In 2012, I Will...

It's the new year!  Out with the last 365 days and the highs and lows that came with them.  On to a fresh new chapter, which commenced with ringing in 2012 at our friends' cozy home on our first snowy night in weeks.  We had the warmest December in MN in the 7+ years I've lived here.  Crazy.  Although...  not really complaining, either.  As I write this, we're back to a more normal temp of 16 degrees with a -1 degree windchill.  Yeah, it ain't really winter til we're below zero.

Anyways...  now that we're all starting to dig out of our food and drink comas, visions of honey-glazed hams and sazeracs are swiftly being replaced by those of pilates classes and articles on post-holiday "cleansing."  Our urge to physically reduce size is in tandem with trying to put the house on a diet as well.  Yup.  Bring out the shredder and garbage bags.  Our place looks like it's thrown up on itself.  Empty shipping boxes are lying around the front rooms like sad carcasses.  Scraps of wrapping paper, multiple plastic bags from Target, stacks of catalogs and mail only add to the disaster.

I'm on a mission this month (and probably next month as well).  Get rid of the crap!  Donate those clothes I haven't worn in ages to Goodwill.  OK, except my Esprit, Outback Red and Benetton - those are vintage, right?!

I'm also making a list, and it isn't for Santa.  It's my "In 2012, I am gonna do..." list.  Further compelled by a milestone birthday that is slowly creeping up this year, I need to quit saying I'm going to do x, y & z and actually DO them.  Here's my list:


*  GET RID OF STUFF!  (For those who know me well, this is much easier said than done)
*  Learn French and take more Spanish classes (I was a German major in college, and I love languages)
*  Get back to NYC this year (hmm, shouldn't be hard to do this ;)
*  Attempt to eat healthier (hmm, shouldn't be so hard to do this, but it is... )
*  Take some muay thai classes (I used to do kickboxing classes at various gyms and miss the kicking and hitting!)
*  Take voice lessons (OK, so I actually started lessons in December, so I can check this one off the list, at least in terms of having started it)
*  Continue to make this blog better!

And what about you?  Making a list?  Checking it twice?  Are you vowing to work out more and cut down on bad foods?  Finally enrolling in that yoga/painting/finances class?  A closet makeover?  Trying to up your volunteer hours?  Going to apply to grad school?  What's in your future for the new year?  I'd love to hear it.  And I'll bet others would, too.  Might be something we hadn't thought of, but should add to our lists as well.  So spill it :)

I'll be back soon to share more of my favorites.  Til then, cheers & wishing you a fabulous new year!