Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I rang in the new year with an old friend and some new friends here in DC. As usual I left my plans to the last minute, but everything turned out great and I even acquired a paper top hat to wear and had champagne to toast to the new year.

I've always been a believer of you should try to do things on January 1st that you want to do all year, so today I:

Partied with fun and positive people

Ran 2+0+1+2 (5) miles

Cooked dinner 

Relaxed

Read

Blogged

I also am a sucker for traditional meals so the dinner I prepared included the same foods my Mom prepared for us every year growing up:

Pork - The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving.

Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut represents wealth and eating it on New Year's day is a German tradition. People wish each other as much wealth and goodness as their is shreds of cabbage in the pot. 

Mashed potatoes - I don't think there is any greater meaning to the potatoes other than they taste yummy with sauerkraut.

I think I made some new year's resolutions last year, but I'm not sure where I wrote them down. So I'm not sure if I achieved any of them. This year I'm posting some of them here to try to keep me honest.

1. Refrain from using the snooze button- This actually should be easy for me as the snooze button on my alarm clock doesn't work, but lately I got in a bad habit of getting out of bed, reseting the alarm time, and getting back in to bed. No more of this. I also was thinking about getting a new alarm clock with a working snooze button, but who needs a stinking snooze button? not me.
2. Run at least 6 races- I'm trying to enjoy running more and I find I do best with a goal. I'm not talking any long races, but I hope to try a variety of races. I've already signed up for two, the Love the Run you're with 5K in Arlington on February 12 and St Patricks 8K in DC on March 11. This is my first 8K so automatic PR!
3. Track what I eat & when I work out- I joined the free website Sparkpeople and just want to become more knowledgeable about the calories going in and out of my body.
4. Knit something new- I tend to get in a rut and knit a lot of the same things. Luckily my aunt gave me a dog pattern, I just need to get size 2 needles and I'm off.
5. Travel somewhere new- I tend to think about going places a lot more often then I actually go somewhere, I need to flip and reverse this.
6. Be friendlier to strangers- This is one I tried to work on last year and I made good progress for awhile. I think I'm friendly when someone asks me for directions or for help, but too often when someone cuts me in line at whole foods, blocks the cross walk with their car, or bumps me in a bar I don't always react in the best way possible. If anyone has coping suggestions please let me know.

Ok that is all I can think of for now, but I may add to the list as time passes. What are your new year resolutions?