NYE, Texas style

Jen and Lon had a great party to ring in the new year last night. I've been accused of crashing all of the S&W radiology parties, but honestly, I don't drive down when there's a party, there's just always a party when I'm here. That's totally different!

We had good food, good times, and a little too much champagne. Now we're being lazy watching football.

I crashed about 11:30 last night after cooking all day, but Lon and Jen made me wake up to toast 2010 and we stayed up 'til about 2:30.

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope the new decade is great for you. My resolution: to stop waiting for the ideal and to start enjoying the interim more. I'm so thought-provoking.

Rest of the NYE pics are here, if you don't have Facebook.

'Tis the Season

I'm not quite sure why, but this holiday has been the most stressful one of my life. Planning out of town trips every weekend since Halloween probably wasn't a smart move, especially when you consider that there are only so many shopping days before Christmas, and lack of sleep equals a very cranky Lori. My gift list keeps expanding with people I forgot I needed to buy for. My credit card balance keeps growing. And so does my waistline as workouts fall lower and lower on my priority list.

In my quest to become the consummate Renaissance woman, I decided this week to balance my work budget during the day and bake like Martha Stewart by night. I've slept ten hours during the past 72, spending the rest of the time catching up on work and working on cookies. And trust me, I'd rather stare at spreadsheets all day than cut and ice cookies.

This morning I delivered dozens and dozens of treats to folks at work (after icing them at 3 a.m.), then decided to stop at McDonald's for breakfast, where the lady behind me obviously didn't understand the double drive-thru concept of taking turns, and proceeded to honk her horn repeatedly before rolling down her window to yell at me. Merry Christmas to you too, lady.

It seems that I'm not the only one cranky this month. I've had line cutters at Williams Sonoma, cranky operators at XM, and lots and lots of traffic. It's enough to make you not appreciate the season, and the reason we celebrate.

Not just because of the birth of our Lord and Savior, which is of course the most important, but the time spent with family and friends. So what if I don't have time to pack... I get to spend two whole weeks with people I seldom see, doing things I want to do, and not going any meetings. Sleeping in and eating and making small talk. Getting on each others' nerves.

This morning on TV they were discussing the end of the decade, and it occurred to me for the first time that, in a mere two weeks, we'll be ushering in the '10s.

So I started thinking about all that's happened in my life in the past 10 years and, instead of focusing on the tremendous loss we've had in our family, I started feeling grateful for all of the love.

Every year I make resolutions I don't keep. But on this New Year's Day, I commit to stop living my life in pursuit of the ideal, and start enjoying the interim. Because life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. It's the little things like obsessing over boys with your girlfriends whether you're 13 or 33. Snuggling with the kids in your life. Waiting for Santa. The cool people you meet that you may never see again.

And yeah, we'll all have broken hearts and credit card bills and love and loss, but that's the amazingly wonderful thing about living.

Even when you have jury duty and presents to buy and people to see.

New Year's Resolutions

For the past two years I've confessed my NY Resolutions on this blog and for the past two years, I've broken every single one of them. So, instead of resolving to do anything, here's a list of things I'd like to accomplish in '09:

• Walk/jog at least 25 miles a week
• Run a 5K race (and not just a few steps, like in '08)
• Be more open minded about meeting "the one" (so LB wasn't Mr. Right, or even Mr. Right Now, but he did remind me that there are still good guys out there, so I guess he served his purpose)
• Bake no cookies nor agree to lunches with any cute boys unless they ask me out on a real date
• Travel to Europe
• Spend more quality time with my friends
• Learn to say "no" to things that don't improve my life or someone else's
• Listen more

I'm closing on my house on Friday, so I suppose "becoming a home owner" should be on the list. And I made my last credit card payment this week, so getting out of debt (save mortgage, car and student loans) is a very real possibility in '09.

Here's to the new year, kids. Hope yours is great.

Oh, and leave me comments with your resolutions or, at the very list, things you'd like to accomplish in '09.

Auld Lang Syne

Well 2008 got off to a rockin' start. This is the first NYE in quite some time that I've actually had anything to do, much less stayed up to ring in the new year. Joe and I had fun. The restaurant is beautiful, the food amazing, and a good time was had by all.

This is me with Joe and Kevin, at the party.



Unfortunately my good mood didn't roll over into '08, as New Year's Day was kind of a bummer. I had a headache all day and the Piggies got the poo beat of out them in the Cotton Bowl, but I did get to go hang out with my good pals Brent and Dave and eat good food. Plus, I took a three-hour nap after the game. And I didn't waste time and money going to Dallas for the game (sorry, Sorne).

In moving news, I confirmed with the moving company this afternoon, and they'll be in Conway to pick up my stuff in 19 days... yikes! Must get packed.

Happy belated birthday to my Daddy, who turned 62 yesterday, and I didn't blog. Sorry! But happy birthday, anyway.

Happy new year!

I'm not quite sure if it's the new job or the new house, but I'm optimistic that 2008 is going to be spectacular. I guess that's what's so great about a new year... the promise of a new start.... new challenges, new opportunities... the chance to put the bad stuff in the past and start anew.

I'm even ready to go back to work. Granted, I've only been back in Conway since Friday, but this being lazy and not having anything to do is really starting to be a little too convenient. It will be good to be back on a schedule and hopefully be more organized. And I only have 13 days left to work at UCA. Woo-hoo!

I've been cooking all afternoon to get ready for tomorrow. I'm going to some friends' house in Little Rock to watch the game and eat a New Year's meal. I made chicken and dumplings and Mexican cabbage (and will make cornbread in the morning) and they're doing black eyed peas and hog jowl and some other stuff.

Tonight Joe and I are going to the grand opening of Michaelangelo's. They're having heavy hors d'oeuvres and a live band. It's an invitation-only party, but thankfully I have friends in high places. Well, Joe does.

So it's about time to put on my party face and wash my hair for the first time in three days. Only a few hours 'til 2008.

Happy new year, everyone! Have a fun and safe evening.