By Staff
My how time flies. I look at my column photo and I think it is new, yet I got that permanent over two years ago and the curls have long gone. Unfortunately the double chin is still there.
Christmas night we always gather with our poker playing friends and exchange a few gifts, eat lots and even drink a bit.
I was bemoaning the fact my last haircut was not to my liking and a was ushered into the bathroom by my hostess, a former hairdresser and the daughter of the man who usually has all our change by the end of the night.
The young lady works at a salon, which I won't mention to keep her out of trouble.
She did ask me if I cared to keep the length of the hair.
After a few mudslides, I said, "Hey, it's a new year."
I didn't realize how much she was cutting until the host looked in and said, "My, that's radical."
Well I love my new 'do. I bet it will be lots easier to keep up, quicker to wash and dry and I already feel like I have lost weight, before my New Year's resolution has even started.
Most resolutions probably don't even last a week. I know sometimes when I try the hardest, I fail the and fall the deepest.
Still, the beginning of the new year is a good time to take stock of the past and look to the future.
Adding some exercise to my life is always number one on the list, but not always the first thing I do to change.
I know this past weekend, as I spent time cleaning, wrapping gifts and altogether moving around more, I was better off than when I just sit at this computer for hours straight.
Unless we learn from our mistakes we are destined to repeat them.
Sticking to a budget is one of the hardest tasks.
Those people who write books on financial management and make a lot of money just telling common sense are right.
You really need to write everything down that you spend, even the little items.
Having a debit card and using it more I have learned can get you in trouble fast if you don't remember to write down even purchase.
I want to stop being charged outrageous fees from the bank because I overdrew my account from not keeping better track.
Also, those times I saw something I just couldn't pass up all added up when I looked at my bank statement.
I vow to look at other ways to stretch the dollar further and eliminate waste.
One radio clip I heard recently talked about how much food we pay for and then waste because we fail to prepare it before it spoils.
They said vegetables and meat were most likely to be thrown out because we opted to fix something which we thought took less time, like a frozen pizza. So along with saving money, I want to put these items into my pots and pans instead of the landfill.
That brings me to continuing to go through stuff I haven't used in years. As soon as the weather permits, it will be time to have more garage sales, or take my items to one of those places in the area which will put them on eBay and my only job is to cash the check after they sell them.
So I am working on my physical health and appearance, my financial health and simplifying my life.
I think relationships should also get on my New Year's resolution improvement list.
Writing and calling more, keeping in touch with old friends is a two-way street. If they don't hear from me, then eventually they will quit trying.
Maybe I need to be the one to clear my calendar to make such to fit them in to keep up with their lives and share mine.
Friends seem to be there when you need them, even more so than family.
These resolutions sound like an overwhelming project.
Maybe that is why after a week, they are forgotten.
Will this coming year in 2007 be any different?
Only if I am committed to making the changes.
Even if I don't make it 100 percent in every area, a change of 25 percent in four parts would add up to 100 percent improvement.
I wish everyone a wonderful new year and I hope their resolution to change will not be forgotten.