New Year

In Western, United States culture, it is traditionto make New Years Resolutions on the first of each year. For most of my life I rebelled and made no resolutions. In the years after I graduated college, however, I have started to make a few resolutions each year. I've found that considering resolutions for the coming year is an excellent way for me to look back over the previous year with a more objective eye than when events were current and consider the direction I'd like to take my life. This year, in addition to making resolutions, I've also decided to share the rational behind each resolution that I've made. By putting the rational in print, I think I will be able to have reasonable, achievable goals for this year.

Resolution 1: Improve my eating habits.

I'm not implying with this resolution that my current diet is "wrong" or "broken." I currently eat lean meats, limit beef consumption, eat small portions, vary my food, and eat slowly. Where I need improvement is in the quantity and quality of the fruits and vegetables I eat. I also tend to struggle with eating a nutritious and satisfying lunch.
I started working on this particular resolution during this past December, so I will be simply reinforcing the new behaviors I'm aquiring.

Resolution 2: Swim.

When I started graduate school this past fall, I decided to start swimming at the campus gym pool. I pay for they gym in my student fees, so I might as well use the facilities. However, I never once made it in to the building, much less the pool. The main thing that kept me out of the pool was a fear of being seen in a swimsuit.
This year, I'm going to conquer that fear, because there is no reason for it. I can't stop crass, shallow minded people from making disparaging comments if they want to, but I don't need to let these "people" influence my behavior or self-esteem.
I enjoy swimming. This alone is enough of a reason to start, but it's also beneficial for my cardiovascular health and will improve my muscle tone. So this year, I will take advantage of the facilities and swim.

Resolution 3: Stay within my budget.

Being a graduate student and practically unemployed (6 hours a week doesn't do much), I have limited financial resources. I have lived on a limited budget for a couple of years now, and I'm fairly good at it. I have a fairly solid cash system, and I'm on the brink of budgeting forward completely. I live happliy without many of the luxuries that many (U.S.) Americans consider essential, such as cable TV, eating out, and manicures. But even with all of this, I still manage to spend a couple hundred dollars more than I can really afford each month. This year, I'm going to work hard at coming in at budget each month. My first strategy is to stop carrying my credit cards.

Resolution 4: Learn to knit backwards.

I love learning new knitting techniquest (also sewing, photography, and jewelry techniques). Normally, knitting flat pieces consits of working stitches down a row, moving them from one needle to another. At the end of the row, the work is turned around so the receiving needle is now the donating needle. I knit the most common way, with my stitches moving from the left needle to the right needle. Knitting backwards is a technique where, when reaching the end of a row, instead of turning the work, the knitting is worked from the right needle to the left, or "backwards." I'm planning to use this new technique when I learn to knit entrelac.
I'm sure I will make many other hobby related advances this year, but this is the only specific one I've considered. The rest will happen as the will.