2010, huh?

I have to say I'm a little disappointed. It's 2010 and there are no flying cars, transport machines, faster than light travel, and we haven't contacted any other lifeforms from outer space (although, one might have just moved in down the street from me. MIB is looking into it.) I was hoping that technology would have progressed a little more than super small music players and extra large televisions, but I'm not a scientist, so what would I really know? Maybe all these things are already out there and they are just restricted by The Man or something. If so, Let Them Free! If not, get on it guys! I want to move to a new planet with longer years and less gravity so I can be young and skinny again!

Anyway, I really would like to see some progression in the new year. Politically (and I never discuss politics) things have been a little up and down. Our country is led by someone new and different and his entire staff is new and different, too. (Okay, they aren't entirely new, but you have to agree that they are different.) I won't say if I agree or disagree with the way things are going. That would hint at who I voted for and I haven't even told my husband that. I will say that I hope whatever changes are made create a better place for us to live, and maybe eventually work in. While I'm at it, I hope to actually work for a change.

We lost a lot of really big names this year, especially in the last few months. These young celebrities will have some big shoes to fill. Can you imagine anyone even trying to duplicate the infamy of Michael Jackson? He was so much more than the owner of a trained chimp and the father of mysteriously begotten (but never really seen) children. There are very few models who will ever be as well known as the incredibly beautiful Farah Fawcett. What a tragic end to a sparkling woman. And, what man today can be just as sexy in tight jeans as he is an a silk pantsuit and pearl necklace? Patrick Swayze, you are already dearly missed! (I have a sudden inspiration to take up ball room dancing and cross dressing, now.) I hope that the next round of starlets have the proper respect and understand just what they should aspire to become.

Personally this was a big year for me. I will have more W-2's coming this year than ever before! I have broken my previous record for the amount of fees paid to my banking institution. I have learned 63 different ways to re-prepare leftovers. I have even brushed up on my math skills while trying to calculate just how many miles I can get from $2.33 worth of gas. Over the last 12 months, I have lost (and then gained) more pounds than I really care to count (but I'm sure there was a record broken somewhere in there.) I have donated more pounds of clutter than I bothered to count (I can only tell you it was roughly enough to fill up my entire garage.) The first silver streak appeared in my hair (no, not a strand - a STREAK.) I joined Facebook and started my first Blog. (Thank you, my loyal readers. Both of you.) And I finally, after all these years got my nipples pierced. (okay, that last part isn't true, but I almost did it. Really.)

My family has had a pretty major year, too. Little Heart had a heart cath early in the year and has moved one step closer to becoming the bionic child with two stints in placed in her aorta. (no electric or moving machine parts, yet, but I have a lead on a scientist and his experimental nanobots!) She also managed to break the same arm as she did three years ago, but in a completely different place, and she decided to to it on Christmas instead of Thanksgiving! (She's so considerate, that one,) Tiny Dancer got to be a real ballerina (even if only for a little while.) She lost her first two teeth (two days apart) and managed to lose every penny of the Tooth Fairy money before spending a dime. Evil Genius has made it through an entire semester without cold-cocking her locker mate (we are very proud.) She has also perfected her Evil Genius Theme Song. (it's a cross between Darth Vader's theme and the opening tune to Mickey Mouse Club House.) She also lost her first tooth (much to the shame of TD.) Dear Hubby got to build his very own Man Cave in the garage (I am working on the window trimmings as we speak.) My own mother got remarried and moved out of state. Sister #1 moved IN state. Sister #2 had a baby, again. Sister #3 found a boyfriend who holds a regular job. Brother...well, he just IS, but at least I got to see him this year! Even my father got a car of his own and has been a regular socialite visiting all his kids and grand kids and helping everybody out. (Okay, it's mostly me, but but I can't help but be a little stingy with him. He cooks CHICKEN STEW from scratch for me!) Even my dog  had a major surgery during the year (you have never seen anything as funny...er, I mean, sad, than a large, black, frolicking, dog on painkillers.)

With the whirlwind that has been 2009, I would like things to settle down a bit during the next year. You know, stabilize a little. I have been trying so hard to keep up with everything and everybody that I am just out of breath. I don't want to party this New Years Eve. I want to SLEEP!

I would make some New Year's Resolutions, but they never seem to work out for me. The one year, I decided to go back to school, I spent mostly in my kids school having parent/teacher conferences. Whenever I vow to lose 20 pounds, the only thing I lose is 20 pounds of clothes that are too small for me. Making those mushy resolutions are no help either. Love more, cry less, be a better person, hope for peace...yadda, yadda, yadda. None of those can actually be MEASURED. I want to know, for sure, that I have completely destroyed any hope of achieving my goals by February, not just "hope."

So, this year I am going to make reasonable goals that I might actually achieve. Here's what I have come up with:

1) Clean my toilet. (seriously, who wants to wake up and realize they haven't done THAT in a year.)
2) Buy a lottery ticket. (you can't win if you don't play!)
3) Eat cake on my birthday. (you might laugh, but you just don't know the PAIN of a cake-less birthday)
4) Find the bottom of my laundry basket (I doubt the clothes will actually get cleaned, but I haven't seen it in such a long time...maybe I'll just move them around a bit...)
5) I wanted to come up with something REALLY cool for #5, but I can't so I'll just resolve to do #3 twice. (Does that still count?)

Here are a few things I resolve NOT to do:
1) Spend more time looking at stupid cat pictures than writing.
2) Consume more calories in ice cream or wine than in vegetables. (notice, I said OR, not AND.)
3) Answer the door in my PJ's (unless he is really cute and so are my PJ's.)
4) Drive around lost for more than 30 minutes without calling someone to figure out where I am.
5) Embarrass my kids in public my singing Britney Spears songs at high volume while imitating the "Oops I did it again!" dance from the video. (that is such a hard habit to break...)

So here's to a new year, and maybe a new pair of shoes...I'm thinking some leopard print kitten heels, because that would be sooooo ironic.