Jaci Dawn

Happy New Year!

I refuse to look back at 2012. I have not given much thought into looking forward at 2013, either.

Here’s my New Year’s Resolutions (in no particular order of importance):

1. Take more photos and get better at photography.

2. Build at least 3 Faerie Houses (and consequently move toward actually selling them).

3. Help Harvey lose 10 pounds. I could lose 10 pounds, too, but Harvey needs to more than I do.

4. Create 3 Magic Wands. I should create more, but 3 seems like a magical number, so I will go with it. Besides, I have 3 in the works.

5. Clean out the garage and the shed. What do you mean that’s not a resolution? It’s a goal, isn’t it? And a very over-due project. I resolve to actually getting it done this year.

6.Declutter. I seriously need to declutter. I am going to have to part with rocks. And old jars. Old bottles. Horse tack that I have no horse to attach it to.

7. Find a church I like and start attending. This is the hardest resolution as I am terminally soured on the “Church” and it is very difficult to resolve to go to church when one’s spouse does not actually tag along, even if he is only pretending to be interested. And notice I did not say “volunteer” at said church. I am not volunteering, at least not as of this moment in 2013. BTDT and have the spiritual scars. But it costs me nothing to attend a church, even if all I do is warm a pew.

8. Fund better charities. Actually, I started that one already. I crossed some charities off of my giving list this year, like World Wildlife Fund. They sent me goodies and mailings and free this and free that all 2012. Seems to me that they could be using their money to save animals, not send out mailers and freebies. I don’t want their freebies: I want them to put their money where their mouth is.

I gave to OPB, Folkalley, Nature Conservancy, Medical Teams International and the American Red Cross. And Goodwill, but that was in the form of cast-offs and I probably purchased an equal amount of cast-offs from Goodwill.

9. Start drawing again. I sort of put drawing and painting off the past two years. I need to get back in the saddle again.

10. Find a suitable place to volunteer at for one day of every month on my boss’ dollar. My employer will pay me 8-hours wages to volunteer and I have not (yet) taken steps to take advantage of that incredibly generous offer. I am considering the local library or finding a nearby horse rescue operation (and by nearby, I mean within 5 miles of my home). I know where one horse rescue operation is (funded by the company I work for) but it is in Washington State and I am not willing to drive that far. I drive nearly that far twice a day every work day and I hate it.

Love horses, but hate traffic.

So there you have them: things I can commit to for 2013.

2013 also holds in promise a trip to Alaska sometime. My newest grandchild is due in April (a girl) and we hope to go north to meet the newest little one. I hate that my kids are spread out so far from me now: south to Colorado or North to Alaska!

I also have to make a trip to Reno to pick up my inheritance which is sitting in a warehouse still.  Which is why resolution #6 is important. I need to declutter in order to clutter.

What are your resolutions? Or are you one of those folks who refuse to resolve? Hey, failure never stopped me. Heck, that’s what it’s all about: seeing how soon you can fail. I give myself six months this year.