I prefer the term New Year's Goals to New Year's Resolutions because rather than shooting for overarching grand life changes that have a high probability of failure, I am aiming to strengthen and maintain current life trends. So that being said, here are some goals of mine for 2009.

1. Do not get frostbite or freeze to death.
This is not as easy at it seems. Yesterday, I was driving home from work (yes I had to work on New Year's Eve, but the library was closed so as much staff as wanted could take leave, and I got to get some serious work done, bonus, I got to wear jeans and a tshirt), and it was negative 18. Yes that is Fahrenheit. And that is minus 18, 18 below zero. It's seriously cold. Even for Alaska. Well, considering I live in the "warm" part of Alaska. Driving in my car, wearing my extremely serious super thick gloves that I use for skiing, and my fingers were just aching with the cold. Your nostrils/nose hairs freeze. The cold air hurts my lungs and makes me cough. It's funny because I've adjusted pretty well. 20 is my "livable" temperature. 10 degrees I can deal with. 32 is warm enough I don't zip my coat. But -18 is seriously cold. I don't go out if I can't help it. (Which led to me accidentally missing an evening engagement, oops!) So my goal in 2009, is to get better at keeping warm. Particularly with my feet. I have a tendency to wear thin socks and most of my shoes are too thin except for my super warm boots. I need to upgrade my footwear for Alaska.

2. Continue to get healthier, exercise more and lose weight.
As many of you know, in September I joined Weight Watchers. It's been a really good change for me. And I have been doing well. When I have a weaker day, I know how to recuperate and move on without totally giving up. And I don't have to give up my favorite foods, just make good choices and plan for treats. I've lost just about 20 pounds so far. I want to loose more. And I've taken up cross country skiing which helps with the exercise (it's amazing full body workout). I really want to keep loosing weight and get healthier. Especially I want to amp up my exercise regime. But mostly I want to keep up healthy habits more than anything.

3. Get much better at Cross Country Skiing
I love XC skiing. My class was great fun. The group was fantastic. We had lots of fun using movie quotes and other nonsense to encourage each other. For example, when someone nervously said "I'll try", we'd all chime in (courtesy of Yoda), "there is no try, only do or do not". As we'd go down the hill, we'd be reminded to "snowplow" (point the tops of our skis together in a triangle shape) to slow down, but not to cross the skis. This of course led to people on the bottom of the hills (my remembrance, courtesy of Ghost Busters) to yell "don't cross the streams". (It would be bad, that's bad.) But most of the time you were simply exhorted to "ski like Michael Phelps". I do okay on uphills, and really pretty good on the straight flats, even can turn pretty well. Downhill is a problem, mostly because of my huge fear of going fast and feeling out of control. My goal is to work at that. Especially since I want to do the ski for women in a couple of months.

4. Read my Bible more faithfully.
I aim to read every day. I probably actually read (excluding at church) 2-4 times a week. I wish to do much better. And to grow closer to God. This is my most important goal.

5. Take a picture every day
I'd like to take a photo every day, just something that catches my fancy, and log on and share it with you all. I might do this once a week and share a week's worth of photos, or perhaps every day. This seems the goal most likely to be abandoned. But I'll try.

And on the note of the last goal, here is a photo of my bed and things hanging on the wall above it.


This is my bed. It is up against the windows (only way all the furniture would fit in the room). Hanging above and around it are some photos, a print a friend gave me, and my baseball hat collection.


Expect a post at some point with various bits and pieces I never got around to posting about from 2008. And check facebook for some more random 2008 photos.

And I leave with you a wish that I wrote for all my loved ones for 2009.
May 2009 bring you many blessings,
may you never fail to appreciate those blessings,
may the trials that come be borne with strength and grace,
may those trials be swift and few,
and most of all may this year bring you peace.
I love you all.
God Bless.