No exuse

I don't have any good excuses for not blogging earlier. Well, maybe that isn't true. After I typed that, I remembered that report cards and IEP progress notes were due this week, my husband left to go to a school for a month, and I got sucked in by this book:

(image source: amazon.com)

This one was just as good as Sloppy Firsts. I bought this on a Saturday and had it finished by 8:30 Sunday night. I became even more intrigued by these books when I realized that Jessica Darling was the same age as me. I made this connection when she described 9/11 happening in the fall of her senior year. Her story was just like mine. She had decided to go to Columbia University when suddenly our country was attacked. I couldn't believe it as I read this. I was actually scheduled to go visit a college on Long Island the week after 9/11. The trip was obviously cancelled and my world was shaken. Her story continued to parallel my life throughout the book. I can't wait to buy the third book today.

On another note, I have decided to buy a Kindle. After I finished Second Helpings, I found myself wishing that I could instantly download the next book. I think I have convinced Dave that I need one so I think that will be my Valentine's Day present. I did a little research and I think I have decided on the Kindle over other e-readers. If you have a Kindle or another e-reader, let me know how you like it. What are the pros and cons of the one you have?

Trouble Focusing

I am having a very difficult time focusing lately. I am terrified that it is my anxiety coming back to haunt me. It has been at least 5 years since I was on any sort of medication for anxiety and I would like to keep it that way. However, I am finding myself worrying about little things lately. As I said before, I really don't want to go back on medicine. That feels like admitting defeat. I am hoping to combat it through things like yoga. If anyone has other suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Now on to what led me to post this in the first place. It is now the 17th day of 2010 and I have yet to truly start working on my goals. I am eating better but I still have to start exercising. The one I am really struggling with is the reading. I have started two or three books that I am having a hard time sticking with. The thing is, I was really excited to get these books. Now that I have them, I can't seem to focus for more than a couple of pages. I need to commit myself to reading these which means I need to start turning my computer off and get reading. Here are the three new books that I am excited to read:

(Image source: borders.com)

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

(Image source: borders.com)

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

(Image source: borders.com)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I am starting with Sloppy Firsts because I've heard it is a nice light read. 24 starts tonight so I'm not sure how much reading I will get done. However, I have tomorrow off so I plan on doing as much reading as possible then. Hopefully I'll be able to focus.

Goals for 2010

Sorry for the delay in posting my goals. The first five days of this new year have been insane. I will leave that recap for another day. Without further ado, he are my goals for 2010.

1. Read 25 books for fun- I love to read. This summer I spent a small fortune on books because I read them within a day a two. Unfortunately, I have not done much reading since September. Once school starts it is difficult for me to do much more than collapse on the couch when I get home. Lately, I find myself reaching for my computer and mindlessly playing on the internet for hours. Not good. I joined a book club that meets once a month so it should not be too difficult to meet my goal. If I read the book club book and at least one other book a month I will be set.


2.Lose enough weight/inches to fit into my size 4 pants again- This is a simple goal. My dress pants don't fit. That's a problem when you have to dress up every day. I have 4 pair that are big enough but that doesn't give me much variety. I don't have much weight to lose. In fact, when I went to the doctor today the scale said I had already lost 3 lbs. since last time. Now I just need to keep this up.

3. Create and Start a 101 in 1001 list-I have seen this done on a few blogs and I think it's a great idea. I originally wanted that done by January 1 but I just couldn't think of enough. Stay tuned for this one.

4.Do at least 30 minutes of housework each night after work- I hate to admit this but my house is often very messy. Between my husband and dog, it is a never ending battle. The bigger problem, however, is my motivation (see #1). I think I can realistically commit myself to 30 minutes of housework and still have time for relaxation. I am hoping this will result in a much tidier house.

5. Reconnect with 2 old friends- I will not go into details but there are two friends I have lost touch with that I really miss. They are great friends and I primarily blame myself for the distance that has developed. This is actually the most important goal for this year. Friendships are very important to me. With my two best friends on the other side of the country, I really need to work on my friendships here.

So there you have it, my goals for 2010. I think all of my goals are realistic and I look forward to accomplishing them.

(Stay tuned for another nail polish review. I've found another color that I'm in love with)