Come Hither My Good Friend, Hope

I saw the Come Hither quote on this artist's great print. I keep meaning to ask him if this is his original quote. That way there will be no weird legal issues when I get it tattooed on my chest. I'm only sorta kidding . . .

Bonjour 2009!

I love Christmas. I really do. But the second it's over I want to tear down all reminders of it. I want everything packed and stored by New Years. Christmas was so 2008. It's time to be refreshed now; lit anew with my constant and warm-hearted companion, Hope. Be gone bullshit of 2008. Be gone self-inflicted bullshit of 2008 (and many years past). And come hither all possibilities that await just on my fingertips and outside of my comfort zone. I said hither, damnit.

Last year my big psychological resolution was To Finish What I Start, and looking back I didn't finish many things (I did finish some big things though), but somehow I feel I'm able to check that resolution off. I think renewing the confidence that I can finish what I start makes me feel self satisfied about it, and confident about future endeavors. This year's psychological resolution is: Bask In Contentedness. This wave of complete satisfaction in myself and my life crashed over me recently and I feel . . . free. I am happy. I want to hone the feeling this year. I did have one tussle with this contentedness when I confused it with complacency. But I realized that just because I'm content doesn't mean I don't dream or don't strive, right? The contendedness allows you to make the process of striving the important part. Listen, most of us tell ourselves these words over and over: Enjoy the journey, love the process, something about the Now -- and I think telling ourselves this eventually becomes practice and the practice finally becomes natural, unconscious. And then all of the sudden, you love it all. It's all perfect. Who and what and where, it's all right. I'm rolling around in this feeling; making content angels with flailing arms and legs. I'm basking, y'all.

I have a list of other resolutions that are too embarrassing to share. Stuff ranging from athletic goals to standing up straight. Winning the lottery made this year's list again.

We went out last night, which we hadn't done in many years. Of the twelve years we've been together, last night was only the third or forth time Husband and I have gone out on New Years Eve. The girls are living it up in Las Vegas with BD & Sanne, so Husband and I got dolled up and went to dinner with Molly & John and a couple of their friends. We stayed at the restaurant well past midnight (with only a few yawns between us!), and had a really great time.

I bought this dress a couple days ago. It was price-slashed by 70%! And I gotta say, I felt like a billion bucks in it last night. (Look at Lupe yawning on the chair. She don't care about my dress!)Could he be more handsome? Hey Papi, I got your come hither . . .John & Molly laughing in the new year. Are there better pictures than this? I don't think so.Stay awake John! Man, they're cute together.Midnight on the nose, on the lips.This is the look of basking. Here's to washing myself in 2009.
Happy New Year Friends & Family!