December 31, 2012

Desert Sky

Monte woke up with a sore throat.  I don’t know how we are going to shake this thing if we keep passing it back and forth. 

Even though we had remembered to put food in the cats’ bowls before going to bed they still woke us up by nipping at whatever body part was not under the covers.  I pulled the covers up over my head and tried going back to sleep but Pumpkin was persistent.  He jumped back and forth between Monte and I.  We finally gave up and fed them.  I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon working on my photo project.

Monte expressed an interest in purchasing a memory foam pillow but they are very expensive so when I saw a Kohl’s white sale ad we decided to take a ride there to check it out.  Even at 50% off and with a 15% coupon the pillow still came to almost $50.  But I guess if it aids him in getting a good nights’ sleep it will be worth it.

We stopped at the supermarket on our way to Renee’s house and picked up chopped meat for hamburger patties.   Monte grilled them on our portable grill.  The hamburgers were delicious topped off with some onion rings. 

We had planned on staying until after the ball dropped but around 11 I suggested we leave.  It is only a 20 minute ride home and I thought it would be safer driving before midnight. 

This was the first New Years’ Eve I had spent that was not in the Eastern Time zone so it was weird watching the countdown of the ball dropping knowing that the coverage was taped.  Just as Monte and I were sharing a Midnight kiss, the phone rang.  My mom called to say they had just got in from their party.  They live in Florida so it was already 2am.  What a couple of party animals they are!

Resolutions:  I thought long and hard about what resolution(s) I should make.  Some people don’t believe in making resolutions for various reasons.  I think that if it helps to have a day set aside for resolving to make ones’ life better by doing “whatever” then it is a good idea.  Even if the odds are that whatever you resolved to do will fail, it is better to try then do nothing. 

So along with the usual (trying to be more active and lose a few pounds) my resolve this year is to try to live more in the moment.  This is not as easy as it may sound to some people.  I have a Type A personality which is defined as follows:

by Saul McLeod published 2011

Type A individuals tend to be very competitive and self-critical. They strive toward goals without feeling a sense of joy in their efforts or accomplishments.

Inter-related with this is the presence of a significant life imbalance. This is characterised by a high work involvement. Type A individuals are easily ‘wound up’ and tend to overreact. They also tend to have high blood pressure (hypertension).

Type A personalities experience a constant sense of urgency: Type A people seem to be in a constant struggle against the clock. Often, they quickly become impatient with delays and unproductive time, schedule commitments too tightly, and try to do more than one thing at a time, such as reading while eating or watching television.

Type A individuals tend to be easily aroused to anger or hostility, which they may or may not express overtly. This appears to be the main factor linked to heart disease.

 

My resolve is to try to address some of, what I call my “faults” or “less desirable” traits due to my Type A personality.

I have been blessed with a partner who has helped make my lifelong dream of being a gypsy come true.  In our short time on the road we have had some outstanding experiences and adventures.  BUT, I have to admit that sometimes while we are off on an adventure my mind is already planning the next place we will be going or trying to decide what to make for dinner.  Resolution # 1---Live in the moment.  Use all of my senses to really relish the experience.  See the vista, feel the air, hear the birds, smell the flowers and touch the grass. 

I have always been very self-critical and can often be my worst enemy.  Striving to do the best I can is not a “fault” but not being able to shake off feeling like a failure when something doesn’t measure up to my idea of perfection is a less desirable trait.  Resolution # 2---Accept that when something I strive to do fails, it is OKAY.  I am not a failure.

I tend to be impatient and rigid in my actions and beliefs.  My brain is geared towards a “place for everything and everything in its place,” and I place a great deal of value on fairness and truthfulness.  This being set in my ways and unwillingness to bend sometimes causes friction.  So, finally, and perhaps most importantly not only for my health but for those I hold dear to me, my final resolution is to try to be a more patient kinder person.  

“They” say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”  But, “they” also say that awareness is the first step when striving to alter negative behavior.   I hope that by my being aware of my “faults” and “less desirable” traits, I can change. 

My first step today—just breathe!

Happy New Year & (to all our new RV friends) Happy Trails