this little life of mine

Yeah, it's that time of year again; time to make resolutions for the upcoming year. I've made resolutions every year, but rarely, if ever, succeed in keeping any of them. It's pretty stupid to keep making them, I suppose, but it's a bad habit I can't seem to break. So, without further ado, here is my list for 2007:

1. The obligatory "lose weight" resolution. The difference between 2007 and every other year I've had this as a resolutions: TrainerDude. Because he will continue to kick my ass at least two days a week (and with me working out at the gym independantly two other days a week, plus a walk or hike on the weekends) I really won't have much choice but to lose weight.

2. Figure out how to get myself to Hawaii in June. My friend DeeDee has a time-share in Hawaii, and has invited me (and Suzie) to go for a week in June. I'd love to, but I'm not sure I'll have the vacation time or money saved up to make the trip. I will work on it, though.

3. Make appointments for: my annual gyno exam, a mammogram (which I managed to totally not do at all this last year), an eye exam, a mole check, and an allergy assessment. Pretty self-explanatory.

4. Plan ahead for Christmas next year. PixieChick and I both decided we need to sit down around the first of September and plan out our Christmas cards, letters, gifts, etc., to prevent pre-holiday stress.

5. Spend more time outside. I need to go to the beach, go hiking, biking, or just sit in the back yard and bar-b-que; just be outside.

Okay, that's it, I think. Five resolutions is enough. Happy New Year!

Another journal entry for Holidailies.

The Bean
Originally uploaded by LapisBlue.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?  Watched a Formula One Grand Prix live and in person at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I kept a few of them, but failed at most of them. I will probably make more for next year, as it's becoming a habit to do so.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  Yes, my cousin had her second baby boy just a few weeks ago.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Not that I can recall (and just how pathetic is that?).
5. What countries did you visit? I didn't travel to any other countries this year, but I did go to Chicago for the first time, so that's got to count for something, right?
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? A healthier body, a cute short haircut, and whiter teeth.
7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?  Feb. 24-26 (WeetaPieCon), June 30 - July 5 (Ohio trip; USGP), Aug. 9 - 16 (Family from NY visit), Sept. 15 - 19 (JournalNon Chicago)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Winning Employee of the Quarter for July - September 2006. I was a co-winner along with Civil Supervisor; we were all pretty excited to have two people from the Civil section win!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not losing any weight.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?  I had Plantar Fasciitis pretty bad for most of the year, but it's gone away now. I also had a nasty cold/flu/sinus infection the end of September beginning of October, but that, too has cleared up.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My totally awesome Isabella Fiore handbag and matching wallet.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?  The awesome people I work with. They are funny, cooperative, helpful, motivating and encouraging. They make coming to work everyday a joy.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Rosie O'Donnell. I have no idea why that woman is so angry and bitter, but her bitching and moaning, personal attacks on people and religious and racial insults is getting old fast. I honestly don't understand why she still has a job on television.
14. Where did most of your money go?  Plane tickets and hotel reservations. Oh, and the fancy-pants purse/wallet combo.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  WeetaPieCon, my Ohio trip and JournalNon Chicago.
16. What song will always remind you of 2006? "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars. Weetabix introduced me to this band in Chicago, and I fell in love with them immediately. I think about that awesome weekend every time I listen to that song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? A little happier. b) thinner or fatter? Pretty much the same, although I have dropped from a size 20 to an 18 in the past three months. c) richer or poorer? Somewhat richer, but not much.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Gone to the beach.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?  Sleeping all weekend.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?  Spent with family, as usual.
21. Did you fall in love in 2006?  No.
22. How many one-night stands?  None.
23. What was your favorite TV program?  It's a tie between Heroes and Doctor Who.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?  No, I hate everyone equally. Heh. I kid. I don't really hate, or even dislike, anyone right at the moment. (That may or may not be a total lie.)
25. What was the best book you read? This is really a hard one, because I read a lot of really good books this past year. But, if I have to pick just one, I'll choose Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Awesome book. Wish I'd seen the play when I was in Chicago.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?  The Ten Tenors. Love, love, love them! Their video for "Here's to the Heroes" was playing on the plane I flew back from Chicago on, and I plugged the headphones in to hear the band (I wasn't really paying too much attention to the screens after they played the pilot for Friday Night Lights, but the video was kinda dramatic-looking, and it had all these hunky guys in it, so I had to check it out!), and fell instantly in love!
27. What did you want and get?  A Treo 700p Smartphone.
28. What did you want and not get?  A new digital camera and a bike.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? Superman Returns.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 40 waaaaay back in January and spent the day trying to convince people that was my true age. (Luckily for my ego, people thought I looked a lot younger!)
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Losing 60 pounds and being in better physical condition.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?  Whatever is comfortable and fits well.
33. What kept you sane?  Music.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Another tie: David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Masi Oka (Heroes).
35. What political issue stirred you the most?  It was a local thing, so probably none of you ever heard about it, but the Dalidio Ranch saga got my blood boiling. A man should be able to build a shopping center/oragnic farm//farmer's market/butterfly habitat/hiking & biking trail/whateverthehell he wants on his now-useless farm land (which is surrounded by a shopping center, auto dealerships and a freeway) if he bloody-well wants to. Dang it!
36. Who did you miss? My friend Jewel who moved to Ohio at the end of last year. I didn't get to see her as often this year as when she lived in SoCal.
37. Who was the best new person you met?  My personal trainer. He's already been kicking my ass in the gym (and yes, that IS a good thing!), and I'm sure that will continue into 2007.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. I learned that the status quo of my life was boring as hell, and it's time for a change. Old habits may be hard to break, but not impossible, and change may be difficult, but also exciting and fun.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I can't think of a darn thing, unless there's a song out there about sleeping too much, being bored out of one's mind, and deciding to make a change that I don't know about.

