there. Hopefully it will sell so we can be down there by summer. The only thing I have to research is capitol gains. If I have to wait for 2 years then we can't sell until the end of June. DJ has a couple of job options and I am pretty sure I can work my job from LA. I just need to seal that deal with my boss. I will post more as the move approaches.

• The de-cluttering- Associated with the move- I need to get rid of crap. It's that simple. I have gotten rid of some stuff, but I still have a ton. Goal is to start packing up boxes to donate and have a huge sale when we move.

• Learning- Goal is to take 1 to 2 classes per quarter, in whatever I am interested in. This would fall under the following categories- Sewing, Cooking, Language and anything else I can think of. Heck, I could perhaps even take a digital photography class to help me in my 365 day project. I have a good start on this one. I am registered for this class in a couple of weeks. Should be fun!

I know it is a pretty hefty list, but one should aim high, right? I'll be sure to post more as 2007 passes.

Wishing you a very happy and prosperous 2007!