REFLECTIONS RATHER THAN RESOLUTIONS...

Having my Mom and Stepfather, John, here for the tail end of the Christmas Holidays has been wonderful!! I thought that Bethany was going to explode on Tuesday as she kept asking (from about 11 am onwards) “Is it night yet? Are we getting closer to supper when they come here? Is it soon?”

Last night, spending New Year’s Eve in our own home surrounded by board games, great food and good music was also heavenly. Both my mother and I took time to write down our thoughts. She makes up a list of the highs and lows of the year that has just been while pouring through her date book. Being FAR less organized than she is, I love to spend my New Year’s Eve journal entry writing down my thoughts on the year that is coming to a close.... what things I have enjoyed most, what I am thankful for... and then the entry always seems to turn towards what my hopes and dreams are for the year ahead. Not RESOLUTIONS ... those always seem to be a checklist of tasks that most of us cannot keep without a lot of hard work. I like to think of dreams and goals to strive for rather than a list of tasks to do. While they may often have the same end results (staying healthy, getting regular physical exercise etc.) I am far more comfortable with this way of setting them out.

Today has been a busy one getting the website ready for 2004, including reactivating the samples page which has been black for an entire year. I find writing code VERY hard on the head... but at least Mom and John have been a wonderful source of distraction!!! Best of all, I heard from both my Brother and Sister by phone/e-mail despite each of them being on opposite sides of the world from me... one in Switzerland and the other in Tokyo! What a nice treat!!

Happy New Year everyone... may you have fun thinking about your own dreams and goals for the year ahead!!