the last list of the year

I'm not sure how or when my numbering went wonky, but it did. The leap year doesn't add a week, so I'm chalking it up to my faulty math skills and leave it at that. 

While I often think of September as the beginning of the new year, (school starting, my birthday, the Jewish new year), it's more of a stepping stone towards what I'm thinking about with the actual changing of the calendar.

While I'm not big on big resolutions, I do love the first of the year because it means we're getting closer to longer days. I really do not like how short the light is during the winter months. 

Having learned a long time ago that I'm the sort of girl that given a list of WHAT I PLAN TO DO, is a very good indication of what I won't, so I've tried to keep my resolutions more attainable. I also used to feel really crap when I wouldn't keep to my resolutions and eventually figured out that it wasn't so great to set myself up every time. 

Instead...

this year I'd like to:

1. Get a dog. Miss A is desperate for one and since M is very allergic to cats, this is our furry friend of choice. I've always had pets, (except this current decade long hiatus), and M is a little resigned and more than likely secretly excited.
2. I get to name our new friend since having a puppy is like having a new baby and we all know who will be doing the majority of care-giving. 
3. And my boy dog name is really good.
4. Wear mascara and lippy every day. This was always on my list when I worked. As an acupuncturist it was easy to be casual, wearing makeup made me feel more professional. Because I work at home, (ahem), I just think it will put some fire under my ass to keep me a bit more on task with the things I'd like to get done. 
5. Become the packer that I think I am. This trip I was so proud of myself that I'd packed so efficiently; I bragged about my packing prowess to M and pushed him to pack very effectively since he tends to overpack. 
6. Meanwhile, I have enough clothes to get me through another week, (smalls included), and that's ridiculous! 
7. I don't need the what if's, or the I might wear, because I never do. I did really good in August for NY, terrible for London, good for Portland and crap for this road trip. 
8. NYC in a few weeks will be a new beginning! 
9. Exercise consistently. I hurt myself in early September doing barre classes. A back spasm, (which scared the fuck out of me, I've never had my back go out on me), exasperated old injuries on the same leg into months long recovery and me falling right back into my regular, let's sit and have a cuppa habits. 
10. I'm certain no. 1 will help.