Here it is, the moment you've all been ...well, not really thinking much about at all: my recap of 2008 and plans for 2009!
WORK: Still a pharmie. Still a Weggie. Simply put, it's the same crap, different day. Since that drives me a bit batty, I've gone to my manager and have put additional projects on my plate. I hope they develop into good launching points for even more 2009 projects
VACATION TIME: aka, 'not work.' Visited the sis in Orlando in January and in August, and I picked my arse up and went back to Rome at the beginning of February (it's funny to watch the Super Bowl in Italian! :P), and thought I never wanted to leave. Roma, I love you (Snowman, I love you, too, and can't wait to see you HERE in a few months)! But since I'd like to make a little more headway on paying some things down, I don't foresee a trip back to Europe this year (though I'm craving another, new adventure like you can't imagine). A cruise would be an ideal compensation, since I'm already a few months behind on my cruise-every-two-years schedule, and I yearn for the scent of the tropical ocean. Maybe I'll go on a short one, 3-4 days or so ... maybe even get JB to go with. ;)
I'd also like to make 2009 the year I learn to ski, so that could be part of time-off planning as well! As JB pointed out to me, my fear of heights could be an issue ... but I'm all for conquering fears, anyway.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW: I look back on all the new stuff in my life this year, and it really added up! Check it out:
Old Phone: LG Cherry Chocolate; New Phone: Apple iPhone (STILL can't put it down!)
Old Home: Springville Ave, Amherst; New Home: Henley Road, Buffalo
Old Skin Art: NONE; New Skin Art: "HBFSCO" on the belly, done Feb 6th (while in Rome, by Viola Von Hell :D), and my Rose, done behind the ear along the hairline on Nov 1st (Tattoos by Tana, done at the former Art-N-Body).
Old Vehicle: '06 Ford Mustang Coupe (blue); New VehicleS: '09 Subaru Forester (black) AND an '09 Ducati Monster696 (matte black)
Old Hair: Maria's 'trademarked,' "Cherrybomb"-nickname-inducing red; New Hair: Freakin' sweet black
NEW ADDITIONS TO MY MAD SKILLS: ~I finally took the MSF motorcycle class this spring, and am now, ahem, a motorcycling mamma (gad, I hate that term). ~I also, after 21 years of refusing to conquer my fear of riding a bicycle, I got myself a Trek FX 7.2 WSD and have clocked over 500 miles for the year. Oh, and I happen to LOVE riding it, but am quickly discovering that I think I'll outgrow it this year. No matter, it was worth it, physically and mentally, to start that habit. ~I took a pole dancing class, and by the last class, felt really sexy doing it. ~One more thing: I learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em.
PHYSICAL: Getting on the scale this morning, hehehhehehhe ..... I weigh EXACTLY what I weighed on New Year's last year. Not quite what I'm going for, but after a bit of a swing up this holiday season (I allowed myself just too much indulgence from Thanksgiving on), a year of holding steady isn't really bad at the age of nearly 32. More importantly, I did the 30 mile Ride for Roswell in June, I can do 3 pull-ups (I know I'll hit 5 by my bday, which is a huge goal of mine), 30 non-girly push-ups (in a row), I've improved my yoga postures significantly, and I can row on the ergometer for 2 hours straight at full-fan, 30 strokes per minute (basically, if we're abandoning a sinking ship, you'll want to hand the oars of the raft to me :P).
HEALTH: I've all but knocked my asthma, taking my preventive meds only one puff twice a week (instead of twice daily). It only seems to be triggered by an excess of allergen in the air, but never by physical activity anymore. On the other hand (pun intended), I think I'm manifesting Raynaud's, but that has yet to be determined.
LOVE: With anything worth doing, there are challenges, and JB and I have our good moments and our 'bah' moments. At times, I felt like I was on an self-inflicted emotional roller coaster (see previous blogs). There's stuff to work on still, for sure; but this year, a bit after I got back from Rome in February, I started to let my heart feel more for him. I'm glad I did, because it has grown. He's been a positive influence in many ways, and I feel stimulated by him. The 'event' that showed the most to me was that I was pursued by another man this summer, but all I could think was, "he's not JB, and that's who my heart wants." I have to take one big step in 'letting go' with him (and if anyone can appreciate my somewhat weird thoughts in that arena, I have a feeling it will be him), and we can then see who WE are. No matter what there is to work on, I know this: a random text or IM from him always makes me smile; an unexpected touch from him sends electricity thru my skin; and when he holds me, I am right where I want to be. Yeah, I love him.
GOALS FOR 2009:
This is fairly simple: my resolution is to not waste a day, to do at least something productive for some aspect of my life every day of this year. Whether I conquer a fear or finish the chess book, if it improves my body, mind, finances, etc, it's productive.
Others, in list form:
~Only eat food not prepared by me if it's in a restaurant with other people (translation: no take-out at lunch. It's a waste of money, anyway).
~DO what I'm THINKING when I'm with JB ... which means his Bday could be really fun, heh heh heh ....
~The 60 mile Ride For Roswell. I definitely can.
~ZERO soda. It's pointless anyway, and shouldn't be that hard.
~Pay down a large chunk of non-house debt.
Seeing that I've been trying to kick a 3-different-micro-brews-and-champagne-induced headache-gone-migraine all day, I'm sure I'm forgetting some things.
Either way, 2008 was transitory and overall good. Here's to you, 2009!