nifty gifties

Though the idea of sitting and reflecting on the outset of a new year wears a sickly sweet and cliche smile, I find myself here regardless. I guess it can't hurt to swim in the mainstream every once in a while. Hopefully.

2007 was a pretty delicious year, I think. It often tasted of independence and bold decisions and chocolate. I can roadmap at least a few of the moments that dramatically altered the landscape of my life as I sit here, and I'm grateful for those moments. I'm grateful that I finally seized the opportunity to actually participate in my own life rather than continue being a spectator.

Too much sitting around in the world in general, you know?

And so 2007 was pretty much my best yet I believe. Not because it was the most important or because it contained the highest ratio of good things to not-so-good things, but because it was the year I started actually doing something with this thing I've been calling a life. That's pretty cool. And at the risk of rolling around in my cliche mud, and in the face of hollow promises to eat better and live on a budget, I'm going to give myself some advice for the now-current year.

• Eat better. Stop acting like every meal is your last shot at good food in this life. It's not. Calm down. Eat more vegetables. Enjoy natural foods. Cook something fancy more than once a month. It's good for you.
• Live on a budget. Stop acting like everything you want is the only thing that will bring you happiness. Remember when you were young and your parents didn't give you everything you wanted? Remember that? Remember how it builds character? Save more money.
• It's okay to cry every once in a while, but it's best to cry because you're laughing too hard. Do that more.
• Spend more time thinking of other people. Find ways to make other people smile. Daily.
• Allow yourself to become a more spiritual person. Take time to meditate.
• Accept compliments without qualification. Just say thank you, and smile, and enjoy it.
• Make sure you tell the people you love that you love them. Regularly.
• Keep trying new things. Remember how well that seafood thing has been working out? Go with it. Take the time to really decide if you like something or not...no snap decisions.
• Get a car wash every once in a while, for heaven's sake.
• Be good, enjoy life, and make other people happy.

C'est la vie.