New Year's Resolutions- To Make or Not To Make?

Happy New Year everybody!

As I write this, a feverent version of "Auld Lang Syne" a la "It's A Wonderful Life" is running through my head. With 2008 just two days away, I have been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year, on both a personal and business level. I read somewhere that about half the people that make New Year's resolutions end up abandoning them by June. Ah well, it's the effort that counts, right? For the past couple years, I haven't consciously made resolutions because I think sometimes one can get too ambitious, come up with an unrealistic resolution and then end up feeling crummy because one couldn't make it happen. What I do like about the idea of the New Year's resolution or the end of another year in general, is that it prompts me to look back on what I've done, what I didn't do, and what I hope to do. Right now, 2008 feels like a blank slate and I love it.

Until that apple drops in Time Square at midnight on January 1st, I can scheme all I want about the things I will do over the next 365 days. The results of my scheming included some realistic and ridiculously unrealistic ideas (i.e. would be great to go skydiving this year, but must conquer fear of heights and plummeting to death first). I weeded through and decided that I will try my best to make the following 4 things (in no particular order) happen over the next year:

1) Reteach myself the piano. Would love to play like Diana Krall or Count Basie, but must first figure out how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Hot Cross Buns."

2) Purchase my own place by Sept/Oct 2008. A personal and business goal in one. Because in order for me to invest in property, it means that business with Amandari Co is going well. I'm not thinking anything extravagant- something small, simple and cozy, where I can hang my hat at the end of the day. A fix 'er upper would be lots of fun. Then sometimes I think I watch too many of those Do-It-Yourself shows on HGTV and Fine Living.

3) Learn more about investing. Want to be savvy investor (but not like Gordon Gekko).

4) Get more involved. Would like to participate even more in the local community here in Pittsburgh. There's so much to do, but, it's just a matter of deciding what groups to join. Some more volunteering is definitely in the picture.

I think these are more like goals than resolutions. I think there's a fine line between what constitutes a goal vs. a resolution, but given my track record with resolutions, I'm going to call these goals to avoid jinxing myself.

Cheers to a new year!