New Years Goals

Well,

I don't do new years resolutions. Mostly because I know I will not (even with good intentions) stick to them.

However, I feel starting a new decade, in a new state, and after the deaths of two of the most important parts of my life (my father and my first horse), should come with some changes of my own.

First and foremost, I need to get organized. For the last eight or so months I've felt like my life was a whirlwind and I was just lucky to keep being carried along. Now I have a steady job, a solid income, an apartment (a clean one, too!) and I need to begin to pull myself up on my own two feet. This means figuring out my finances and being better about budgeting. For me this mostly means I need to STOP EATING OUT. I went to the grocery yesterday and purchased some pantry type foods. Potatoes, dried beans, lentils, spices, etc. and I'm going to learn to cook.

I made a Greek yogurt and potato dish yesterday that was pretty damn good if I do say so myself. I boiled some red potatoes, and mixed up garlic, lemon juice, pepper, turmeric, a "dipping spice" mix, and 3 parts Greek yogurt and one part sour cream and it was really good. I think next time I will try leaving out the turmeric, perhaps adding a little dill.

I reheated it today and threw in some fresh broccoli and brown rice. I left the yogurt separate and didn't reheat that just the potatoes, broccoli and rice. I need to start using more grains and rice in my cooking. It will save on the cost and is a bit healthier than my current diet of fast food.

I'm also meeting a girl Saturday to ride her horse and sign a lease. It's fairly cheap, only about $150/month and I'll have the rights to ride twice a week, use her tack and everything. The horse seems nice. He's a chestnut gelding, used to be used for polo. Not sure what to expect but when I went out previously he seemed like a solid horse.

So here it is:

1.) Manage finances smarter. Make a budget and STICK TO IT!!! This means setting aside time each week to look at bills, and make sure I'm not missing anything. It's going to be necessary in a couple months when student loans start rolling in. Coupled with the budgeting, save money by not eating out and packing lunches. Devote more time to cooking and learning how to eat healthier and smarter.

2.) GET ORGANIZED. Sheesh. I feel overwhelmed in my life right now and I need to just plant my feet, slow down and take a look around (Funny: The theme from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air just played in my head). I have plenty of time, it's just a matter of actually taking that time and not goofing off.

I think we'll start there, and see how it goes. I'd say if I had a #3 it would be "Become more active" but that is something I've been working on. Riding twice a week will definitely help with that as well. I also discovered some areas not too far away for decent hiking, such as the Sam Houston National Forest, Conroe Lake, and Huntsville State Park.

Here's to a smoother, more organized decade!