Birthday Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions. So old school. Been there...done that. Or "not done that", to be more precise.

So this year, I've decided to try something new. Enter...Birthday Resolutions!

OK, OK -- it's just New Year's Resolutions shifted to the right a few days. But maybe that's just the change I need to stay on track this time around. One thing I do have that I lacked in prior attempts is this blog. I will post regular updates, and all you readers out there...you keep me honest, ya hear!

So here we go. My 2007 Birthday Resolutions are:

1. Read one book per month.
My "to-do" reading list has always exceeded my ability to actually read them all the way through. So I've decided to start my own "Book of the Month" club. January's selection will be "Bringing Up Boys" by Dr. James Dobson. I'm setting myself up for success because I have read a good bit (probably about half) of this book already. I'll be back here with a book report when I'm done.

2. Take my wife out on a date once a month.
Just her and I. No sippy cups, no highchairs, no kids menus. No eating our food in 1.5 minutes, although we still may do that because we are so trained.

3. Walk 25 miles per week.
I joined a team in a pedometer challenge this week at work, and this seems to be something I could easily turn into a long-term habit. I've found I can fairly easily do 3 miles a day, so I'm stretching a bit beyond that with this goal.

4. Abstain from meat one day a week.
This one is part religious, part medical. I like the perspective we get during Lent when we abstain from meat on Fridays, and my parents grew up pre-Vatican II when Catholics abstained (or were supposed to) on every Friday. Recently, Cindy's urologist gave her a list of dietary recommendations, and one of them talked about reducing meat intake to lessen the chance of kidney stones. Put the two ideas together and you get this resolution. I won't necessarily be abstaining on Fridays only, but I will avoid meat at least one day a week.

5. Go to confession once a month.
Pretty self-explanatory, and simple to do in theory. Especially since our church provides many penetential opportunities. The reality is that I haven't gone in a number of years (that number would be 5), so this will be challenging -- in a good way.

6. Weigh 170 pounds at this time next year.
I've been at this weight as recent as a few years ago, but have gotten sloppy with the eating habits and slipped into too many late night desserts. We're only talking about 15 or 20 pounds, so I should be able to do this if I put my mind to it.

7. Go camping twice this year.
We bought all this camping gear right after our wedding, and we actually used it once. Aiming to significantly increase usage time, and decrease cost per use. 'Course we'll have to buy a couple of sleeping bags and other assorted items, but we're pretty much ready to go on this one. And there's a campground about a 10 minute drive from the house.

8. Read and study the gospels.
I've had the basic "read the Bible" resolution in the past, and it's quickly fallen by the wayside. This time around, I thought I'd focus on just the four Gospels and really read and understand them.

9. Write in my blog at least twice a week.
I'm off to a good start on this one, and I feel like I can keep up the pace. Should be an easy one to track.

10. Research our family tree.
I've dabbled in this over the years, but only recording the "easy stuff". I want to make a more concerted effort to dig deeper and see how far I can get with a reasonable amount of effort. Read: I still want to see my family on the weekends.

11. Write thank you notes within one week of receiving the gift.
I have the best intentions, and the worst follow-through, when it comes to thank you notes. I always aim to do better each year, but this time I've put down a concrete goal. Let's hope I can stick to it.

12. Hold family budget meetings once a month.
We always talk about doing this, and we have all the tools we need (Quicken and a calendar). In the past, we've even written this activity down on the calendar but things always seemed to come up. That might happen again this year, but I feel compelled to give this one another shot.

13. Talk to my dad once a week.
Again...good intentions, bad follow-through. I will definitely do better this year. In principal, this resolution extends to my siblings as well but we have to start somewhere.

14. Volunteer once per quarter.
Helping a friend in need. Donating blood. Collecting for charity. Anything where I'm giving of my time or talent to help others. (So just donating money doesn't count.)

So there you have it. Fourteen resolutions. In writing. Progress tracked right here. Check back for updates. Wish me luck, and give me your prayers.