A BRAND-SPANKIN' NEW YEAR...

Okay.  Color me sentimental.  Here I sit, waiting patiently for my new iPad to restore to it's factory settings after a misguided attempt to jailbreak it.  So I am thinking that it's already January.  Didn't this past year just fly by?

I'd argue I've had an interesting year.  By many different milestones.  I can't even begin to fathom where to begin or really that I want to get too far into it.  But let's see...

I finally joined Team in Training, a goal I set for myself four years ago when my dad passed away from a pre-leukemia disease.  Instead of making excuses as to why the timing didn't work, I just made it happen.  Since then, I have done two centuries and a metric century ride (63 miles) and ridden over a thousand training miles to do it.  Kick ass.  That may be one of the highlights of the year.


Many friends were married this year.  That was a ton of fun and wonderful to be a part of so many happy days.  


I got to go to Ireland!  Finally!  I don't care if it was cold as a witch's teet.  I went, dammit.


My house continues to stand.  That's pretty darn important.


Those are good highlights.


The ones that broke even - well...


Work.  Saved some jobs, lost some jobs.  Won some elections, lost some elections.  At the end of the day, we fought and fought hard and this year will be harder.  


Yeah, I'm still single.  But I've learned a TON this year.  I've been adored, lied to, wooed and confused.  More than anything, I can honestly say that I'm not going to settle.  That seems to have been my problem a few times this year.  I've made some friends - some really good ones, in fact - and I've lost a few.  But this is life and the universe has interesting lessons to learn.  If you care to listen.  


Despite going on some fantastic vacations, I feel ridiculously tired.  I know it's a mix of work, stress, keeping myself busy on the wheel so I don't fall off - whether it's work, going to the gym, keeping up with training, etc, but honestly - is this the price I pay every year I get older?  Because this is some bullshit.  Mama needs a week off to do NOTHING.  I mean, nothing.  This may be an intention in the New Year.


See, I stay away from resolutions.  I like what my friend Vivian coined as "intentions".  It has a better ring.

For instance: I intend to get and stay fit in the new year.  I intend to think positively and spread good will into the universe and not get bogged down by negative emotions, situations - and people.  I intend to fight with all my will for the working families I represent.  I intend to remember that every day is a chance to do something good, a chance to simply live and enjoy.  I intend to get into bikram yoga again and possibly try my hand at some martial arts.  I intend to ride Tahoe.  Again.  I intend to be more free, to be more true to myself.  I intend to write music again.  I intend to paint instead of sit in front of the TV.  I intend to spend more time with my friends and my family and the people that love me, not chase after people who aren't worth my energy and disrespect me.  I am intending to live a very full and positive year.  Come to think of it, that's been my intention for a long long time.  And despite a few, um... setbacks here are there, I think I've succeeded at that goal, anyway.


Intentions are not wicked.  Don't be tricked into thinking so.  But not following through on an intention or bobbling one slightly has a much better and more positive feel than failing at a resolution.  It's not that I don't have the resolve to do these things.  It's that sometimes, situations make it hard to follow through all the way.  But my intention remains.  This is why I love the term.


But in the meantime, I'm just surprised at how quickly this year seems to have gone.  It seems that way since I turned 30.  I know, I know.  It's a tad ridiculous, but while I've had an epic year, I also am just amazed we're into another one.  Here's to seeing whether my intentions stick.  In the meantime, happy new year to all!  Let's make it a good one!