Monday, January 19, 2009

Decluttering the last 8 years

So the changes start now. A new year with new hope. I am caught up with the fervor of the new president and excited to see how we slough off the last 8 years. I spent the weekend sloughing off a good chunk of 2008, shredding unneeded papers, removing unwanted “stuff” and rearranging a key area of the apartment. So what do I expect from the new year?

Really, I feel we will experience events as they come into play. My mate and I tried to plan some events, but other events come into the scene disrupting the others. Living life is what I always want to do, so I will mindfully enjoy daily activities as much as big life-changing events. A couple of years ago we resolved to remove our debt, which we did in 2008 (my 30th birthday gift) and thankfully we are able to save. We live simply to save and I am happy we can enjoy the nice things in life: family, friends, food, warmth, art and love. I hope others start making those choices to live more within their means, so as a whole, the country removes itself from the monetary constraints holding us down.

I am optimistic about the country’s vibe to help each other. We all have great ideas to move forward, but we all need help. I have a renewed passion to move forward the after- school program I am developing, and hope others focus on education when they find their new commitment to service.

This time of the year I introvert and work on aspects of myself so I can be better for others. I told a student of mine this last week that I cherish my weekends, mainly for the ability to think about my week, analyze what I want to do next, and rest for the next few days. My mate and I keep it simple, making good food all day, relaxing, walking, talking and enjoying the space we rent. Many times I wonder if I should be doing more outside activities, but many times I just want to spend time catching up on reading, photography and cooking experiments.

So here is to a new year, starting tomorrow, with the inauguration of Barack Obama. He won’t fix the issues without us, so we should work on ourselves and how we interact with our local communities. Let’s start tomorrow. Are you ready?

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Post Vacation Blues

So after a week of work, our vacation seems to have vanished, so I sit here cranky and tired, ready for day off. I realize that I felt like this before, but I hate it every time. My mate and I had not had some time together in a new place for a while, so I really had a great time exploring New York City with him. We had great conversations there and afterward, which is culminating in our removal of excess in our apartment to make it more minimal and artistic. Sigh, tomorrow we start work again. At least we have a three-day weekend to look forward to. Check out our photos from our trip on our Multiply account.