New Year...New You, or so they say!

New Year....new you.  Well that seems to be the slogan this year, but it made me think, do I really want a new me???

Not really, I kinda like the me I am.  Are there things I could change, of course.  However, I don't want to lose who I am.  I want to essentially stay me, just enhance me a bit better.  So here I have listed my goals for the year.  Yes, I said goals.  I don't like resolutions because it sounds like it must absolutely be done by the end of the year.  I like goals because it is easier to accomplish and it can be changed easily as time dictates.  One should always be open to change.  So here is my list.

1. Eat healthier - No I am not listing losing weight because losing weight is not the source of my weight problem, eating badly is.  So I want to make a longer lasting, lifestyle change and that is done by changing the way I eat.  Changing the way I eat will not only naturally lead to weight loss but to also lowering my A1C level which is how my doctor determines my level of diabetes.  So the lower the A1C, the better.
2. Keep my genealogy research organized.  Many times last year, I would go online and conduct genealogy research and when I would look through my research notebook for information, I would find that I have the same information in several different places and in different files.  It was very frustrating.  So last October, I re-organized my research and hope that I have found the system that works for me.  So far, so good but we will see how this year works out.
3. Start writing my entry for the NGS Family History Contest.  The best entry to the NGS Family History Contest will win an expense paid trip to the next NGS Annual Conference which is held in a different state each year.  I am waiting for when the conference will be held in a state that is relevant to my research like Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan, Connecticut, and New York.  I would love it if the conference were held here in California, but I have found out that it is too expensive for them to have it here.  The last time it was in Cali was, I believe, back in the mid to late '80s.  The family history I will write about will consist of Mr. Teddybear's family.  I have linked them back to one of the Pilgrims who came off the Mayflower and founded this country.  So I have taken the first step and decided on the three generations that I must write about.  I still have to gather all of my proof (certificates(birth, death & marriage) and any other records they have available) and prove the lineage.  It will not be easy nor will it take a short time.  I am estimating that it could take up to a year or a year and a half to gather all of the information and write the story.  I am hoping that the conference in 2013 will be in one of the states I need.
4. Join National Genealogy Society and the Southern California Genealogical Society.  Membership in the NGS is required in order for me to enter the writing contest, but I feel that being members to both societies will be helpful in my research and help to expand my knowledge in genealogy and in doing professional research.

This list is an ever-changing list and will change throughout the year.  I believe one should be open to change whether we change or not.  The choice of embracing that change is up to each of us.

Happy New Year!!!

What to do now???

Well, it has been three weeks since Mr. Teddybear and I were married.  I'm having a bit of a hard time because I no longer have a wedding to plan so I have free time on my hands.  Well several things have come up to help fill up my time.

I have been mulling over the idea of becoming a wedding planner/coordinator.  This has always been in the back of my mind for several years but up until now, I haven't had a real good opportunity to jump start my wedding planning/coordinating business.  Well my neice will be getting married in a year, actually she is getting married the day before Mr. Teddybear and I did, but a year later.  I have offered my services to her for free.  I also plan on taking classes and getting certified by the Association of Bridal Consultants and attending seminars for the wedding profession.  I don't know how it will turn out, but the first seminar I want to take is not until September 2011 in Vegas.  I plan on attending, it will be a working vacation for me and Mr. Teddybear.  If you have any ideas or suggestions that would help make my business better, or would help me offer the best to my clients, please leave a comment and let me know.  I want to make this a success and give my brides and grooms the best that I can offer.

The other item that I have been excited to mull over is getting back into scrapbooking.  I have not been scrapbooking for about 5 years now.  This was due to me going to school mainly but also have personal issues to deal with.  I am excited to get back into it.  I have taken an inventory of my supplies and have decided to get rid of 90% of my stamps at our next yard sale.  This is to purge my old stuff and to get a few new tools as well. I have ideas running through my head and write them down so that I don't forget.  I'm so happy to do this again and can't wait to start working on my wedding album and our family album.

I can't wait for the new year to begin and to start and to get my two new ideas into motion!  2010 was a good year, but 2011 is going to be even better!!!

Day before January 1st.

As I catch up on my blog reading, yes i really do read the, I came across my friends blog about New Years Resolutions.  (You can read it here: mentallyinked blog)  She stated in her blog that she doesn't call them resolutions, instead she calls them her goals.  I agree with her, resolutions are made to be broken and no one ever finishes them that I know of.   I don't want to call them goals, however, they are my plans for 2010.

So here are my plans for 2010:

1)  I plan to be more financially responsible.  I was reading on about.com about personal finances and it states that you should do a net worth report yearly.  I never thought of that but it seemed a good idea to know where you stand and be able to compare it the next year to see if there was any improvement.  One should also prepare a debt to ratio report.  This shows you how much debt you have to the income you take in.  It is desired to have a low debt ratio to your income.  The other thing listed to do to be financially responsible is to prepare a budget and to stick to it.  I have done that.  So two out of three so far is not bad.

2)  I plan on looking as good as my mom in this old photo I found, on my wedding day.  I found an old photo of my parents when they were just newlyweds.  I thought my mom looks so beautiful in that photo that I wanted to look as good as she does in the photo, but on my wedding day next October.  Does this that I want to be the exact same size as she is in the picture?  No.  I am taller than my mom and if I was the same size as she is in the picture, I would look annorexic.  I don't want to be her size, I want to look as beautiful as she does.  There is a difference!




3)  I plan to be a better partner to Mr. Teddybear.  He has always been such a sweetheart and sometimes I forget to tell him how much I appreciate all that he does for me and my daughter.  He is the most giving and generous man I know.  I will be starting that today also!

4)  I plan on trying to not freak out as the wedding gets closer and closer.  It is my plan not to be a bridezilla!  Thankfully I have Mr. Teddybear to help but also my wedding coordinator as well.  I will be depending on her a lot.

So, don't tell me your resolutions.  I don't want to hear them.  Tell me your goals for 2010, please?