RESOLUTIONS

            Today is January 1, 2012, a windy and cold evening, just the way I like it, sort of. I am thinking of throwing some logs in the fireplace and grab a nice tall glass of wine. But, that’s another story.

            I had a great week or I should say it’s been great since Thanksgiving. But the more I think about it this has been a wonderful, great year. Productive in the things I did to have fun. The biggest event that made me truly happy, my son got married to his longtime girlfriend. I now raise my glass, of wine, (I’m sipping a glass now) in salute to that union.

            I, more or less, had a great deal of fun, even though I didn’t do much travel this year. In 2005 I said that I would take an international trip on my birthday every year, missed it this year. Anyway, I got a new bike and was riding about 15 miles just about every day. I hooked up with a new thing, kayaking. I will get a new kayak this year or burst.

            Not only that my softball team won again, but we lost in the final game and came in second place. But I had a heck of time. I got back into racquetball, bowling and I got back into the gym.

            In January of 2011 my doctor said that all of my blood chemistry was bad and he was going to put me on drugs to lower my cholesterol and blood pressure. One thing about me is that I do not like taking drugs. I figure that I can do my body good by exercise, and meditation. I told my doctor I would do something on my own, he said come back in three months and get another check-up.

            I worked hard, at the gym, and in three months, after I got my check-up my cholesterol dropped from 249 to 192. But, I had given up coffee, beer and all sweet stuff. My blood work came back and everything had dropped significantly. And I had gotten back to running a mile, out of 2 miles, which I hadn’t done in five years. Funny thing though, when I saw my heart doctor in August of 2010, I was told, by the nurses, to give up the above habits. When I saw the doctor in August of 2011, he told me that he never said I had to give up those things. Hold on while I take another sip of this Shiraz wine.

            I also did something I hadn’t done in many years, camping. It was kind of a bust because it rained cats, dogs and a couple of army tanks. My tent had flooded, so I spent at least an hour trying to clean out the sand and water. Then I couldn’t sleep because we, the group I went with, pitched our tents on the beach. Well, that night, the waves crashed onto the shore so loud it was impossible to sleep. Then I had to get up early that morning and go on a 20 mile bike ride. I diffidently will go camping this year and the next.

            On the other hand, though, there were a few disappointments this past year, too. But, just a few and I turned them into lemonade. A couple problems were because of my family and they will just have to live with or, without me. One really big hurt, my nephew, in October had a crash. He went to the hospital because of numbness in his hand. After a few test, he was diagnosed with a tumor, this size of a golf ball in his brain, smashing his optic nerve. But, before he went under the knife he called me and asked if he could stay with me…he said I was the cool uncle, go figure.

            A good many years ago, when my sons were in their pre-teens, my nephew spent the summers with me and I did that for, well a few more years. We did quite a few things together, so I got that label, the cool uncle. Again, that’s another story.

            Anyway, my nephew moved into my spare bedroom and started to get better, which was surprising. I say this because he was able to do things that should have taken many more months, even the doctors were astonished, and that was a good thing. The only thing I wish that the doctor had done was cut his mouth nerve, that boy will not shut up! Our discussions are, is appears, to be more philosophical than anything else. But, I have to give it to him, he is an intelligent kid, but I’d give anything to shut him up!

             Yes, today is the first of January and it’s that time that one has a boat load of “resolutions”. I am not one of those people, though, who does resolutions, well, not sort of. I say this because; if I make a resolution I am not going to keep it. It’s just the way it has been all of my life. So, I just incorporate things into my life and try and get them done. It’s the only way to get things done. A few of the things I plan to do this year and beyond:

1.      Have fun!

2.      Have more fun!

3.      Get my novel published!

4.      Finish my second book of poems!

5.      Finish my third book of poems!

6.      Write in my blog at least once a week!

7.      Did I mention HAVE FUN?!

8.      Work on my second novel and finish it!

9.      FIND AN AGENT!!!! Or at least a manager.

10.  Sell all those books I acquired, at a yard sale (over 300 books)!

11.  Did I mention, find an agent?!

12.  Finish outlining those 42 novel ideals I created years and years ago.

13.  Get my businesses running with two ideas that just popped into my head this past month!!

14.  I know I have more stuff to do this year…

15.  Market myself, my books, my web site me!

Anyway, I know I have more stuff to do, like, repair a lot of things in this house. I have been here for about eight years, now, and things are failing, falling apart, just wearing down and breaking. And, heck, just have so more fun this year. I know I would love to have a book signing this year, heck, a couple. I will be setting that up within the next month or so. So many things so little time and I better get to stepping, because I am going to have fun in 2012 or else! Happy New Year!! Peace (on Earth)!