Friday, January 01, 2010

Starting Anew 2010 - A New Decade

Happy New Year 2010!

Since I am beginning a new decade of life, it is appropriate the ritualist, traditional resolution thought process begin with defining the process as BEGINNING ANEW, not STARTING OVER. There is a more positive, optimistic ring to ANEW, and negative, defeatist ring to STARTING OVER.


In retrospect and review :2009 and 2000-2009 were divided positives vs. negatives.

1. In this decade I discovered my biological roots and developed a positive relationship with a new set of relatives. The search was fraught with needless anxiety and uncertainty, especially the idea of acceptance on my part. Positive!

2. I re-evaluated my belief system and made a difficult, but fruitful decision concerning faith, leaving a comfortable but dead-end setting for a challenging, exciting, rejuvenating new concept. Positive!

3. In this decade I realized my mortality because of increasing age and faster declination of health. In fact 2009 seems to be a year filled with medical appointments and little else. (mixed Positive/Negative)

4. I tested new waters in retirement. Never to be one to sit by the window watching the birds, I discovered the satisfaction of public and volunteer services. I ran for City Council--three terms. I helped establish a senior calling service, TeleCare. Positive!

5. Endurance of some domestic turmoil. Negative!

6. A personal vacation scaled down to an enjoyable level! Positive!

7. Finally, 2009 was exceedingly successful in that I finally accomplished on reoccurring resolution, losing weight (25 lbs.) and maintaining within +/- 3 lbs. for 6 months. Positive!

I'm sure I missed a lot of subjects but the above 7 are highlights. I could add the phenomenon of blogging, but it is continuing into the new decade. Where it leads, no one knows.

Now I am facing a new decade. At 73, how many more decades are there in my life? I suppose quality, not quantity, is the most important factor!

So, in 2010, the first year of the new decade, I am resolved:

1. To start ANEW the effort of losing an additional 25 lbs. This will be harder and require more diligence. But I will not be disappointed if the scales show less than 25 lbs. but a loss, nevertheless. Intertwined in this effort will be renewal of my exercise program.

2. To search ANEW for opportunities in public service, volunteerism, and faith. I believe these altruistic goals keep me in the mainstream of life, despite aging.

3. To resolve ANEW to enjoy simple pleasures available "right under my nose."

Of course there are less lofty goals such as resolution of messy housekeeping, poor cooking skills, etc.

Now that I've completed the New Year ritualistic seance, I can settle down for the beginning of the last hurrah for the football season: a multitude of bowl games and eventually the Super Bowl!!!

So much for lofty expections!

FOOTBALL!, FOOTBALL! FOOTBALL!

---------------------------------------------------------------
Postscript: I just found this interesting quiz on Amber Star's Serenity Days.
Thought you might like to participate:


I am an
Echinacea


What Flower
Are You?


14 comments:

Jinksy said...

May 2010 be all you could wish!

Rosaria Williams said...

Lofty! We can do it!

Jackie said...

I love your 'anew' thoughts as opposed to 'starting over'...and I also loved reading your reviews of 2009 with the ratings....very smart, NitWit1...and a challenge to me to do the same.
I hope that you have a blessed year...a very blessed one.
I look forward to blogging with you this year, and I wish you the absolute best on your goals and resolutions for the new year.
I'm with you on the football, too!!
Yes!!!
Smiles,
Jackie

Anonymous said...

I still got my problems with the coughing. Nothing coming up to speak of.

I have found some nice photos from 2007 and 2008 that I would like to use in my blogs but last night was a bad night for me and I didn't get much rest. Most of the time I had one coughing fit after another. I thought I would try to just say, "thanks" to those who stopped today. I appreciate the comments, visits and prayers. I hope things will get back to normal soon.

Pat - Arkansas said...

I have already passed the midpoint of my 7th decade on this earth, but, as much as I hate to admit it, I CAN learn something from those younger than myself! :)

I do so much like your idea of staring ANEW. I'd hate to think that I had to start over; there are more than a few years in those past decades that I wouldn't wish to have to live through again.

A very, very happy new year to you and husband, Carole. May it be filled with blessings.

Amber Star said...

I like that starting anew, too. I'm mid 60s and need and want to lose some weight. The prednisone doesn't help, but neither did that extra cookie. I may just turn myself in to weight watchers and see how that goes. The water aerobics is helping some and espcially the arthritis so I'm staying with that. The silver sneaker deal with my AARP insurance pays for me to use the gym for FREE and not much beats free. They are so nice at the YMCA it is a pleasure going down there.

Happy New Year, NW-1...I'm glad to have met ya this past year.

Arkansas Patti said...

So proud of your weight loss and maintaining. That is one tough thing to do.
Great evaluation of 09 and glad it is mostly positive.
Also proud of you and hubby for volunteering. I need to do more of that.
Wishing you and yours a super New Year, you have the attitude to make it so.

Small City Scenes said...

Well I see the positives outthe negatives. Well done!!
Time winding down is surely a problem we all face. My Mother is 93, still quite able and very capable, and was the youngest of her siblings who all lived into their 90s as did their Mother, my Grandmother. So I should have a few more years yet but as you said--time goes by too fast.

Enjoy the new year!! MB

BTW: I have done the flower thing and am a Snapdragon. Hmmm!!

Lisa said...

You inspire me!!! These are great ways to Start "Anew" 2010

faye said...

Reading your resolutions made me stop
and think about my own resolutions...
ooh.. I forgot I don't have any..
so I won't be breaking them..
but I do admire you for all you
set out to do and accomplish.

Keep on blogging....

Lorna said...

thought-provoking and inspiring.

Blaze into the anew decade!

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Oh, what can I say about this post that has not already been said?? Simply an inspiring post, dear Carol...but then, I should expect that as you are an inspirational person!!!!! And of course, after the main course here, you serve up a little levity!!! Love it!!! Long live football!! It was my mother's favorite ;-) I love and treasure you!!! And I'm so glad that you are carrying blogging on with you into the next decade...I'm going to ride along with you...and I so look forward to the time spent with you!!! Love, Janine XO

Dimple said...

Thanks for the visit!
I hope you find at the end of 2010 that you have succeeded in achieving your goals.
Now to find out what kind of flower I am. I'm not surprised you're echinacea!

NitWit1 said...

Thanks for the comments. I drastically reduce my resolves so as not to be embarassed by failure. Plus most of my resolutions are continuing life style changes physically, emotionally and mentally.

As for blogging I still have some stories under my hat. I frequently start a draft and develop it, later, depending on my available time.

Now if these coughing jags will leave me and Abe Lincoln, we both woule be eternally grateful. Maybe an exorcism????!!!!

My doctor said these fits as I call them is characteristic of the virii circulating this season. And there is also a local epidemic of whooping cough. My symptoms don't match up with WC.