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Well i just put out a drawn out blog and it did not save for whatever reason so since I can't remember it this will be short and to the point. All I want this year is a home, to the point a house. I've never had one, ever and it's time!! My family and I deserve it.

New Year's Resolution

So I guess its ironic that I'm the one who posted this premise, but I don't really do resolutions. It seems to me that when people make resolutions, often times, they are setting themselves up for failure. I think that's because they try to make some kind of ultimate change all at once. It gets to be overwhelming and they just give up. So, I'd rather make progressive goals. Is that just semantics?

Anyway, my first goal is to live a healthier lifestyle than I did in most of 2007. I am not going to "diet" because that doesn't work. What people need is a sustainable lifestyle change. I heard Chef Paul on the radio the other day and he said that he had been over 500 pounds most ofhis life. But now he is down to 220 pounds and got there exclusively by eating less foood. He eats the same stuff he always has, but just eats less of it. This is a message I have been preaching, if not living for a long time. About 8 or 9 years ago, Brian and I started doing that and both lost weight fast. Then we moved to Austin and forgot about the whole thing. But for the last few months, I have started again - and its such an easy thing to do - and the weiht is coming off again. We've also been exercising. We seem to have a pattern, though, of doing well for the first part of the week, then by Thursday or Friday, we kind of fall short. So, the goal part is to become more aware of the amount of food that I eat and follow through with exercising through the whole week. I'd also like to take more time for myself. I have been hearing a lot and I agree that I can take better care of my family and other responsibilities by recharging myself.

Another goal that I would like to attain is to become more organized. I have always been hyper-organized in work and school, but it seems like I just can't get it together in my personal life. I have this awesome filing system, but it doesn't work if I don't put my papers in it. I have a great plan for keeping the house clean, but until I put it into action, my house will stay dirty. I know how to keep up the laundry, but if I don't do it, it piles up in the hampers (and on top and around them) and we run out of clean undies! So, I don't know how to accomplish all of this. I have the plans, I just don't know how to make myself implement them. I feel like I'm busy all the time, but I have no visible accomplishments. So...any suggestions are welcome!

One more thing I'd like to do this year is to make better use of our money. We really ought to know where we stand at any given moment. We should be able to pay our bills on time because we know where they are, what we owe, and whether or not we can afford it!

I guess that's it. Sorry - it was kind of a boring premise. I'll do better on my next turn!!!

Resolution / Goal for 2008

Many things come to mind that I'd love to accomplish this year...however I've chosen to talk to you about the completion of the remodeling of our house. I'd really love to complete the entire project but money and time seem never to be in agreement on getting this done in a timely manner.
So, I'll break it down into completeing two parts of the project this year...perhaps later on I can relate how we were able to accomplish even more.
1. I wanted to (especially) finish the back porch...to the point that it would not fall down. A VERY REAL POSSIABILITY.
The repairing of the porch, to where it is safe and will not fall off of the house has been accomplished. With the help of Jared and Brian on the weekend of Jan. 20, 2008 we jacked the porch back up into place and secured it.
This weekend Jan. 27, 2008 should see the finished product of the porch being repaired. Jared and I hope to complete the project at this time.
2. I want to repair the roof of the house. This will be a complete replacement of the roof.
The old roof must be taken completely off...there are presently two layers of shingles on the roof.
Then we will replace the roof with a new metal roof. I do not ever want to work on the roof of the house again during my life time. Exception being if a tornado should hit it.

The roof project is going to run me about $1500 to $2000 dollar's not counting what it will cost me to feed Jared and Brian, that could be harsh.
Kill a deer please...!

Play Guitar

This is the year of the guitar. I have always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument. Piano would have been my choice, I love the sound of jazz piano. However, pianos are just darned expensive, and then there's the lessons on top of that.

I have been talking about getting a guitar for some time now. My daughter, Brooklyn, has wanted one too. We got her one for Christmas.

I wanted to make sure that she really followed up with it too. Short attention spans can diminish hopes and dreams at times.

I had some extra Christmas money left over. Jared and I spent several hours at pawn shops and guitar stores. I finally found one. It's a Lyon brand by Washburn.

By the end of the year I would like to be able to play at least 3 songs well, and play with my daughter.

Fitness Goal

This is a real goal for this year. Due to the new job that I have, I now have a need to be in better shape and stronger than I have been in the past. The physical part of my job is going to make me stronger whether I want it to or not, but it is still a challenge. So the goal that I have is to stay active during my off time, and by the end of the year, I want the heavy lifting that I have to do at work to seem easy for me. I want to find myself in the best shape of my life by the end of this year if not sooner.

January 2008

State one New Year's Resolution or goal, etc. (preferably real, but make it up if you don't have one). Make a step by step plan with a timeline on how you can accomplish this by the end of the year. Add any information you wish on why you chose this goal or what/who inspired you. Let us know if this is a real resolution/goal so that we can check back in on the results toward the end of the year.

Due January 31, 2008