I’m going public with my intentions for 2014…

Not very original, but one thing I’m doing different is going public (gulp!) with some of my intentions. My good friend, Jack Daly, is my inspiration. He regularly posts his goals (his life-long bucket list), and goes so far as to publish his progress as well.

Gutsy.

Some people say that about me. I’ve hurled myself off a bungy bridge in New Zealand three different times. But going public with resolutions takes a different kind of courage.

Since quite a number of people tell me they enjoy my weekly blog (thank you very much!), I actually have an audience of readers who might just possibly remember what I said I was going to do and might possibly be disappointed in me if I fail or falter. And, since I don’t like to disappoint other people (never mind that I quite regularly disappoint myself….) – I’m taking a plunge. Here goes:

1. I’m turning 60 later this year. A momentous year in which, at year-end, I will publish a picture-a-day photo book. This will be motivation to do something interesting every single day. Day 1 was the Rose Bowl game. I’m off to a good start!

January: Michigan State made it to the Rose Bowl (the 100th!) – and my brother, Bob, and nephew, Kyle, made it out here, too! Visited floats on display with step-daughter, Erica, too! Typically gorgeous New Years Day!

2. I will unclench my shoulders. And my jaw. I will do this many times every day. I have done it 9 times since I’ve started writing this post.

3. I will write and mail hand-written notes to people I care about. I will take a photo of each envelope.

4. I will go to the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach.

5. I will launch my new WOW! Travel Club website. Everybody tells me these things take FAR longer than expected, but I thought my site would be different.

6.  I will block off 3 hours on my weekly calendar to write this weekly post (instead of doing it at 2 AM the night before my deadline). I will go to the Thousand Oaks Library – just a few blocks from my home – and write. (And I hereby confess to never having been to that library before – despite having lived here for almost 4 years!)

7. I will organize and edit my iphoto library of more than 24,000 photos to get rid of the dupes and mediocre photos. I will delegate this job to someone else.

8. I will attend a class or workshop or One-to-One session at the Apple store two times per month. They have such brilliant instructors – it’s all free – and I learn so much. Why not?

9. I will get my most embarrassing “Bobbleheaded Pope” story published in AFAR magazine.

How much would you pay for one of these?

10. Is there anybody alive who doesn’t have a fitness or weight resolution? Here’s mine: by my 60th birthday (Oct 27), I will weigh 127 pounds. (That’s 14 pounds less than now…)

It’s helpful to have others with which to support and encourage and cajole . . . I welcome accountability partners for any one (or more) of my goals!

Happy New Year!!!