(Also seen at my journal for Holidailies.)

For unto us is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. -- Luke 2:11

The First Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange was a rousing success! I only recieved eleven RSVPs, but I think EVERYone brought cookies! Honestly, I lost count, but we were constantly having to shuffle plates and platters of tasty treats to make room for new arrivals. Traditional Christmas music played lightly in the background, and when you first walked in, the place smelled like a bakery. Once we had everything set up, people recieved a plate and went down the table picking out cookies they wanted. At the end, PixieChick covered the plate with festive green plastic wrap and I stuck a Christmas bow on top. And, voila! A plate of Christmas cookies for them to take home for the holiday!

All day long people came up to us saying how fun, wonderful, and special it was; how nice it was to spend a few non-working moments with co-workers over a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of milk and a yummy cookie. There were lots of smiles (some of them were of the sugar-induced-manic-type, but still smiles) on people's faces on Friday. That's what it was all about; the whole reason PixieChick wanted to do this in the first place, and the reason I agreed it was an awesome idea: Smiling, happy people. There's nothing better in the world!

(This entry can also be found in my journal as a Holidailies entry.)

This gallery contains the 25 best photographs (in my humble opinion) I took this past year, including "The Rock K Ranch" seen at left. Enjoy!

I know it's not even Christmas yet, but I already have 13 regrets. I still have a little time to fulfill some of them, but most of them I know I'll have to wait until next year. Maybe next year I'll get on the ball sooner. But as for this year, I wish I had ...

1. Burned Christmas CDs. ( I have a super-fun Christmas playlist with traditional carols done in an untraditional manner mingled in with some novelty Christmas tunes, but

2. Made cards for everyone rather than buying boxed cards.

3. Baked real homemade christmas cookies rather than getting the pre-made, pre-cut shaped ones.

4. Put up outdoor decorations (at least the wreath!).

5. Made some fudge or peanut brittle.

6. Baked some bread or muffins or coffee cake.

7. Made mulled wine or cider. (I've done the wine before - one time was fantastic, two times were terrible - but I've never tried cider.)

8. Played more Christmas music. (Besides my Funky Christmas Playlist, that is.)

9. Watched more Christmas movies/TV specials. (I'll be watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas eve as per tradition, but there's many other Christmas movies I've never seen but should. Like White Christmas or A Christmas Story.)

10. Wore my Christmas jewelry. (I've got a great pin, but I always forget to put it on.)

11. Created something unique and fun to give as gifts. (I have no idea what, but I wish I'd come up with something!)

12. Done better at my diet and exercise. (I could have, but I didn't)

13. Had more Christmas cheer. (I haven't been a total Grinch this year, but I've had moments of "Bah humbug!")

Merry Christmas, Thirteeners!

I spent today finishing up my Christmas cards for the year. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be; actually, it was kinda fun!

I've been wanting try stamping on photographs for some time, but never found the perfect stamp/photo combination. Until now. I chose the photo "Sunset Over SLO", which I'd taken out the window of an airplane when I was flying off to my vacation in Ohio last summer, and the stamp "Sand Angel" by Stamp Clinic. It worked so perfectly, it was obviously meant to be!

The other rubber stamps I used were: Small Photo Frame by Stampa Barbara and "Rejoice" by That's All She Stamped on the front of the card, "For unto us is born this day ..." Bible verse by Printworks for the interior greeting, and Small Snowflake by All Night Media, "Happy New Year" by Magenta, and my custom-made "Hand-Stamped by" stamp on the back. The stamp pads I used were Adirondack's Cabin Fever and Espresso, and Archival Ink's Cobalt.

Here's the final product:

This entry can also be seen over in my journal as an entry for Holidailies. Cheers!

My Favourite Five photographs for December 2006 are up here. Enjoy!