a brand new year. a clean slate.  365 days full of endless potential.  it’s time for my 2009 resolutions.  i should start by revisiting my life list…it’s been awhile since i checked myself to see how many of my goals i have accomplished.  and then, i will add a few more things to it.  after all it’s a life list, surely not to be accomplished in a single year.

the list:

read more books– i did not read as much as i wanted to this year, not even close.  my summer time goal was 17 books by year’s end…i read 6 (eat, pray, love; marley and me; animal, vegetable, miracle; the great gatsby; the art of simple food; love in the time of cholera).  pathetic.  i have lots of books sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read and was lucky enough to get 13 books as birthday and christmas presents.  2009 goal: read 25 books.

learn how to play my keyboard–i learned one song by mates of state and had a lot of fun playing.  i will play more this year.  maybe my goal will be to include an audio version on the blog of a recorded song by lew and i by year’s end.

find a sewing machine and learn how to sew–the pretty pink sewing machine was purchased and set-up, but i haven’t touched it since.  pillows will be made by year’s end.  PROMISE.  i will include a picture as proof.

practice yoga more often–ahhh.  this one i did accomplish.  i am practicing ashtanga two to three times each week.

bike more often–to be done starting in the spring when the days get longer and the weather a but easier on the hands and lungs.

take sadie on more walks–YES…another accomplishment.  promised her that i would keep this one up.

run when my knee is not hurting–only a few times, but it felt good.  sadie is my partner in this one.

a few additions or resolutions for 2009:

take (and pass, i hope) the certified nutrition support clinician exam–the thought of studying seems overwhelming, but i would love to be able to check this off my list of career goals

continue to eat better food; to patronize local producers and artisans; to buy even less from supermarkets than i do now; to think even more carefully about everything i put in my mouth

take more pictures–and post them more frequently in my flickr photostream.  please check the actual blog site regularly for current snapshots of our life since all the picture updates don’t get emailed.

post more recipes–i have had several readers request recipes for things i have mentioned in my blog.  i promise to make this a frequent part of my future blogging exercise.

read at least two articles from our home delivered new york times EVERY DAY!–as lew would say, if i could just stop straightening, cleaning, or organizing, i would have plenty of time to find out more about what is going on in the world!  so, this year, i promise to stop doing all those things for at least the amount of time it takes to read some of the paper.

i would love to know some of your resolutions.  please share them with me in the comments section.  i am continuously inspired by all of the things that we all do.

once again, happy oh nine.  i am looking forward to a wonderful and accomplishment-filled year.

i passed my rd exam last friday and feel like the weight of books and school have been lifted off my shoulders. after a battle to graduate and get my thesis finished, i was able to sit for the exam about 5 months after my anticipated graduation date and i passed without too much sleep loss.

within 24 hours of being granted the title of registered dietitian, i began making a list of all the things i want to do with all my new free time (thanks to my personality that requires me to always be busy and organized!). conveniently, the new york times had published an article the morning of my exam about the book 1001 books you must read before you die. if you haven’t seen the list, you should really check it out: the list.

david and i poured over the list, counting the number of books we have each read (a lame total of only 29!) and then i quickly made a goal for myself of 17 books before the end of the year (starting after i finish my current book). that’s 1 book every 12 days, if i start at the beginning of june. never have been able to do that before, but its somethng to shoot for. i will keep you updated on the books i read and my progress. currently, i am finishing love in the time of cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. i have 130 pages left, better get through those last pages before this sunday or i will have less than 12 days per book!

my list of “fun things to do” continues with:

learn how to play my keyboard (currently working on a mates of state song)

find a sewing machine and learn how to sew (just ordered fabric yesterday and hope to begin my first project soon)

practice my yoga more often, bike more often, take sadie on more walks, and run when my knee is not hurting

here’s to a new life without school- no thesis, no tests, no papers, and no exams!