Its a New Year

There are many ways to welcome in the new year. There is the traditional and standard way on January 1st--also called the Gregorian Calendar.  It works, and gets everyone on the same page. 

Did you know the Chinese New Year just happened the same day as St. Valentine's Day?  We are now in the year of the Tiger.  There are 12 animals assigned to each year.  The animals cycle, so someone that is 12 years older than you has the same animal sign.  Last year was the year of the Ox.  James is an Ox. Next year will the the year of the Rabbit.  I am a Monkey. 

I had lunch in a Chinese food restaurant last week, and the place mats had the personality traits of people born in those years.  If you have an opportunity you should look up the year that you were born and your assigned animal.  Do the traits fit?  For James & me they fit us almost exactly.  There was just one trait per sign that was the exact opposite of how we behave.

Today is my 30th birthday.  I am starting my New Year today.  Today's date is 30/1 (just for me & my birthday twins- of course)  The last day of my year will be dated 30/365. 
As with any New Year the question of what I am going to be resolute to do or be is forefront in my mind.  Can I make New Year's Resolutions today?  (Yes, of course you can-- you are, after all, pretty AND smart!)

Resolution 1:  Don't yell.  I was once told that if I had a super power it would be my voice.  I could yell or scream you into submission. Certain members of my household have let me know that this is not my best attribute.
Resolution 2:  Be patient with my husband.  He is an Ox, and if you read the description you know that can be a mixed bag.
Resolution 3:  Call my dad at least once a week. I am a grown up now, and its really not important to keep the number of initial phone calls equal. 
Resolution 4:   Be mindful of others. I love to gossip!  Enough said.
Resolution 5:   Be mindful of and for myself.  There is a lot to do this year.  This list is long, and I have to keep up my strength, physically & mentally.

When does your New Year begin?  Are you going to resolve to anything new?

Lunch with Andrea

In high school I hung out with a small group of friends, but really never felt like I fit in (an ongoing theme in my life). There was one particular friend that I really hit it off with. If I was at a friend's house it was usually hers.

I did not go to my 10 year class reunion (several years ago), so I had missed an opportunity to see her. My husband's grandmother had passed away and there was a funeral to go to, but honestly I hadn't planned on going anyway.

The Saturday after Christmas I had lunch with Andrea-that's her with the big bright smile during our band days (that's me under the shoulder ropes). She was in town to see her parents, and had thought to connect with me. We hadn't seen each other in many years, maybe 10 (I know that I visited her when she was living in the dorm at UT), and a lot has changed in our lives. Andrea lives in Arizona. She works for a well known international company. She is investing in real estate. What different lives we lead!

When I used to hear about the adventures of my former classmates (several are medical doctors, and one even went to Korea to teach English before going to medical school!) I had felt like I hadn't accomplished anything. I almost felt like that with my old friend. Almost.

It's just not true that I haven't accomplished anything. I won't go into them here, but the things I have accomplished in my life has been done so the world may somehow be positively impacted, and not to be compared and/or diminished when placed in the same light as others.

So, it was so great to see my friend Andrea. I hope that we are able to stay in touch because it is so hard to find quality friends. Andrea's path was and is different than mine, but different isn't better. Andrea, thank you for your friendship then and now. I hope that you know how appreciated you were in my high school years, and I hope you know you're pretty and smart too.

Here Kitty, Kitty

I want a cat. I want a cat real bad.

I grew up with cats from the age of five. The first cat we had was Jennifer. My mother was convinced that she and Jennifer were sisters in a past life. I would agree with this analysis. Jennifer adopted us when her pet parent just left her when they moved. RUDE! Jennifer was an only cat for awhile. One summer this little grey kitten joined us at the pool. She was beautiful! She was pointed with grey and tabby markings, and the person name of Ashley took hold. Ashley was a talker, and mainly loved to join you while you were *ahem* “giving-it-a-go”. Baby soon joined. There was Oscar, but he didn’t last very long and I couldn’t mention my kitty siblings without including him. When mom married Jack the brood was increased to 5 with Miss Kitty, and then Shadow. After a move to the country and a bit of time all of the original five have gone to kitty heaven. They went from old age, and some have gone the way of the coyote. (The rules are different for country cats and city cats.) There were of course other additions once I went to college, but they were my parents’ cats and not really mine. I remember my kitty sisters fondly. I love that there are pictures in photo albums of them. I know that Jennifer was named after my kindergarten best friend, that Ashley looked like ashes, that Baby was really named Amelia Peabody Emerson, that Miss Kitty was called Kitty until we (me & mom) decided she needed a real respectable name, and that Shadow could really sneak up on you when it was dark outside.

My husband has firmly said “NO!” to the idea of a litter box in the house, and thus to a cat. I am really sad over this. I really want a cat. Bad. The past two weeks I have had the pleasure to take care of Holly Cat (pictured above) & Emma Cat while my BFF was out of town. This has made the yearning for a cat stronger. Over New Year’s weekend Cats 101 was playing in marathon on the Animal Planet, and I watched every episode. I learned so much about cats. I learned that I really want a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll. These are huge cats! This has made the need for a cat even stronger. When I think about adding another furry friend (we have two dogs) to our family I think, “Must have, MUST HAVE NOW!”