New year

January is here again. Can't say as I'm all that much of a fan. We'll be getting into heavy winter, and I'm just not that excited about the prospect.  I just want winter to hurry up and get over with so we can move back into the months that are easier to deal with.

I enjoyed the daily photo project, and I think I will keep it up for January.  My pictures aren't artistic, I just don't have the eye.  But it does force me to get out my camera, try and look for something to suit the prompt, and maybe I'll get a gem here or there.  It's also reminding me to blog more in general.  Not trying to win any prizes, just trying to do something different.  For those who are wondering, I skipped Dec 31st intentionally as I don't like self-portrait and I'd rather move on to January's list.

My unofficial resolutions for last year were to exercise more, and to not leave piles of dishes beside the sink for too long.  I think I was quite successful at both.  The dishes got done sooner (whether by me or John) and I started -- and stuck with -- Zumba.  I finally found exercise that is fun, so it's been easy to stick with the program, and the flexibility to attend other classes when life intervenes helps me stay on my goal of 2 classes/week.  I didn't want to break over Christmas, but instructors need rest too, which unfortunately means I've been lazy.  That will make it a bit difficult to get back into the swing, but hopefully I'll get back into gear next week when the normal schedule returns.

This year, I need to do a couple of additional things to help myself.  John and I don't have good eating habits, nor do we particularly enjoy food.  If/when they invent the food pill, we'll be the first in line.  In the meantime, John has instituted a weekday meal plan.  If we can write down a base meal/meat, then we can have items ready to cook.  Doing this, we hope, will also force us to eat more healthy foods, rely less on the laziness of eating out, or just not bothering to have a meal at all.  We have to start somewhere, so here it is.

The other thing I hope to improve upon this year is my level of stress/worrying.  I've always been a worrier, but lately it has gotten to unhealthy levels. It's been physically and emotionally draining, and mostly of my own doing.  Christmas this year has been particularly stressful, but not anyone's fault other than myself.  I need to make an effort to stop worrying so much about the future and "what if" scenarios, and try to focus more on the present and enjoy my surroundings.  I would like to have more energy, so between the food changes and mental outlook, I hope I can accomplish that. Otherwise I'm going to end up with an ulcer.