My Feeble Attempt at making 2010 not suck

Good day to you 2010. It has not been easy for me to welcome the New Year as it is ridiculously cold and smoggy and gross outside, but here I am making my own feeble attempt at viewing things with a cosmically happy pair of glasses.

Not only that but it is time for another.... LIST!!!!

My point with the list....

1-to get me through one the hardest times of year (i.e. cold winter, gray and post christmas blues)

2-To help me serve others and stay close to God (I miss that since our run of Savior of the World is now over)

3-to help me take some time for myself and do the things I have been putting off

So here is the list:

Things to do before Easter Sunday 4/4/10

1-Learn to knit with knitting needles and make something ( I am taking a two part class with my mom and knitting is harder than it looks, but I feel so legitimate doing it)

2-Go sledding (but I need to find snow pants first, blast!)

3-Go cross country skiing ( I heard it is better than snow shoeing. But I don't know where to go)

4-Finish the first draft of my book (it is a young adult novel and this is the one item that stresses me!!!!)

5-Read a complete book of poetry (it is Bright Wings a book of bird poems!)

6-See Alice in Wonderland when it comes out in the (yeah for Tim Burton!)

7-Go ice skating at the Gallivan Center (it ought to be real cold, so I am scared)

8-Have a dinner party (any excuse to be social)

9-Go to a hockey game! (yeah for winter sports!)

10-Learn to play a song on the piano

11-Find a new recipe and make it for John and I for dinner (did that one tonight... yummy nutty breaded chicken tenders and special orange-cranberry sauce)

12-Find a new recipe and make it for someone else (anyone got good dessert ideas?)

13-Keep a gratitude journal, one thing each day. (my favorite so far is the day I was really grateful for peppermint ice cream)

14-Get a haircut (I already did and I have bangs again! whoa, was that a good choice?)

15-Go to P.F. Changs for their famous lettuce wraps (Did it and I was not nearly as impressed as the ones I had from Cheesecake Factory)

16-Learn about my family history!

17-Go on a nature walk (when the air is better)

18-Each school day, write one thing I learn from the kids at school

19-Watch Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea

20-Give up something for Lent (This is always a hard one. No, I am not catholic but I love the idea of sacrificing something. It has been suggested I give up hot chocolate but that might be too tough.)

21-Get a vegan hot chocolate at the Hatch Family Chocolate Co. (did it and it was well worth it)

22-Carve jack o' lanterns in watermelons. (I miss halloween)

23-Read the church's magazine The Ensign cover to cover for Jan. Feb. and March (this has already helped me keep some spiritual perspective while being stressed at school)

24-watch the edited, Hot Fuzz (I finally saw Shawn of the Dead this past October and I am ready for some more british humor)

That is it. I am trying to be pro-active with the list items this time because my book will take most of the time I have until April.

Here is to a year of making the most of the snow and the early spring as it inches forward.