Aaaaaannd Done

I'd just like to take a moment to gloat about the fact that I (generally) stuck to my 2008 resolution to take up running. Exactly a year ago today, I went out running for the first time since I had moved back from Boston (so there was a year off there, a year spent drinking a lot of beer), and ended up so sore it hurt to walk up the stairs at work on the 2nd.

I took some time off when I got sick, and switched to running stairs in the summer, because I am psychologically ill and clearly in need of help, but all in all, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I'm also feeling generally ok about 2008. Yeah, it was a shit year with the economy and all, and I haven't hit the jackpot despite the fact I buy $1 lottery tickets like three times a year, but for me it was pretty good. And even though my immune system finally cracked under the pressure of the holidays and being surrounded by sick people, I had a good time at the New Year's party Dan, Loren and I went to out in Dallas. I didn't feel it was prudent to drink with a cold and had volunteered as the designated driver, so I only had some Jello shots (those totally don't count) and a glass of champagne (again, doesn't count). It was a great house to have a party in, there was a bartender (!) that had been hired for the event (this classifies as really swanky in my book), and a great mix of dance music from the computer, just right to use the giant hardwood floor in front of a lit fireplace. For everyone who witnessed my dancing: I'm sorry. I'm just glad you were drunk.

So seeing as how I did fairly well with resolutions in 2008, I'm hoping I can do it again this year. I'm going to stick with the running still, and then my new task for the year is to do some serious work on The Novel. Last year was all fine and dandy, but the economy IS sinking fast and I don't have the money to enroll in school again, so I'm going to need to invest some time and effort into something else that has a remote possibility of offering some cash in the future. (I'm talking really remote here. I've spent many years researching and agonizing over how hard it is to get a novel published. But I also know that the sooner I get it out of my system and probably get the big rejections, then I'll be more productive as a journalist, knowing that I don't have any other options at the moment.)

And since this first day of the new year is almost done with already, I feel like I should probably go pound out 100 words or so, just to get some momentum building here. Maybe tomorrow my writing muscles will be so sore that I won't be able to get anything done at work, which would be a real shame, because seriously--how on earth am I supposed to fill eight (ok, like six, after you count showing up late and a long lunch) hours at work on the Friday after New Year's?