Good-bye 2003, Hello 2004

Every year I make New Year's resolutions. I had intended to write this entry and point out that considering how few I keep that there's really not much point of my making new ones. Yet, as I revisit last year's resolutions (which I haven't looked at since last January 1; if I'm going to go to the bother of making these resolutions, then I really should revisit them mid-year to see how I'm doing), I find that I actually managed to keep a surprising amount of them (meaning, more than one of them). True, some came about by accident, but nonetheless, they stuck. Here are the highlights (I've left out some of the more mundane and embarrassing ones, although I did get some of those done, too) and how I did:

1. Revise ten pages of my novel a month or do the equivalent in background writing, if needed (character sketches, timelines, research) Yeah, not even close on this one. But it's a good one. Might as well keep this one in for next year.
   
2. Eat more fiber This was an easy one. But, no, didn't do that one either.
   
3. With the exception of the Jazz Fest trip, no alcohol for the year. Ding, ding, ding! I have a winner (more or less)! Of course, being pregnant helped this one considerably, but I can count on one hand the number of drinks I had in 2003, so I count this as a success.
   
4. Visit New York at least three times (it's so darn close and I'm just too lazy for not going. There are too many people there I want to stay in closer touch with). Well, I was 2/3 successful on this one. Which makes me slightly annoyed because Adam and I were going to make an impromptu trip to NY this past weekend, but we had a prior commitment we couldn't get out of, so we decided to wait. Unfortunately, that means the trip will be in 2004 and won't count toward this resolution. Had I just looked at these resolutions a week earlier....
   
5. Read the news section of the Sunday New York Times before the style section. I kept this one up until the third trimester when the hormones made the front section way too depressing. I'm now just starting to read it again.
   
6. Get pregnant. Who knew? Turns out I had fulfilled this one even before this list was written, I just didn't figure it out for a few more days.

So for this year, I'll once again stay mum about the majority of my resolutions. I will say there is the requisite writing resolution (this year with a more doable goal since I have to factor in less free time), there's the healthier eating resolution (no desserts/sweets Sunday night through Friday afternoon [except for holidays]; I did this a few years ago with alcohol, and it worked out great), there's the exercise resolution (I'll be running a marathon this year), and assorted resolutions having to do with the Doodlebug. I'll give you the highlights a year from now if I've accomplished any of them (and even if I didn't). In the meantime, Adam, the Doodlebug, and I will have a quiet night in. I'm making the Mary Cantwell's Steak in Champagne recipe from last Sunday's New York Times magazine, Adam's got a special dessert he'll be working on, and we'll be popping a bottle of bubbly Adam got many years ago in France (hope it's still good!). Hope all of you have a wonderful New Year's Eve and a peaceful new year.