Goals for the New Year.....

1) SLEEP. My Dr. says that I can't have coffee after noon and I can't watch movies in bed if I want to deal with my insomnia problems. Using the computer after a certain hour is also not a good idea. Lack of sleep over the years is linked with Alzheimer's- he didn't tell me that, I read it somewhere- but knowing that is good motivation to do what he says.

2) RELATIONSHIPS. My goal is to NOT GET DISTRACTED, once again.

3) ART, WRITING, MUSIC......

ART- to make Sunday afternoons darkroom time NO MATTER WHAT. To start practice sketching again- to somehow carve out the time to listen to Andrew Bird and sketch. To actually put paint to the canvas that has been sitting in a corner of my kitchen for the last 3 years? Would be wondrous.

WRITING- To wake up every morning and use the block of time after I drop my son to school and before I have class to write, methodically, for at least an hour or two. I have the opportunity as a student to do this if I squoosh some time for myself in vs. making it homework/cleaning/cooking time. The ultimate goal is not to make money or anything like that- it's purely for me- a documentation of my life- processing- unrestricted, unbound, furious and fantastic- epic even.

MUSIC- Somehow, to acquire a fiddle. I have an ear for it and haven't played since I sold my old one years ago. To do mind-memorizing-lyrics-practice with my guitar- I can memorize chords- I've always been lazy about memorizing lyrics. It's funny, 'cause I can quote Shakespeare like a dink, but I can't get through a bob dylan song without looking at a piece of paper. Pure laziness which can be corrected. Now I'm embarrassed. And the goal would be to do an open mic by Springtime, because although so many of the folks I know are musicians I've really kept a cork on it- I want to conquer my fear.

4) RELOCATION.
I live in a place with very negative insane intrusive energy surrounding it. I don't normally talk about "energy" or "vibes" because I'm not a West Coast gal. However, the stuff I am surrounded with REALLY MAKES EVERYTHING HARD. I hate it. If I can somehow swing moving to a saner yet still convenient location I suspect that I will feel soooo good.

5) EXERCISE-
Yoga.

Walking everywhere. Walking my son to school in the am and then walking myself to college. Really. Which means an early morning- which brings me back to the importance of sleep.

Making Saturdays with my son Outdoor Active Day. Then doing whatever he wants to do in the evening. I've dreamed about actually giving him a spot in the week where he gets to make the decisions about what we do- I mean, obviously we can't build a rocket and go to the moon to replenish our cheese supply- but you get the picture. Empower the boy. I feel badly that he has to live on my schedule. It must suck.

6) READING- Reading before bedtime? Not just reading to my son, which we do every night before bedtime anyways..... Reading for me. I need to make this part of my life again- the summers seem to be my reading time (not that I'm less busy it's just a habit) and it's not enough. I'm happier when I have a good book going.