2009, already?

"Already" said very tongue in cheek as I've been writing "2009" on things for ages and had to convince myself by looking at everyone else's calendars, etc, that it is not now going to be 2010. I don't know when I fast-forwarded the year...but I'm glad I didn't lose 2008 somewhere along the way.

This is the time of year for goals and resolutions. I wasn't going to make any - except for my friend, Becky's, which is "to treat myself better this year." I like that one, it can encompass an awful lot...but without the pressure of specifics. Suddenly, however, the whole resolution/goal thing started spiraling out of control and I'm consumed with the adrenalin-rush of planning.

To start with, there is the figure competitor challenge program that I designed for my daughter and I to complete in 16 weeks. It's going to be tough, but I'm ready for the challenge. It makes it so much easier to have her doing it with me - that support and accountability is priceless. We start on Monday and will complete the program on April 26, 2009. The reward? Besides the obvious, I'm going to get us each an awesome Otomix workout outfit. During this time she should be studying up for her personal trainer certification - I received mine last summer. When she gets her certification and we both get our first aid/CPR cards updated, we'll be launching our personal training business together.

I also have been developing some resolve to tighten our budget. Oh heck, we don't even follow a "budget" per se - at least not on paper. But this time, for the first in our 25 year marriage, we're going to attempt tracking all of our expenses and following a real, honest-to-goodness budget plan. The spreadsheet is ready (free at pearbudget.com).

As part of this battening-down-the-hatches financially resolution, I've reserved all three volumes of The Tightwad Gazette and two books by Christian finance guru, Larry Burkett. In honor of tightening the budget, I resisted the urge to order them on Amazon.

And now in the arena of personal development, I'm thinking of joining Project Wonder Woman, which I read about on Maggie Wang's blog. I have reserved the book "You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown Up Girls" by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. It reminds me a bit of trying to be an "accomplished woman" as discussed by Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley in "Pride and Prejudice." It's a book about pursuing your dreams, not putting them on the shelf, while you're balancing wife-dom, parenthood, home and career. Sadly, the author died aboard United Flight 93 on 9/11. Somehow working for badges, virtually or not, is just the sort of inspiration I need to finally do some of the things I've thought about...like growing a garden, for instance. And who knows? If I manage to get our budget under control and through thriftiness save some extra money, I might be able to try the ones that aren't free or next-to-nothing!

As for spiritual development, once again I will be following Discipleship Journal's excellent Bible Reading Plan. I try to go through it every couple of years. It is the best, easiest to follow plan that I have ever used. You read from four portions of the Bible each day, 25 days of the month (giving you days off, days to catch up if you missed a day, etc). Reading from different areas helps me not to feel bogged down, like in Leviticus.

I am also resolving to finish working my way through the Bible study for "Lies Women Believe." I started it months ago and then life just snow-balled, leaving it collecting dust.

Dust...that's another area where I have goals for 2009. I have got to do some purging. Of course, I have to have cooperation for that and Pat isn't too keen on getting rid of anything. However, things will need to be sorted through and cleared out, some way, some how. I'd like to lean a teensy bit toward "voluntary simplicity." A teensy bit - I don't know how far I could really go that way. I like gadgets, books and such too much to do away with semi-necessities.

I'm sure there are other fledging goals waiting to take flight, but those are enough for now. I'm enjoying the spirit of it all - I love the plan stage as much as I love the attack phase. Within the next few days, a stack of books will be awaiting me at the library and I'll jump into this all gung ho. Until then, however, I can start on the "treat myself better" resolve. A way to be nice to myself, I decided, is to cut out some of the excess busy-ness, starting with the skate club board position.