As it is a new year, and I'm getting used to writing 2011 instead of 2010, now is the right time for a blog about the newness of life. I've always taken the opportunity of any new season (New Year's, Spring, Fall, mornings, dawn) as a good time to evaluate my life, my self and my direction. Everyone else is talking about resolutions and its almost scary the amount of pressure there is to make or have a resolution and then even more pressure to keep it. I for one am tired of putting so much pressure on my New Year's that it becomes more of a pressure cooker with no release than a fire-cracker with a bang. I prefer starting off my New Year's with a BANG! and no pressure, just living, living right.
The way I started off the New Year 2011 was very, very good this year. My ego was stroked on the dancefloor at Empire Lounge as the ladies and I went out to celebrate the New Year's with a bunch of good-looking strangers much younger than us. I found the party on Toronto-Lime.com and the party flyer said 21+ but how was I to know they were being literal? The crowd was 21-25 years of age on average, which was fine. I was approached by a man and a boy in their early thirties (31 and 30 respectively and separately). I have to admit that being in my mid-thirties I was flattered by their attention. I take it as a compliment, that I looked good, that I moved well enough to attract their attention.
Were these the hotties I've been drooling over and daydreaming about? Not exactly, but I'm not going to spurn their attentions like most women simply because they are not my Mr. Right or Mr. Right-Now. One guy asked me for the kiss at midnight, even though it was half-past! Imagine my surprise! At these moments, I giggle and laugh. I gave him a kiss on the cheek as I was neither that drunk, nor that easy. These days I am more impressed by their daring than chagrined. A good night was my experience and it was fun.
Being single at Christmas and New Years (read this interesting blog on the topic) is a different type of experience than being in a relationship. I've done both now and I must admit that being single is way more fun. For Christmas I enjoyed my time with family and friends. As a single woman in downtown Toronto and an excellent host, I had one party and two dinner parties at my place--the highlight and joy of my Christmas season. I enjoyed time with my sister and her family and played with my nieces Kaelyn and Keyanna. For New Year's I went out with the ladies (Ingrid and Jeannelle).
As a single woman on New Year's, you have your choice of partners to dance with and people who want to kiss you. But there is nothing like the independence of going home on your own, to your own place, to sleep in your own bed, on your own. I'm comfortable with that, for now. There will come a time when he and I are together (by the Grace and Will of God) and I'll have someone to come home to who can come home to me, but in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy living single.
A girlfriend asked me on New Year's Day (or the day after) if I had made any resolutions. No, I have not made any "New Year's Resolutions", but I have in the past few months resolved to do things differently and better in my life. In my last blog "Christmas is coming and I ain't ready yet", I talked about the potential my life offers. I look at the position I am in now as a gift. I have the gift of my time, talent and money to spend in unselfish and giving ways either with my family, friends or my community. I have resolved to do so in the next year. I am enjoying all this free-time immensely but I do see there is room and space in my life for service to my fellow-man, -woman and -child.
I have long resolved to get healthy and fit. For 2011, I suppose I could change my resolve to being healthy and fit since I'm already there and can only get better. I've spend the past three months abstaining from alcohol for weeks at a time (goodness gracious, only you know how hard that has been!), eating the right foods and avoiding sugar, salt-if its not sea salt, all-gluten containing food and dairy products, eating all manner of green leafy vegetable, including those veggies I cannot pronounce properly - kale, chard and leeks! Yes, eek! Leeks!
I'm seeing results and I'm loving living healthy and clean (if only for three weeks at a time) so I'm not going to stop what I'm doing and start a new revolution (note: resolution with a v is revolution, interesting, hmmm). Why? Shouldn't I more simply and easily for me, continue doing what I'm doing and augment it so I'm doing it better? A fitness expert I know personally, Kevin Majchrzak at Wynn Fitness suggested this in his last note to gym-rats, "Be consistent! Don't expect any shortcuts to fitness. Make sensible, long-term fitness changes so you can enjoy the benefits of fitness for a lifetime."
I resolve to walk more, talk more (or less as necessary), listen more, love more and learn more. I know I can even share more and be there more. And Iknow that little by little, small changes will make a big difference in my life and by the end of 2011, I'll be the hottie that my love-interests are drooling over! Not that that is my only aim in life but it sure is nice!
