New Years

2009 had a good beginning. Apoorva and I spent New Years Eve at an expat friend's house and had pizza and beer with 3 other couples. It was very laid back. We all got a little tipsy and played Taboo. It was the most fun we've had in awhile. Here's a group photo:

Normally I don't make resolutions. If I do they are more like goals for the next year rather than things I want to change about myself. But since I've been so unhappy the past six months I figure it's a good time to rethink some things and make some changes, as well as make some long term goals for myself and DH.

So, without further ado, here are things I want to do in 2009:

1) Find a topic for my Ph.D. dissertation and make a good dent in writing my prospectus (topic proposal for the dissertation). I have to do this in order to finish and defend the prodpectus by the end of the next school year (June 2010) or else they may kick me out of the program. Unlikely, but possible.

2) Find a part-time job that I enjoy. I don't care what it is, it could be dog-walking for all I care. I just need something to give me a schedule and also make my own money. This past six months has been the first time I have not had a job in 8 years and I hate the fact that I'm not contributing to the household finances. But yet I don't want a full time job because then I would not be able to work on my Ph.D.

3) Get Healthy! This requires me to lose 30 - 40lbs and kick my addiction to sugar (which incidentally got really bad over Christmas when I insisted on making Christmas goodies when there really wasn't anyone to eat them, except ME while I was home alone during the days. Not good!).

4) Get control over our finances. We are actually in a really good place right now. DH is making good $ and we have no debt but we have used this as an excuse to let our spending get out of control and to not keep track of where out money is going. Not good... especially in this economic climate. And who knows where we'll be in a year when Apoorva may have to give up his current job because we refuse to come back to India (which is the current plan set out by the company). So we need to be more careful and save more.

While I'm calling these my New Years resolutions, my New Years doesn't start until we get to Indiana on the 19th :-) Why not start of the New Year when we get into our new place!?!