Happy New Year!

I still coming up for air and 2012 is a goner.

Hold on to your seats kids, this ride is about to get funkier.

But seriously, 2012 was a year of complete upheaval in my life, so rather than doing a retrospective, I'm going to look forward to 2013 and many life changes.

In 2013 I'm moving to Portland, OR. Yep, one more move, but this time we're settling down. (I hope)

There will be at least one less student fighting and slaving away trying to complete a PhD (moi). My sister is coming to stay with me for a whole year (this is a good thing).

And I'm planning more changes at a more individual level. These are heartfelt goals that I intend to use as a guide not just resolutions to discard by March. I plan to live a more focused, intentional life.

I vow to:

Be kinder and more accepting of others.

Smile more and more often.

Listen more and speak less.

Make the time for those I love.

Stop and think positively.

Simplify life.

Reach for a minimalist approach (i.e. get rid of "stuff" cluttering my life).

Organize different aspects of life.

That last one includes planning the blog and posting more regularly. More to come on that.

Here's to a new year.

sorry about the quality of the picture - my camera went to Portland already and I'm still in NY for the next 2 weeks

Even in the middle of a cold winter...

... the sun sometimes shines.

Yeah, I know I'm being superstitious, but I believe this is a good sign. 2011 is starting with sunshine and mild weather. Let's hope it stays its course.

This year I want to keep a record of my goals, so that i can go bak to them, remind myself of what I set out to accomplish. There's power in the word. Once it's out there, it's no longer just a thought, it's a plan, a setting into motion of events. So here it goes:

• I will let go of guilt and hang-ups about things I can't change.
• I will join yoga to help me relieve the stress and tension I feel in my body.
• I will be more loving to those I love, and kinder to those I don't.
• I will give more (attention, time, patience) to those around me.
• I will listen more and speak less.
• I will publish an article based on my current research and present in at least one national conference. 
• I will pay more attention to my subjects when I take pictures, represent them more instead of my own vision (see listen more, speak less)
• I will work on crafty endeavors for at least half an hour each day.
• I will continue to work on the blog and help it evolve into what it needs to be.
• I will give more of my time to volunteering and helping the community.

That's a start. Some are more concrete than others, some are more challenging. But I have them down now. *Blog, help me remain accountable to myself.*

I also hope to connect more with those of you out there, who love to make things, to create, to interpret, to represent what you see, feel, and imagine. Let's be friends in 2011.

Cheers!