Welcome New Year!!

So here we are...2011!!  New year, new dreams, new expectations.  Not sure why, but a new year always makes me feel like I get a re-do, a chance to start over, a time to think about all the things you'd like to accomplish this year.  Hence...I love new year's resolutions!  They are like rubbing a bottle and having the genie pop out and give me 3 wishes.  With new year resolutions, you can wish for ANYTHING!  And the best part, is since you are in control, you can make them come true!  You are totally in control of your dreams. They don't have to be drudgery like "eat healthier", "exercise more"..BORING.  And that's why most people don't finish them.  But if you plan something fun and exciting, not only will you do it, you'll look forward to it.

This year, I have 3 resolutions:

1. Improve my drinking:  I want to learn how to make fancy cocktail drinks, and then stock my house w/ the supplies so I can make them whenever I want one.  Or when girl friends or sisters stop by.  Currently I only drink a glass of wine or old champagne about 3 times a year.  Not enough!! But I don't want to merely increase my alcohol intake, I want to IMPROVE it.  I want to be able to say, "I think I'll go home and have a  nice martini before dinner."  And when I get visitors, I want to be able to offer them more than a cup of coffee or water.
2. Celebrate my job:  This is a harder one.  I have always felt that I am missing out on something better and that I have failed myself by settling for a lowly corporate job.  But since its going on 20 years of working for one company or the other, I think its about time to accept the fact.  I apparently am not going to have my own business anytime soon, nor does it look like I'm going to win the lottery, so the next option is to accept my fate and better yet, embrace it.  Here are the things I'm going to be proud and excited about my job:  1. I have a good paying job.  2. My company is very stable and growing  3. I get 4 weeks vacation.  4. I'm good at my job and like doing it.  5. My job is very flexible and I'm pretty much my own boss.  and above all else, the company I work for actually refers to itself as the "World's Greatest Bank" so I can actually say "I work for the world's greatest bank".  How awesome is that?


3. Have at least 12 dinner parties:  You know, we don't have people over for dinner nearly enough!  We always say, "We should have you over for dinner."  But we never actually invite them.  I am going to make it a point to invite someone over for a nice dinner at least once a month.  I'll find a nice recipe, make a fancy desert, pour drinks (see resolution #1)  and have one family or another over for a sit down dinner and talking and even maybe a game or two.

We also have 2 family resolutions:

1. Go out of the house for a family activity each Sunday.  We take turns picking the activity.  Last week was hubby's turn and he chose racket ball at the school down the road.  We weren't all excited about it, but did it and ended up having a great time together.

2. Wednesday night 8-9pm game night.  Again we will take turns choosing the game.  This week we moved it to Monday night and played Kinnect (Christmas present) online w/ the girl's boyfriend's family.  What a blast!