Warp speed resolutions? Bring ’em on!

It’s the last day of the year. You can’t let it go by without some kind of signature salute!

We made it through 12 months of good and bad. Some of us journaled those times, others stored the memories in our brains. It is time for closure and I have a favor to ask of you today.

For the next 24 hours, do everything in your power to end this year on a high note!

Tonight I thought about the goals I had exactly one year ago. Some I crossed off the list, others – well, they’ll just have to spill over to 2009. It led to an idea for a movie or book: A person who, on the night of December 30th, decides to complete all their resolutions on New Year’s Eve. Talk about waiting until the last minute! Like organizing their family photos, changing their look, falling in love, making up with a friend, getting a new job, etc. I think this would be an excellent project for Will Ferrell, or perhaps an episode for Ugly Betty!

The heck with Hollywood, why not try it ourselves?

We have one day left. How about dusting off that January wish list and microsizing our unfinished business so we can actually complete those goals? In every good story, all hope seems lost and then at the last minute – success! right?

Let’s do it! Here are some ideas to get you started…

1. Change your look.
Hmmm…too late to score a hair appointment on New Year’s Eve. How about parting your hair different? If you normally part it on the left, do it on the right, or in the center. Straighten it if you wear it curly, or the other way around. Wear a different color of lipstick. If you are daring, cut baby bangs.

2. Restyle your home.
Go through your house with a bag and get rid of all the things that bug you or have no meaning to you. Rearrange all the existing stuff by putting it in different rooms. Take two of your lamps and exchange the shades. Swap the rugs in different rooms, or the shower curtains. Take everything off your fridge door so it looks clean.

3. Get more organized.
Whatever little things you have on your fridge, in your CD player, on your desk, in your car, on your notepad – gather them up and put them in a box, or maybe a purse or jewelry box. Pass it off as a “time capsule”! I made this one a couple of years ago. I did a purse swap with Margot Potter that year and used the box she made for me to hold mementos. I still have it intact, and I love it! Little did I know then that I would end up painting my kitchen and family room to match that purse! Thank you, Margot!

4. Lose weight.
Hopefully, you are reading this first thing in the morning. Hurry! Take off your clothes and go weigh yourself. Normally we weigh less first thing in the morning, so you will be lighter than when you went to bed last night!

5. Accomplishments.
Sit down and write down a list of ALL the things you completed this year. They don’t have to be a huge life-changing goal. Little things add up to make one big picture. They can be times you were proud that you stood up for yourself or someone else, or when you saved money and bought something special, changed a tire, when you went hiking and didn’t pass out, or took a class and scored a good grade, gave an important presentation, volunteered somewhere, donated something to charity, learned to draw a face, fit into smaller size pants, used a sewing machine for the first time. The little things count!

6. Travel.
Let me think a second for this one. A movie is too predictable (if you should choose this, I suggest Slumdog Millionaire). A book takes too long. Buying the right CD is tricky.

Got it.

Go eat at a restaurant of a place you want to go to. If that is too hard, heck, go to Cheesecake Factory – they have all kinds of worldly dishes. My favorite there is the Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp dinner. It comes with plantains, rice, black beans and chutney. That is super easy! And tasty! (Photo from http://yummyinthetummyblog.blogspot.com)

7. Save money.
Hopefully, you have some bills in your wallet. How ’bout coins? Take them out, put them in an envelope, seal it and put it someplace where you will forget about it (but not totally lose it like this) – the pocket of your carry-on suitcase, inside a summer salad cookbook, or your favorite board game. If you don’t have cash on hand, do an instant transfer in your bank account online to savings, or write a check and put it in the envelope. In this case, the intention counts, you have my permission!

8. Exercise.
Get off the chair and do 25 jumping jacks. But don’t hurt yourself! I say this because once I got all brava and did 25 jumping jacks as a dare. I kept landing on my heels and I hurt my back. Leave it to ME to hurt myself doing friggin’ jumping jacks…OK, TMI. On to the next one –

9. Juicy, novela-style romance.
If you have a man, go flirt with him and run your fingers through his hair until he blushes like a fifth-grader. If you don’t have a man – improvise. This sounds weird, but what the heck? It is the last day of the year, go for it: Write a love letter to yourself as if it were from your dream guy. Write everything you want him to say to you. You don’t have to show it to anyone, just do it. Who knows? Maybe it will manifest into reality!

10. I’m leaving this up to you. Please help me finish this list. It can be a spin-off of one I mentioned or one I missed. It can be one you are going to do!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

P.S. If any movie producers are reading this, have your people call my people about the film rights.