Simple Randomness

Getting Ready for 2008!

So its that time of year again…the time when everyone starts to set their New Year’s Resolutions.  I certainly hope that everyone isn’t setting the same ones that they set last year…

Here’s my thought on New Year’s Resolutions: its a great idea, but a year is a long time to focus on one goal.  So here’s the approach that I’m thinking about taking this year.  Rather than setting a ‘goal’ for the year, I’m going to set more of a ‘theme’.  Then, I can break the year up into 2-3 month chunks and focus on the more short term goals that will help me to achieve a larger goal.

I’ve just learned that when I set a goal for the year, I tend to lose interest after a few months (can anyone else relate to this ).  I still haven’t decided what the goals or themes are going to be yet, but they will probably focus around something physical, spiritual, relationship, etc.

Happy New Year!

The Completely Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

I know that I’m a little late on this one, but I had an idea about a month ago and I’m going to have to pull it off in the next year or two.

I am officially sick of always eating the same thing at Thanksgiving. Yes, it’s good and I really do like the turkey and mashed potatoes, I just think that Thanksgiving could use some variety! So what I’m going to do every now and then in the coming years is have a 100% Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. One year maybe I’ll go Japanese and have a lot of sushi and other Japanese style dishes. Maybe it will be all Italian food, just a bunch of different pastas and such. But the idea would be to have a Thanksgiving dinner that is based on other nations’ foods.

Ha, here’s an idea: an all microwave TV dinner Thanksgiving! Ok, probably not a great idea on that one…

So who’s with me?! If you have any other ideas for a great Non-Traditional Thanksgiving feel free to share it!

Still Working on Changing Personal Prejudices

Have you ever read something that made you realize that you need to make some changes in your attitude towards certain things? This just happened to me again this morning about something that I’ve already been working on, but it was a good reminder.

I’ve never had a problem with weight. But every now and then I find myself being very aware of all of the overweight people around me, and many times in the past I have passed judgment on those people. I know a few years ago I was really bad about this. In the last 6-12 months though, I’ve stopped being as judgmental as I used to be. In fact, I remember an incident a few months ago where I started to slip back into my old habit and I felt really really bad about it.

I realize that it is not my place to judge people for their weight. I have plenty of my own problems to worry about, so why should I pass judgment?  I also find that its very easy to pass judgment on people I don’t know, but I really don’t pass it once I get to know someone.  That doesn’t make it right, but I’ve noticed that is my trend.

So today I read an article in Newsweek that was very interesting. It was by a lady that for most of her life was overweight. Then she underwent gastric bypass surgery and has now been part of the ‘normal weight class.’ She shares in this article some of the things that she’s heard people say to her that assume she has always been at a ‘normal’ weight. It makes me sick to think that people are really that prejudiced. And yet, if I look back at my own opinion a few years ago it would be very similar. And so my goal to change continues.

I think that all of us have some type of prejudice or another. It could be a racial prejudice. Maybe its prejudice against something like weight. Well, no matter what it is I think we should all work to be less judgmental of the people we meet everyday. Well, there’s my preaching to myself for the day. Thanks for listening!

PS - Here’s the article if you want to read it: My Secret History.