i think it’s done. well, the general concepts are… the “how to get from here to there” are still in progress, and they just may be until jan 31, 2010. i’d like to treat the intentionality of the list much like i do running: success isn’t measured by speed but by completion. and, thanks to a wonderful podcast by rob bell, i hope that the list becomes second nature at some point, that i don’t even have to think about it, but it becomes second skin. habit. my daily rhythms.

(btw, i post primarily for the accountability involved. go ahead – ask me in september about my progress. i’d love it. see #2.)

The list: ways to make 2010 better than 2009
(not listed in order of importance)
1. perfect a mac and cheese. i’ve already started with the attempts. jj said, “don’t worry, you’ve got all year”. i’m hoping that book club will come to my aid with a tour of mac and cheese (yes, i was serious!)
2. follow through. the road to hell was paved with good intentions, right? i’m really floundering in everything from printing my cookie recipe to taking friends out for their birthdays. after some consulting with KLM, i think this is closely related to planning ahead. also in…
3. reflect daily. what was good? what was frustrating? how do i need to change my reaction to the uncontrollable events in my life? where in my character is there room for growth? what are my blessings? have i tried to bless? who have i blamed (instead of loved)? what kind of story am i living? who did i hurt?
4. read to henry
5. kiss JJ. daily.
6. connect and contribute to st. paul’s. (as previously noted, no action plan as of yet…)
7. develop 1 spiritual habit (otherwise known as a discipline). no leads on that one yet, either. pretty sure it’s not going to be fasting from food, though, as i’m sure child #2 would throw a fit. this is likely tied to #12, so i may need to be strategic.
8. learn to knit
9. grow another garden
10. run. no stipulations, just run for the love and the benefit of it. a race would be nice. but i will enjoy victory when i just run.
11. go on 5 dates. all with jj. i’ll start a sign up list for babysitters.
12. live joyfully and generously. i think this will involve #3 and #7. since i have no concretes on either of them, it’s just a guess. suggestions welcome: what has worked for you?
13. have wine with a friend on a regular basis. until april the “alcohol removed” version will have to do, but i’m trying to think year-long with the list. hopefully i’ll have plenty of volunteers for this one, too.
14. remove from vocabulary: i’m tired (i always am), i don’t have time (i must make time), i don’t have the money (i chose to spend it elsewhere) and “after XXXX i will…” (carpe diem).
15. throw a good party. we’ll have several reasons to celebrate (a baby, a graduation, hopefully a new job for the hubby, and 2 30th birthdays!). surely a party can result. the way i do birthdays it’ll have to be an overnighter!

actually, #14 and #15 were last minute adds, but i didn’t realize that my list had 13 and that seems inappropriate. i used bullet points in my original list (at the front of my ’10 calendar – ironically, opposite the page with instructions on “daily and weekly plans: tasks and goal planning”).

what’s on your list? what would make 2010 even better than 2009?