Happy New Year!

As 2011 closes and 2012 starts...insert some sort of poignant meaningful phrase here about everyone getting to start over and do something cool.

Nine times out of ten, when someone makes a New Year's post, they say they're not going to make any more resolutions and just enjoy the year. Typically, the reason given is because they set very high expectations and therefore never follow the resolution and it ends up creating undue stress and pressure in their lives. I've actually never made a New Year's resolution because I know I'd never follow it in the first place because of these reasons, so there would be no point.

The other more superficial reason is because I have Hipster Syndrome about holidays, and like to feel smug and superior by not subscribing to most holiday crazes or traditions (i.e. Valentine's Day, Black Friday shopping, Christmas panic in its entirety, and the fact that we're all going to supposedly die in December).

We celebrated at the house of some new friends by playing games, watching Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve from 11:57PM to 12:02AM, and of course, drankin'. Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve + drankin' is one tradition I never diverge from, but unfortunately, it has gotten pretty depressing. It's obvious DC has had a terrible stroke (or something), and every year it is a little bit sadder to watch. But, at least he's still out there trying!

All right, I really want to go play Red Dead Redemption, so I'm going to hurry up and lay down some easy resolutions, some of which I'm going to attempt to follow:

~ Use my slow cooker more often
~ Knit better
~ Save some extra money from each paycheck
~ Take a vacation (Hello, Harry Potter World!)
~ Eat food. Real food. Mostly plants.
~ Stop sweating the small stuff
~ Cherish whatever time left I have with my Shadow
~ Vote (What? I have to have one easy one, don't judge me!)
~ Vote again (lol)
~ Join a CSA
~ Cook with at least five new ingredients this year
~ RELAX