Test your resolve

Definition of a resolution: “A firm decision to do or not to do something”.

I love the time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve as the race towards Christmas is over and we now have a new year to look forward to. What do we want to accomplish in the new year? What do we want to do more of and what did not work in the year gone by?

I will be reading 52 books in the next 52 weeks and here are some that are based on a one year challenge.

Remember the book “Julie and Julia” by Julie Powell. Julie decided to cook every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Childs’ cook book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and that she wanted to do it in one year. It became a bestselling book and also a major motion movie starring Meryl Streep as Julia Childs. Documenting the journey became Julie Powell’s way of doing something that she was in control of.

The following are all ideas that eventually became bestselling books:

“The 100-mile Diet, a year of local eating” by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon is a book about a couple who decided to only eat food that was grown within 100 miles of where they lived. They documented the successes and the challenges that resulted from this and wrote a book about the experiment.

“Not Buying It” by Judith Levine is a book about not spending anything for a year except necessities. The rules were to only spend money on things like food, utilities and toiletries. They renewed their library card before starting and borrowing books and movies became a much loved activity. Gifts were home made, they cancelled the cable and were grateful when company brought wine for dinner. They lost weight, saved money and really got a renewed appreciation of the thrill of buying new socks and a new book once the year has passed.

“So we sold our house and ran away to the South Pacific” by Gordon Cope – also a one year dream/challenge. Mr. Cope and his wife quit their jobs in Calgary and sold their house in order to live in the South Pacific for a year. This was followed up by spending a year in France and England which also turned into books.

“365 Nights: A Memoir Of Intimacy” by Charla Muller. On the eve of her husband’s birthday, Charla told him that his present was going to be sex with her every day for a year. “I never wanted him to look back and ask himself: "Now, what was it Charla bought me for my 40th?" she says. When I came up with the idea of daily sex for a year, I thought I'd hit the jackpot. What man wouldn't think that was the best present ever?

So maybe I will combine all of the above, cook more, continue to support the local economy, travel and have more sex! Sounds like a great beginning to 2012 to me! Happy New Year!

Sometimes it’s hard to be Merry!

When I look at the calendar I know it is Christmas soon but this year I am
having a hard time getting in the mood. I love the idea of Christmas but I feel that every year we get further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas. I only feel annoyance when I try to negotiate the jam packed aisles in the stores and if I hear 'Jingle Bells" one more time I might cry.

How much can we possibly cram into December? In addition to going to work and taking kids to regularly scheduled activities there are now also Christmas concerts in every child's grade, baking, gift shopping and wrapping, company parties for you and your spouse and tree decorating. Some people even manage to write Christmas cards to everyone they know and to mail parcels to faraway lands.

All I want for Christmas is for my family to be together, to have turkey and to get the almond hidden in the Danish rice pudding that we have for dessert. That’s it, that’s all I want…. and world peace of course!

I will put up a tree today that my friend guilted me into buying last night and I will decorate it today with my daughter’s help. I will buy gifts for everyone but really on the inside I feel for and pray for all the people I know who are just trying to get through this time of year.

Several people with financial problems, a former tenant who broke her back when she slipped in the bath tub, a neighbor battling cancer and a friend trying to decide if she should leave her husband or stay for the sake of the kids.

This year I will make an effort to get to Church for a Christmas service (I am also very annoyed that it is not called Christmas anymore, don’t wish me a happy holiday o.k. - its CHRISTMAS) and maybe I will find what I am looking for there.

I will count my blessings on Christmas Eve and be grateful for all the things that are not for sale like LOVE, FRIENDS, HEALTH and FAMILY.

Keeping my money in Canada - update

Yesterday I went shopping at “Roots” with a friend who shops there every Christmas as she has started a tradition of sending clothing from this Canadian brand store to her family in the States. I was impressed by her commitment to promoting Canadian products which is something I really believe in.

While my friend shopped I looked around and tried to find an item actually made in Canada but eventually I had to give up. I was approached by a very friendly clerk and I asked her questions about the products in the store. She told me that nothing is the store was actually made in Canada any longer which I found to be such an irony. Here is a store that only sells Canadian brand items and nothing is actually made here!

I now always ask the question “where is this made?” and have found a lot of surprises along the way. I have found tooth paste, deodorant and shampoo which is made in Canada and I have now switch to these brands.

I bought a coat for my son which proudly displayed the Canadian flag but upon closer inspection I found that the coat was designed in Canada but not made here. He also needed a couple of undershirts and they were made in Canada by Stanfield's in Nova Scotia.

I found carpet at Home Depot which was made in Canada and it was on sale at a really great price.

I spent a lot of time at Fruits & Passion which is a fragrance and body care company with stores in most malls throughout Canada.

So this year everyone on my list will be getting Stanfield's underwear and Fruits & Passion body care items for Christmas and my money will stay in Canada!