New Year's Resolutions

If you talk to people, some make them, others think they're silly or stupid and why bother? Those are the people that probably never keep them anyway.

Personally, I like New Year's Resolutions. I love this time of year. We're embarking on a whole new year, it's a fresh start to begin or try something new or put something behind you and start afresh.

So, as we wait for 2011 tonight, what exactly are my New Year's Resolutions...I've been hard at work, well, not really, thinking of what I want to change, accomplish, alter or make better for 2011

1) Eat more Fish

I consider myself an above average healthy person. I sometimes struggle with my diet and staying on track, but for the most part, I feel like I make some solid food choices and decisions. One thing that I think people are surprised about ...I don't eat fish. I will eat scallops, but cod, salmon, tilapia, you name it, I struggle. It kills me in a way, because I don't think I necessarily don't like it, I have a psychological block against it. My sisters don't really eat it either. I think my older sister will eat one or two things, but you'll never see one of us dipping a shrimp in cocktail sauce or cracking open a lobster claw. We all associate our hatred for fish with my mom's salmon pie. My oldest sister wouldn't eat it for dinner one night. I remember she had to sit at the table until bedtime with her salmon pie infront of her. My other sister and I chugged down enough to be excused from the table. When Heather woke up the next morning, the salmon pie was still waiting for her. My mom is probably cringing as she reads this story and saying to herself Why oh Why is Holly telling this story. My mom is certainly no Mommie Dearest...we were allowed to have wire hangers...but her tactics worked because the three of us were great..probably too good..at eating when we were little and we've carried that up right into our adult years as well!

So...in 2011 I will try more fish and hopefully grow to like it since it's so good for you!

2. Become Credit Card Debt Free

I know, I sound like a broken record about this. I got my first credit card when I was a freshman at the University of Massachusetts. I think I got it to get a free t-shirt..nice, huh? Little did I know that I was opening Pandora's Box. I remember the first time I used it. I bought a pair of flare jeans and a short sleeved polo at the Gap. I think it came to around $76 (yes, I have a very weird memory for very useless facts in my life). I remember when the bill came, and low and behold, I couldn't pay it off completely. I felt so guilty, but my salary that I was earning at the Franklin Dining Hall, where I bussed food trays and worked in the dishwasher line, just didn't allow me to pay it off like I told myself I would when I charged those precious jeans and polo. One thing led to another and before I knew it, the bill was a couple hundred dollars. The trend lasted throughout undergrad and I got in over my head once law school hit. I financed lawschool by myself. I had a small scholarship that barely covered a stupid class. I maxxed out on loans and could barely afford books let alone meals, gas etc. When I pay off my credit cards, I will post what my total debt was and how we did it. I certainly couldn't attain this goal without my husband. He's really taught me some financial sense since we've been married. I've cried over some bills, known better about some, and finally educated myself about how the whole process works. We made a considerable dent in 2010 and the finish line with being free of this stupid debt is finally within my sight.

3. Get Organized

 Ok, my closet is never going to look like that...but I need to get organized in all areas of my life...from my closet to my office at work, to my car and to my schedule. I am one efficient bitch when I'm organized. I can't worry that people with think I'm a Type A anal retentive warden. Because...when I'm organized I get stuff done. One example of this was this year's Thanksgiving. I had my stupid little WB Mason notepad with lists upon lists of what needed to be cleaned, perishable and non perishable grocery lists and the meal broken down by course. But, with the exception of my incident with the herb butter, I kept my cool, threw no tantrums,  and pulled it off. It's sad to say, but when things gets derailed a tiny bit, I sometimes lose it. Mr. Allan is probably reading this and saying to himself...sometimes??? But, when I have a plan, its well organized and mapped out, I can go with the flow. I also realize that after writing this I must seem like the most non fun person in the world..oh well!

4. Reconnect with Old Friends
Sometimes I get really sick of hearing how busy everyone is. I'm so sorry I couldn't get back to you, life's been so chaotic, I'm so busy at work, with the kids etc. Get over it. I think this is such a cop out. I hate to hear how busy someone else is. Like I'm sitting here 24/7 with my thumb up my butt...guess what I'm busy too! We're all sooooo busy that no one can make time for each other. Sometimes I feel like some of my friendships have taken a back seat to people's facade that they're so busy. So, is it that we're really not as good as friends as we thought we were because we simply can't carve out time to meet? Or is it that we chose not to prioritize that friendship anymore and just use the blanket excuse of how busy we are. So, one resolution is to maybe chose to reconnect with some old friends. Hey, we were friends for some reason, and I'm sure that old friendship spark is still there. Because, let's face it, most of us can make time to keep up with the Real Housewives of Atlanta, the OC, NY, NJ, and Beverly Hills, but you can't get together with an old friend? 

5. Stop Swearing
If you know me, you know that I kind of swear like a sailor and drop the F bomb alot. I call it an occupational hazard. I don't deal with the best people in my job. They're never happy because I see them when they're in need of help dealing with a criminal problem, and well, Family Court is just an unhappy place. So, in 2011, I am trying my hardest to clean up my language.

6. See my family more
I often tell Mr. Allan that it's sad that we don't see our families more. It's especially sad because 80% of my family lives in RI, the smallest state in the union, yet we can never find the time or make it a priority to get together. Mr. Allan has an excuse, he travels a lot. But, I often complain about the problem but do little to come up with any type of solution to it. So, I will make an effort to get the family together more!

Hope everyone has a safe, happy healthy new year! It's a new year, a new day and can be a new start for you...if you want it to be!