Happy New Year and welcome to 2008 :)
Last year, the calendar companion I subscribed to suggested that at the start of the year, we should consider a new intention for the coming year, a quality to bring into your life. My intention for this year would be balance, across all areas of my life - friendship, work, play, thinking and doing, me and others, etc...

For example, where I have reconnected with many past friends on the internet over the past year, in the new year, I'd like to work on renewing and building on tangible friendships that I have here, the ones I've neglected for so long and are now hanging by a thread. Also, with my health - high on stress and low on time (or so I thought since my mind was racing all the time, while I aimlessly puttered around and got nothing done), I tended to opt for easy meals, canned everything, and gave up on my morning situps, my gardening, my evening strolls, etc.
Tonight I cooked a healthy, simple meal of peas, rice and pork chops tonight, and Luc and I both felt instantly better. No cream sauces, no canned veggies, no stovetop stuffing, just healthy basic foods. Also, my Mom and Dad gave me some pots and dirt and indoor gardening tools for Christmas and I spent an evening last week up to my elbows in dirt, plants and pots scattered all over the dog room, and me totally in a state of pure calm and relaxation. The next day I was in the best mood I've been in all year, and managed to share a wonderful evening with my sister, without getting tired or cranky as I normally would have. It was then that I realized I need to start doing physical things again and lay off the 'thinking and planning' that I do constantly. Also with my exercising - Luc bought a small corner tv stand and I set up my tv in the room I had originally planned to be my exercise room. Just need to find some cables for the dvd player and I'll be able to start my pilates again. :) Even simple things like doing the dishes - that used to be 'my time' where I'd turn on some music, fill the sink with nice hot water, and wash and dry the dishes by myself, which helped me unwind. Over the last few days I have returned to doing that, saving the dishwasher for only those days when time won't allow me to wash the dishes, or when we have too many to do. I'm hoping it will not only help me to find 'me time' again, but it will also hopefully help cut down on our insane electricity bill, which came in at $350 for two months - Eeeeek!
Finally, I want to strike a balance between work and non-work life... I am at a point in my career where I've coasted long enough and now have to invest a little time and energy into pushing it the direction I want it to go before it stalls altogether. With that in mind, I have to realize that for 7.5 hours a day, I am wholey 100% dedicated to work-related activities. So that if there's a 'lull' in my day to day work, I fill it with more work, so that I get things done, thus eliminating that ever growing to-do list, and I feel more satisfied with myself, instead of feeling guilty all the time. That would leave my evenings and weekends open for enjoyable things like painting, having coffee with friends, gardening seminars (I signed up for about 20, ha ha), and spending time with Luc. :)
Where does the internet fit in all this? Max 1 hour a day! To me, that actually sounds like a lot still, until I take into account that currently I spend on average 5-6 hours a day on it... :( That's crazy.
Anyway, in keeping with the theme, I have now hit my one hour limit. So I will say good night, and I wish everyone good health, happiness, a little adventure, and most of all a sense of balance in their lives throughout 2008.

Ta ta!
S