And We're Off!

2011 is underway. Honestly, I can’t believe 2010 is over, but then, I’m still reeling over my *(%#th birthday, and that was six months ago. Sometimes, I have to stop and think about what day of the month it is, and then I put on my best old fart voice and declare, “Whew, where does the time go?” Time flies faster than I can move these days, and frankly, it’s a little disturbing. When your life is more than half over (unless I live to be 93), you start feeling some pressure to get some stuff done. I want to see the Eiffel Tower while I’m still able to go the top. I don’t want to be the old women sitting on the bench below, holding everyone else’s purse while they all ride to the top. I also don’t want to be the one carrying the spare roll of toilet paper in my purse, but that’s a post for another day. A new year is before me, and I feel obligated to declare some goals. Not resolutions, because those are too difficult to keep. Just some goals to work toward.

For instance, I’d like to improve my photography. This means getting some help from various photography friends on lighting and exposure. This means you, Glen H. I would also like for it to include an 18-70mm f2.8 lens, but that means doing a few paying gigs, which is fine by me. The shoots I did this past year were great fun. I just don’t want them to intrude too much on my summer pool time.

Speaking of pool time, the man cave/pool project is nearly finished. It appears we will be hosting some 3,791 people who have invited themselves to our house this summer. We don’t mind. That’s what we built this entertainment area for. I just need to start saving now for all those hamburgers I’m going to be grilling this summer. Here’s hoping we don’t scare the neighbors into thinking we’re even worse than the party hounds who live up the street.

I would like to get more serious about running longer distances. I have dabbled with it irregularly in the past couple of months, but as mama says, it’s time to quit fiddle fartin’ around and just do it. I’d like for this to be another half marathon year, but we’ll see. Right now, I’m struggling to find time on the weekends for long runs. I’m going to have to do some juggling to make it work, but I’m really going to try. I’ve had three really good consecutive running days, so I’m optimistic today. I don’t know why I’m so much better in really cold weather than warm weather. Perhaps, because I just want to get it over and get back inside.

It will be a year of special moments. Teen Angel graduates from high school in the spring and then there’s college. The heart of this mother is feeling the squeeze of Teen Angel’s independence right now, but overall I’m very proud of the young woman she has become, and I look forward to enjoying the moment she tosses that cap into the air. The week prior to graduation we are traveling to New York City for her senior trip. None of us has ever been, so we’re very excited. I’m not sure New York is ready for the Hula-gen’s, but we’re going to find out. I can’t wait to take pictures there! Naked Cowboy, get ready. Prepare to be worn out with photos of the big city about the end of May. I’d like to take Teen Angel to Europe this summer, but it just depends on the cost. It’s very iffy right now. I haven’t found a decent deal yet, but I’m still searching. We’ve never been to Europe, and it’s high time we went. Also, on New Year’s Eve next year, Hubby and I will leave for a short Caribbean cruise with my cousins. Thanks to daddy’s huge family, I have fourteen gazillion cousins, spread out around the United States. Even though we have an annual family reunion, we really don’t get to see each other much, so we’ve decided to cruise together, and we’re really looking forward to it. We got a really great deal by booking more than a year in advance.

In the meantime, we shall work to stay healthy, try to be kind to each other and to others and work hard to take care of those around us. As the folks at the Army used to say, we want to be all we can be. And hopefully, there won’t be any major injuries along the way. It looks to be an interesting year, and I am hopeful we will use it wisely. Here’s a toast to health, prosperity and maybe a half marathon. Oh, and to the three painters I passed on the sidewalk while running today…I could HEAR you. And even though I’ve always found it rude for men to comment aloud about a woman on the street, the fact that you thought I had a nice boo-tay’ did get my year off to a good start. Just don’t let it happen again. Unless of course I’m feeling a little old.