Welcome to 2019

I accomplished two of my goals for today. 1 - I finally got through all the stamps I've gotten in the last month or so. I had to pick out the ones I needed for my collection. It took awhile (I had to get through them and soak/unglue them), so now I'm ready to put them in my books.

And 2 - I didn't unlock my door. I didn't have to work today, nor did I need to do anything outdoors. It's kind of nice to have a day where I don't have to leave my apartment. :) I watched the Rose Parade, one of my favorite things to do on New Year's Day, watched a little football and a little Mythbusters. I even made chili for supper tonight - yes, I do know where my kitchen is, and I know how to operate a crockpot.

One new year's tradition that I haven't really thought about it is resolutions. Many people use Jan. 1 as an opportunity to start over. They set a series of goals to meet throughout the upcoming year, everything from being healthier to making their lives simpler. I've done resolutions before and haven't managed to keep them. I do think setting goals is a good idea, so here are a few for me this year.

1. Write the 2019 Christmas program for church. I've got the basic idea for the story. I just need to put it on paper. Easier/faster said than done, though. I don't have a lot of free time to spend, so it's a matter of better time management, I think.

2. The traditional/annual health goal. I know I'm carrying more weight than I should be, and I eat way too much fast food. So, cut back on the drive throughs and add a walk or two. That's the simple solution, but again it's easier said than done. Fast food is a lot simpler and, well, faster than making stuff at home, especially when I'm running from the office to a ball game. So I need to do a better job of planning ahead and following through on those plans.

3. Another writing goal - finish writing the book I started in college. Again, I know where the story needs to go. It's just a matter of time and energy to put the words on the page.

I don't want to overdo it, though, so I think I'll stop there. I was thinking about what I accomplished this year, whether they were resolutions or not. I read through the Bible chronologically, which is fascinating if you've never done it. I wrote the 2018 Christmas program for church. I read or listened to 48 books. I got to see some of the sites on Lewis and Clark's expedition. I went back to Memorial Stadium and got to watch a team I cover win the state championship. Don't ask me how many words/stories I wrote for the paper(s) because I can't count that high. Overall, 2018 wasn't bad.

I hope 2019 is a great year for all of you and you're able to accomplish the goals you set for yourself. I hope I can accomplish mine, too.