Plans and Dreams

It's a new year and everything allegedly feels fresh and new. In some ways it does. As January first passes each year we come with a new sense of hope and enthusiasm about life in general - well some of us do.

2012 was a hard year for many people. I feel very lucky that for the most part, 2012 was a good year, a really good year. So here's hoping that I can make this year a great one.

So, what am I looking to do this year. Call this my resolution post. Just what does Pandora T Behr want to get done in 2013?

Well here we go.

1) To remain very fit, strong and healthy

Rather than put a figure on losing weight, which I want (and need) to do, I'm making a commitment to my body to keep it at its peak fitness. Hopefully this will mean that I lose some weight in the process and I will take steps to get this back on track (like I'm back with the start calendar and writing down everything I eat as a start) It came to the conclusion late last year that I love being fit. I love that I can walk up five or six flights of stairs and not be puffing after a minute after stopping the climb. I love that I can do a 25 kg squat track in pump. I love that all this exercise give me energy and keeps me in a happy place (Far fewer depression cycles have been had since I've taken on this exercise lark) Exercise, both the more gentle walks to work and strolls around the place, and the "Hardcore Harriet" spin classes, boxing sessions and personal training rounds both have their places. I'm so grateful exercise is a part of my life. Long may it continue.

2) Where is Lady Lunchalot?

Eating lunch at her desk.

A big resolution this year is around saving money. I'm terrible for coming in and buying my lunch which tends to get expensive, even when I have nobody to meet for lunch. So I'm resolving on the days that I don't have a lunch date, I'm bringing my lunch in from home. Good for watching the calories, good for the wallet. I also want to try and keep my coffee purchases down to no more than two a week. There is a perfectly adequate coffee machine in most work places - where I am now there is - at my next job, if there isn't, I can bring in one of the many plungers I have lolling around in the kitchen with some ground coffee. Cost effective and I don't have to drink

3) Sweet Poison be gone

My sweet tooth is fairly legendary. It something I have to work at.

In the diet and exercise area I want to look at eradicating as much sugar from my diet as well as keeping salt to a minimum. Sugar really is dreadful stuff. I've managed to get most of it out of my tea and coffee (throwing in a stevia tablet every now and then when I need one) But there is so much sugar in everything. And this is not counting the sugar in my ice cream addiction. So along with the bringing my lunches in, the slow, deliberate reduction of sugar from my life is on the cards. For anybody looking as to why I want to do this, read 'Sweet Poison' by David Gillespie. I want to give this a go. After a week of clean eating after Christmas I know how much better I'm feeling. This is not to say that there won't be slips - but like eradicating as much salt as possible for my blood pressure, I think sugar is the next thing to go.

4) Twenty things away a day

I have Jonella to thank for this one. I'm undeniably untidy, and I don't like it. I have been untidy all of my life. But I am clean. Floors are hoovered once or twice a week, the bathroom and toilet are cleaned weekly, my dishes are done daily, and my bed linen is not about to march away of its own accord. But I do have a lot of crap lying about the place.

So in a vain effort to get on top of this I'm going to try to put twenty things away a day. I've done this for the first three days of the year and the place is already looking a little better. Along with this I have a heap of stuff to throw out, shred, put on ebay, donate to charity - you name it, I want to make some space and order in my life.

5) Read more books

I didn't do enough reading last year - reading the book group books and that was about it. Though the book group reading list is excellent this year, there is so much more to be read. Most of it is sitting in my book shelves.


6) A proper holiday

I need a holiday - a proper holiday. Bali and / or Thailand are on the cards for April. Maybe somewhere later in the year. We will see. This is all banking on me renewing my passport, which has to be done in the next week or so. Once I have the passport then I can start looking for the deal that will see me as a lady of leisure for a few weeks. (Other suggestions as to locations are welcome, but at the moment I'm focussing on a place with a pool where I can have a breakfast beer at 10 am.)  

  7) Wear Sunscreen  

 A few years ago my new year's resolution was to apply hand cream daily. I've kept this one up.   Now it's time to get serious about sunscreen on my face, hands and other places - 30+, broad spectrum. I'm not saying that I'm bad at sunscreen - I know that if I'm going out in the sun, it will go on no questions asked.  I've barely been sunburned in the last ten years, just a one memorable badly burnt bum when I was in Greece in 2003 was the last sun lashing received. Believe me, sunburned bums are no fun at all.

I mean it's time to get really serious about putting on sunscreen on overcast days and when I'm walking into work, summer and winter. Making this all the more hard are the following facts. 1) My skin is sensitive - sunscreen often causes flare ups and irritations. There's only a few I can use.  2) I like being a little tanned - and I get a lick of sun and I go brown - doesn't mean I should be doing it. 3) I'm allergic to fake tan. Makes my skin break out in welts - it's horrible. Besides I'd look like an overgrown Oompa-Loompa in fake tan. There is nothing sexy about being orange.  

  8) Find a Partner

 I heard a very interesting quote on the Downton Abbey Christmas Special.  "Love and horse riding are similar. If you don't learn about them young they're frightfully difficult to master when you're older."

It hit a few raw nerves.  

Needless to say, I've a hell of a lot happier since I've shifted focus from what I don't have to what I do have. Which is a lot. A   Just saying, it would be lovely to have somebody around the place to share things with, do things with and to take turns in making a cup of tea in the morning. Just putting it out there. It's just a pity there isn't a shop where you can pick up a decent bloke. Unfortunately, the only decent forty something men tend to be taken. The rest aren't worth thinking about.

I think that will do for the moment. I better find a few more things to put away.

Pandx