I have found that it is more practical for me to declare my resolutions toward the end of the spring semester, at the onset of summer break, rather than at the start of a new calendar year. Since I'm a college student the start of the fall semester really marks the beginning of a new year for me. My student planner also follows this logic. The year runs from August 18, 2003 - August 29, 2004 according to The Original Student Calendar Time Management Guide. It is also easier to take on new responsibilities and make lifestyle changes when you have nothing else major competing for your time and attention. Now that I've established why I'm talking about resolutions at this point in the year, I'll tell you what ones I made.
First of all, I committed to stop smoking cigarettes. After seven long years of being a dedicated smoker (I averaged one pack a day) I came to the startling realization of just how disgusting a person it was making me. I was coughing up unnatural amounts of phlegm in class, and for that matter, everywhere else I went. My hair stylist, who happens to also be a smoker, advised me on how to make it so my hair doesn't smell like an ashtray. My boyfriend made routine comments about my breath smelling of cigarettes and at times even refused to kiss me on account of it. I was doing my spring cleaning one day when I found a generous coating of yellow cigarette residue on the underside of my white plastic desk chair (I spent a lot of time smoking while seated at the computer). I am proud to announce that I started step 2 of the patch on May 30th. I'm now down to Step 3 with a weeks worth of patches remaining. I won't lie to you and say that I haven't touched a cigarette this whole entire time, because I have. However, I have not purchased a pack because I am well aware that doing so would inevitably lead me to starting the habit back up full-time. I have bummed maybe a total of five cigarettes since I left my mother's apartment in Orlando (on June 7th).
Secondly, I committed to stop biting my fingernails. I seem to recall that I started on this resolution way before the spring semester was over. I had decided that it was time to give this habit up when Andrew and I had our engagement party (on March 2nd). Andrew had bought me a beautiful dress to wear for the occasion. My hair and makeup was done professionally. Since I was wearing open-toe shoes I had given myself a pedicure, complete with aqua blue polish to match the color of my dress. I wanted to do the same with my fingernails, but to my dismay there were not enough of them for me to work with. I am proud to announce that my nails are now more than long enough to give myself a manicure. The only problem now is I spend entirely too much time maintaining them... oh well.
Thirdly, I committed to read more. According to my ledger, last year I read what looks to be a total of twenty-eight books, many of which were assigned reading by my professors. This summer I unrealistically planned on reading twenty-five books. I have completed four that were on the list of titles I selected and one I hadn't planned on reading. That's a total of five books so far. I have a long way to go in order to beat last year's total. I think I can do it though.
Fourthly, I committed to keep a journal. I've always wanted to be the type of person that regularly writes in a journal. For one reason or another, my attempts have always ended in failure. I hope I'm not jinxing this one by admitting that here. /me knocks on particle board. I started writing actual entries yesterday, but I've been working with Andrew on the layout, functionality, and background code for my blog a lot longer than that. I am going to write something everyday, no excuses. I'll allow myself short entries when things become overwhelming at school, but that's it. There's no reason why I can't do this.
The fifth and final one is more of a goal that I've made than it is a resolution. I want to put more time and energy into doing things that will make me happy (and consequently put less time into just merely idling in front of the television). This includes completing my Coloring Mandalas book, by Susanne F. Fincher. I had purchased this coloring book last semester for use in my Religions of the Orient class. We had been asked to research a seemingly mundane aspect of Asian culture and to attempt to show how it can also be seen as being religious. I chose to conduct my research on the mandala. Mandala is simply the Sanskrit word for circle. As part of that research, I wanted to experience making a mandala. That's where the book came into play. I turned it in along with my paper and I earned an A on the entire project. The book includes forty-eight drawings, of which I have completed eighteen (the last one was dated 5.21.03). That leaves me with thirty more to go. The same professor that I had last semester for Religions of the Orient is teaching Chinese Philosophy this coming semester and I am enrolled in that class. I'd like to have these mandalas finished before the end of the semester so I can share the ones he hasn't seen with him. In addition to finishing my mandalas, I really want to spend more quality time with Andrew. I'd specifically like for us to work together on the puzzle that we started nearly a year ago that's been living under my bed pretty much ever since. It's one of those Photomosiac ones by Robert Silvers. All the individual images (split across multiple pieces) that contribute to the overall picture of a dolphin are ocean-themed. If you have never tried one of these puzzles before, they are extremely difficult. If you do happen to try one you will quickly see why my puzzle has been living for so long underneath my bed. I'd also enjoy playing some board games with Andrew, watching him play my video games for me, and continuing to tour the many significant sites in D.C. in his company.
Those are all my resolutions. I think overall, I am doing pretty well with them so far. Let's see if I can keep them up :).
-- CrystalShiloh @ 02:07 PM