{Resolution Time: May 2010 Edition}

1) Evaluate how I did with my April Plan

2) Make three new goals for May

3) Add a new quarterly addition to my goal for the year



April Resolution Review:

1. Get a TAN. (I'm so white, it's wrong.)

* I got a good start on this, but I feel like my progress is already fading. (My plans to get out

this weekend should get me back on track.) I am proud of myself on two fronts. I started

working on getting sun early in the month, and I went slowly. Pacing was a must since I was

so white that I was actually a bit green, according to D. Instead of laying out for five hours

and turning into a lobster like I've done before, I went out for an hour and a half at a time.

Even 40 minutes on one side proved to be too much at first, but I eventually got some color.

I'm darker then when I started the month, and it feels wonderful to wear less makeup and

look okay in a tank top and skirt. I was hoping to be a brown goddess by now, but neither of

those words are really part of my DNA. So, I'll take less white and more freckly if I must.

(p.s. It's 5Pm on the 1st. I just got in from laying in the sun, and I feel sooooo goooood!)

2. Attend to three things around home that bother me every time I see them. (Zen 101.)

Another check! I deviated from my original plan a little, but some of the things that were

not done and always bothering me, are now finished and no longer a thing to worry about.

* The bathroom. This is one of those things that I didn't directly do and do alone, but we

found a tile guy, came up a plan, made decisions along the way, and oversaw the plan. And

now, we have bathroom tile! (It just needs to be sealed on Monday.) All in all, the bathroom

is looking great! It's almost done. It's a HUGE relief to have made some progress on this

project as the month of May marks the one year anniversary from when we started it.

* I reorged the space under David's bathroom sink. The mess is now in order.

* I took two trips to the City of Chandler's Solid Waste Department. I got rid of the metal

A/C coil that's been sitting on the side of our backyard for a year, white trash style, along

with some toxic stuff we couldn't throw in the trash or recycle (like used motor oil and old

paint cans), and the torn, worn-from-the-sun patio furniture cushions from the back yard.

This meant decluttering and getting a few things off my to do list that have been lingering.

* David did three of the things on my list for me! (What a prince.) We went to Home Depot together to get the stuff we needed for it. New cushions for the outdoor furniture, covers for

all six chairs, and an extension ladder to get the remaining, out-of-reach Christmas lights

that were still up. (For shame.) When we came home with those supplies, he did the dirty

work. (Awesome.) Glad that's all done!

* I planned a reorg of my jewelry. I looked in four stores for the storage system I had in

mind, but I didn't find the right thing. I'll keep looking. I didn't want to 'just get something

to get something' and have it not be done the way I wanted.

3. Donate blood.

* Check! I made a whole blood donation on the 9th. (Details and what I learned here.)

I went back on the 30th to make a platelet donation (my first), but I couldn't. They just

changed the rules for frequency. You now have to wait eight weeks to donate platelets after

a whole blood donation. So, I rescheduled for early June. Overall, I'm thrilled to have set and

met this goal. The research I did about donating blood taught me this is something I want to

make a lifetime habit. It's a small thing to put my good health to use in helping someone else

in need, and I want to keep it up.

For our combined resolution to go on at least one date a month, David and I ...

* Went out to breakfast to The Egg & I Cafe (in dt Ocotillo, a new place to us). Then to

the Ahwatukee Farmer's Market, only to find we were there a day early. So, we ran

errands, which isn't date-like, but it nice since we rarely do them together. :)

* That same day, dinner at Pita Jungle and frozen yogurt next door at Swirl.

* Went to see DisneyNature's Oceans on Earth Day after a quick bite at Chipotle.

* Breakfast with the Hendricks family at Joe's Farm Grill after a run/walk on Saturday

morning. (Is it a stretch to call that a date?)

* On D's birthday ... lunch at The Living Room Lounge, dinner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion.

And for my new goal to do some volunteer work each quarter ...
* Quarter one -- Check. I was able to donate some skill and time by making a

slideshow video and a raffle item for Martha's 3-Day fundraiser in February.

I also spent an afternoon at a Special Olympics basketball event, which was a

lot of fun. Onto the next quarter! I'm excited to see what opportunities await.

I'll check in with this goal again at the end of the second quarter.

May Resolutions:

1. Make cards to donate for our soldiers.

2. Do research on what companies are doing animal testing. Discontinue use of any products

we have by those companies, if any. Look into replacing a few more products around here

with those made by companies who don't do animal testing and who do use green production

and ingredients. Support some of them with a purchase. (We already use a lot of green

products. So, I don't think this is going to mean a total overhaul of what we already buy,

but I want to be an informed shopper and make sure!)

3. Start every single day with something that's energizing, important or a task that I would

normally put off, in the name of getting it done now. I believe a strong opening to the day

will lead to more intentioned, productive and therefore happy living.