new years day - ho hum

Heh. My parents dropped in for a surprise visit over the weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love 'em, but I was just barely getting over xmas. After they left today I took a weird nap and then watched terrible movies on tv. I am too embarrassed to say what I watched. Junk food for my brain.

Resolutions: Just one, to keep training and lose weight. I feel pretty great about what I have achieved over the last two months. I have learned how to eat and how to exercise. I have seen small results like losing an inch from my waist and an inch from my hips. Of course the holiday eating always makes it hard but now I am looking foward to months of eating right. I did pretty well in November with the nutrition part so I feel confident about getting back on track. There are just so many opportunities to eat during the holidays. And every holiday dish is made with lard, I am convinced.

So, other than that I do hope to pick up a new hobby this year. I am considering embroidery. I have always wanted to learn and it would be a good thing for me to get obsessed with. My hands always want to be doing something.

For my business this year, I hope to do less shows. I would really like to increase my web traffic through some advertising. I would also like to work more with metals. I have been looking into what I need to do to set up a little workshop for myself. For the moment though I think I will just pull out the wax and just start trying to carve some stuff to cast. I tried getting into the Casting II class at school but it was already full. I am determined that shouldn't stop me. It might even be better. I won't be so intimidated about the actual casting process. In class I let that stop me from casting things. The mold making process is scary because you have to be careful not to breath in that stuff and then the actual casting involves a huge torch, a hot flask and melting silver. It is a huge rush but also a little scary. Without access to the schools workshop I will just have to send it off to have it cast. I am excited at the prospects.

Xmas was alright this year. I will admit that I didn't really have the xmas spirit. I was a bit of a scrooge. Sometimes it just feels so much more about accomodating everyone. I find it exhausting.

However, I really enjoy the part that is just me James and Forest hanging out together, putting up the tree and drinking hot chocolate (probably the only true tradition we have for xmas). Then, I enjoy giving Forest cool stuff. And, exchanging gifts with James. I have to say Forest is not a kid who has ever asked for a lot of stuff. When he was little I was so poor that he learned not to ask. Maybe that's bad - I don't know but he seems to have learned to only ask for what he really wants. It seems like he really thinks out his list. This year he asked for a digital video camera. We just got him that and a few other small things. He wants to video his skating friends. The mom in me is much happier for him to be behind the camera rather than in front of it on the skateboard. Not that the camera will ever stop that though.

I gave James the Sun Records cd set and the newest biography about the Beatles. He is enjoying learning about music from that time period. I think it is cool that he gets interested in something and really explores it. He has been listening to a lot of Johnny Cash since we saw the movie and that is what got him interested in the early roots of rock and roll music. I also got him the box set of the Pink Panther movies. One of our early dates was to the Paramount to see a Pink Panther movie and it is a nice memory.

James gave me a prettyhand-felted flower scarf made by Sarah Bird, a radio headphone set for the gym and some perfume, Lovely.

Happy New Year Everyone!