New Year's resolutions, 2009...

Well, it's that time to make New Year's resolutions. The thing is that I make them pretty much every year, and they are pretty much the same. And most of them I keep, but the one that I haven't is the one I can't figure out how to.

1. Maintain weight - For the last couple years, I've put something to the effect of "lose weight". And for the last couple years, I have't really lost any weight, but I haven't really gained any either. Which I think actually is an accomplishment, especially since I used to be about 90 pounds heavier than I was before. It would't hurt me to lose a few pounds - I'm pretty much on the borderline of healthy and overweight. But I've also come to realize that if I wanted to lose weight, I would pretty much have to make major lifestyle changes - eat way less, exercise way more. Where I'm at right now, I watch what I eat most of the time, splurge when I want, work out most days, but skip it if I have something else I need to do. If I'm at the same weight I'm at now next year, I'll be OK with that.

2. Save money - for the last few months, I've made some splurge purchases - a new camera, a new computer, a new monitor, some smaller stuff. Now it's time to get back into savings mode, get back to not splurging on anything, get back to watching my bank account grow rather than the amount of stuff I have. I'm not sure what to do with my savings - I'm debating between paying down my mortgage, paying off my student loans, or just banking it in case - but either way, I need to get back to frugal mode.

3. Get organized/decrapify - I have way too much stuff. As an ebayer and hamfest seller, I buy stuff for resale, which often means having ton of stuff around. I want to cut back on some of this stuff - keep enough to sell, but get rid of the stuff that won't sell, and turn over inventory faster. Right now, my home office and my basement are pretty much wall-to-wall crap, and I want to go back to looking like I'm a civilized person. While building my computer, I discovered I had 4 brand-new computer cases, two of which I'd forgotten I had. That's ridiculous, and it shows how much crap I have and how disorganized I am. I need to throw out, sell, and otherwise get my crap level down to manageable.

4. find love, or find happiness without it - this is the one I always make, and never keep. Maybe because it's the only one that really requires something external. I find myself torn on the whole answer to the question "is there someone for everyone?" After all, there are over 95 million single Americans, 54% of them female. Among all of them, there has to be at least one who would be willing to put up with me. And I know plenty of quirky people who have managed to find better halfs. While I have my faults, I think I have some positive qualities too.

But the question is, if she does exist, how do I find her? I've tried a number of online dating sites, a church-sponsored singles outing, work, friends, and still keep striking out. There is a good chance I will still be single this time next year, and I need to start accepting that. I need to find more hobbies, take more trips, go out more - something to keep me from falling into the "I'm single and my life sucks" mode

5. Become a better driver, and stop hitting shit - in 2008, I had two significant property-damaging accidents and got pulled over twice - far worse than the other 10 years I've had a license. I need to start driving like an old lady, and I hope to have a ticket-free and accident-free year.

I've got some smaller goals too - fixing stuff in the house, keeping up with some doctor's appointments - but they aren't really worth itemizing (and not just because I probably won't keep some of them).