the list.

Well, folks, it's the new year.
And I'm already behind. I got caught up in all these jigsaw puzzles...cause that's what the cool kids are doing these days...and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

My goal was to post a list of my quote unquote resolutions for this year on January 1st. As you can tell...that didn't happen.

I don't like the word resolution.
I like to say "things I want to see happen".

For example, in 2010 I finally found recipes for arroz con leche and gallo pinto (my two favourite Costa Rican dishes) that come close to the real thing.
In 2010, I started my masters studies.
In 2010, I started volunteering with Abbotsford Community Services' Host Program, and met my friends Marvin and Estela from Guatemala: they are now part of my "family".
I wasn't thinking about all of these things in January of 2010, yet am thankful they have happened.

This year I want to start off with some intentions...and see how it goes.

In thinking about this list, I want to focus on the positive. I think it's easier to come up with "things I shouldn't do"...but we all know how that ends. December 31st arrives and we hang our heads, promising ourselves we'll do better next year. Well, let's stop that once and for all. Let's make shorter lists and stop putting the usual things on the list. And maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to feel a sense of accomplishment on December 31st!

So..on that note...here's my list...welcome to:

"Things I want to see happen - 2011 edition"

1. Find a drink substitute for pop (specifically coke).
I NEVER used to be into drinking pop regularly, and then the cafeteria at school started giving staff free drinks from the pop fountain; Carleigh simultaneously started buying pepsi for us as a treat, and the whole thing went downhill from there. As of January 1st, we're attempting to be pop-free for one year. So, when I had a sandwich and salt & vinegar chips for lunch the other day, my glass of water seemed REALLY dull. This year's goal: find the alternative. I'm completely open to suggestions!

2. Donate blood.
For the last seven years, I have travelled internationally and therefore been ineligible to donate blood. I'm finally eligible! So...off I go!

3. Learn to make some type of Guatemalan food.
Now that I have Guatemalan friends, I am really interested in learning how to make something from their culture. Much of it is quite similar to Costa Rican food, and so I hope to be able to find something new...or even just find out how to correctly make that which I already love! Estela is a great cook and made us tamales for New Years Eve - it was such a treat. Building friendship with Estela has been awesome: I help her with her English, and she helps me with my Spanish; we share a love for Latino and Canadian culture and I'm excited to spend more time with her and her family in 2011!

4. Go somewhere new.
Keeping in mind I don't necessarily have the biggest budget right now as a part time employee and grad student, I still need some adventures. So, it might be just a couple hours away, but I want to go somewhere I've never been before.

5. Get a great pair of boots.
This is a rather selfish one...but I'm pretty determined. Having calves that are larger than the average stick woman has been discouraging. I even ordered boots online made for "wide calves" and they were just as tiny as the ones in store! Frustrating. But I'm determined to get some good boots. It will definitely require some resolve and probably a number of phone calls and trips to random stores. Hopefully it will not involve cursing at the shoe store clerks, nor throwing boots at them while cursing.

6. Grow a small garden, and help the Davey/Doll household return to composting!
I would really like to grow some simple vegetables this year: carrots, maybe some onions and maybe even some peas! And...we need to return to composting. Our garbage man heaves a big sigh every time he takes our garbage away. To be honest, we're kind of scared of him. Thus, the return to composting. (And yes, there is more motivation than just the garbage man. Don't worry.)

7. Learn more about knitting.
For 23 years I have known one type of stitch. I have mastered it in the form of dish clothes, scarves and blankets...and to be frank, it's rather boring. So here's to learning at least one more style of stitch! (I'm realistic about my learning ability with crafting).

8. Take a pottery class?
While my other ideas were well thought out, taking a pottery class is a somewhat spontaneous thought. I do believe, though, I would love to pursue it. I did a bit of kiln work as what they'd now call a "tween" in art classes, and it turned out rather poorly. I seem to remember something that was designed to look like a dinosaur, but turned out more like a soap dish, which I then gave to my poor mother...so, maybe this will be a summer time project when I'm unemployed...in attempts to redeem the soap dish dinosaur fiasco of 1992.

9. Spend more money on other people than on myself.
There are certain reputable businesses in Abbotsford which serve as "crack houses" to those struggling in the fight against materialism: the inner battle. Superstore and Pier 1 seem to come to mind with their conveniently located products, supposed deals, and trendy looks. Oh, and don't get me started about Winners/HomeSense.

So, in 2011, when I find a new $12 "joe" shirt or a new $15 ("elsewhere sold for $150") basket for my room (which let's be honest is overflowing with baskets), my goal is to match that spending with charitable donations. And hopefully, with time, I will stop spending as much on myself, and have more to spend on others.

I want my legacy to be more than just having bought things for myself, making my space look prettier, or having cute clothes. I want my legacy to be one of consideration for others, a recognition that if we all used our resources to benefit others, we wouldn't need charitable organizations in the first place. This is probably going to become a whole other set of blog posts, so suffice it to say, my goal is to stop spending so much on myself, and start allocating more of my resources towards what I truly care about.


So there you have it.

2010, you were good to me, but I could have been better to you.

2011, let's do it.