Happy 2008, Y'all!

What do I want to do this year? Lot's of stuff, like write and revise things--i'm particularly keen on revising because if I got my pieces into a condition I was truly happy with, I could recycle piles of workshop notes I have been saving for three years...I'm talking reams of paper, folks. And that would free up some space to put other things so we could see what's what in preparation for moving.

Moving might seem aways off--six more months really, but I think the first half of 2008 really will need some time devoted to preparing. Today, I spent an hour researching Gemeinhardt piccolos online so I can put mine on Craigslist. I bought it about 20 years ago along with a flute from a guy whose wife was having a baby and he needed the money. I played the flute a lot, but never really took to the piccolo...I'm thinking if it hasn't happened yet, it's not going to.

And here's a big one--work to be environmentally more conscious...No, let's say I want to translate my consciousness into more action. I'm already conscious every time I stop by the store and get new plastic bags because I've forgotten to put the cloth ones in the car that it's not good, but I would like to translate that into really remembering. Also, I am mindful of the amount of the amount we drive...to restaurants and movies across town etc, and would like to translate that into doing it less, but truthfully, I'm scared to even bring that up to Paul...I think he would freak out because he would consider it to be an oblique attack on all the eating a restaurants...so maybe I'll just encourage him to drive the small car more, even though I really like it for myself, I don't go out as much, or as far.

Finally, I have gotten pretty slack about meditation, although I think I might average 10 minutes a day, I think that should be a minimum, with an average of more like 20 or 30 minutes.

I think if I also mindfully devote 30-40 minutes to cleaning or organizing everyday, instead of completely ignoring things then having weeks of work to do...that might help my anxiety levels almost as much as the meditation.

Also, maybe I will try to be more punctual, which I do every year, and have gotten slightly better, although even right now I can see Paul getting tense because we need to leave in a half hour and I'm still in my pajamas typing this.