New Year's Resolutions

I shouldn't, but I did - make New Year's resolutions. Let's call them "goals" or "action plans." Regardless, here they are:

1. Get back down to a size 4. I know, shallow, but it’s a goal. When was a size 4 I felt more confident because 1) I looked better and 2) I wasn’t compelled to disguise so many figure flaws. There is merit in throwing something on without a lot of fuss and having it look good.

2. Develop blog. In the last year, I’ve blogged a lot, but not consistently. This year I want to not only post regularly, but make the blog more visually interesting – pictures, etc. This will entail learning a little HTML. So be it. Thanks to one of Jeff’s coworkers, J, I have a good resource book to mine. Also, I will be adding ads of different kinds with the hope of earning some cash. I know, sell-out, but there it is.

3. Start on a real career. I hereby renounce my forty-year career as a dilettante. Yes, I’ve always made ends meet, but never have I really felt job satisfaction that comes from a nexus of subject interest, salary, quality and efficacy control that comes from having both credentials and experience.

Forensic science will always be a keen interest of mine, but what I’m running into is that I would need a lot more education plus low-paid or no-paid (read: internship) experience to get even a toe-hold in the business. If I were twenty years younger, I would probably be willing to suck up the debt, time and hassle of accomplishing that, but from my current vantage point, I’m unwilling to do those three things, plus sacrifice my standard of living and scrounge to pay bills.

So, I’m going to finish the Forensics Certificate (instead of the degree program) so that I have some take-away from these current studies, and I’m going to see about starting some sort of accounting program at a convenient, less expensive school, with the aim to pass the CPA exam. Not as sexy as forensic science, but one can practice accounting anywhere in the country and get paid well. Yes, I’m mercenary – I like my wine and chic-chic food – but I also think I’d be really good at it. And, there’s still the thought of “fighting the good fight.”

4. Become more of a political activist. Now mind you, this doesn’t mean marching around – not my cup of tea. I mean besides ranting on my blog, actually engaging my elected officials in what they should be doing for this pro-border control, pro-national security run by adults, fiscal conservative, capitalistic, small-government constituent. Doesn’t mean my efforts will amount to much, but at least they’ll have my opinion.

5. Do more for the troops. I’m already a member of Laura Ingraham’s coffee club for the troops. For every order of four coffees, two coffees are donated/sent to some military installation (Hat tip: Mom). You get your tasty coffee fix each month and so do deployed service men and women. Click here for details. I’d like to do more. Details to follow…still thinking about what I’m going to do.

None of these resolutions are out of my reach – and you, gentle readers, will hear about my progress in each!

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