Wow, that's the first time I've written the new year 2010. Looks weird doesn't it?


I know it's a little late to be posting my New Year's Resolutions for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, but sometimes you just need to let things percolate for a while. The good news is that I've already taken action in a couple of cases.

Here they are in no particular order:

- Get my finances in order. This is always an on-going battle, like my weight. Sometimes I'm pretty good and sometimes I get a little out of control. Been a little heavy on the shopping button lately, so I'm going to dial it back for a bit and work on getting back to ground zero.

Action Plan - I've already made some budget cuts and gotten a few bills paid off. I'm also going to put together a spreadsheet of all our bills so I can see them as I get them paid off. I do much better when I have a visual so I can see my progress.

- Make better use of my time. Time management is a hot button for me. I really need to move my whole day back by about an hour. On a typical day, I stay up way too late (like 12:30 to 1:00 in the morning) messing around on the Internet, so I get up too late. Then I get to work late (I'm about 30 minutes late almost every day - sheesh!). Since I get to work late, I end up staying late to make up the time, which means that I don't get home until 6:30 or 7:00 sometimes. Then I just start the whole cycle over again the next day. Time to get off that merry-go-round. My life will be a lot happier and I'll feel more in control.

Action Plan - I've made one big change so far. I'm giving up my Mafia Wars addiction on Facebook. I figure right there, that will give me an extra hour a day, minimum. And I was kind of bored with it anyway. I'm also going to set something up with Blake to get me out of bed on time. I think I should either have to pay him a fine, do a chore, or do a little silly dance if I don't get out of bed on time on work days. I also had something I used to do with him to cut my shower time. I would set a timer for 15 minutes and then tell him to start the dishwasher or the washing machine. That'll get you out of the shower in a hurry, I'll tell ya!

- Finally, time to take another crack at my weight problem. After about 30 years of crash and burn diet and exercise programs, I just can't bear to go on a traditional diet and exercise program. I just can't. The one program I've had good success with is the "Weigh Down" program. This is kinder, gentler weight loss program that is biblically based. You don't have to weigh and track your food daily, or limit yourself to tasteless "diet" foods, and you don't have to kill yourself off on vigorous exercise routines. It's more about common sense and portion control. That I can do. I'm the only person I know who can keep a bag of little candy bars in my desk and make it last for weeks.

The rules are simple, you just have to listen to your body and the cycle of hunger and fullness - you can only eat when you're only truly hungry. You can eat anything you want, but you eat about half the normal portion, stopping when you start to feel even slightly full. And then just add in some sensible exercise. Yes, it means that sometimes you're a little hungry (gasp), but I can live with that And it does mean that the weight loss goes a little slowly, but I'd rather do slow and steady, than do it fast and continually stumble with it.

Action Plan - Re-commit to the Weigh Down program. Get out the audio and video tapes I've got and get myself back into the groove for losing some additional weight. Get the treadmill fired up and try to spend some time on it every day. New Year's is the perfect time to get into a program like this, because everyone is on the same page and that gives you a lot of support.

- The final thing I try to pursue is spending more time with friends. My week just gets so busy, I don't make it a priority to connect with friends. And it also makes it tough because I have some anxiety over friendships with women - I've had a lot of relationships blow up in my face for one reason or another. Women can be pretty nasty if you do something to upset them. But the alternative is to be bored and lonely which sucks, so I am going to work on this area.

Action Plan - I've already taken some action in deleting Mafia Wars, so I can actually see the posts from my real life Facebook friends. I'm also keeping up on my blog and my Twitter friends. I'm going to try and set up an activity every weekend with one of my real life friends. I've also attended SITScation and I'll be attending Bloggy Boot Camp in April and the EVO Conference in Park City in June, so that will give me some additional opportunities to make new friends.



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