Dear New Year

Dear New Year:

There are truths I hold to be self-evident. I like to eat dark chocolate at 3pm while I am at work trying not to go cross-eyed after countless hours in front of a computer. I still promise to eat my oatmeal and sneak spinach into my breakfasts.

I will stop saying “I’m almost thirty and…” and, instead, I will just spend the year being 29.

I’m going to go to my weight lifting class. Weekly. And it isn’t because the instructor is a hot Australian that gives every command in a sweet Aussie accent. I think he shaves his legs. And that’s the end of that.

I’ll try to be more kind to my super sensitive tummy. But I am not going to give up Indian food. Learn to deal?

I’m going to be a better Aunt. Starting with sending handwritten letters. Even if my nephew is only 9 months old and can’t read, but my niece is 9 years old and probably doesn’t know what snail mail is.

I packed up two big boxes of things to donate (read: de-clutter the space a la Happiness Project), including the amazing Homer Simpson slippers my college friend gave me eight years ago. Sorry, Marisa!

Oh, and please don’t tell anyone that in the twelve days since 2012 began, I’ve only eaten 3 home-cooked dinner meals (um, where have I been?), which means I’m measuring in at a weak 25% rate. I’m gonna do better. I even collected the ingredients to make a Mediterranean chickpea salad called Balela, pumpkin rice laksa soup, and Vietnamese noodles with sweet chili tofu. It’s going to be good. There are vegetables involved.

And finally, my friend Jennie swears by the motto that if you love life, life will love you back. If loving life means having a foodie-gasm over a salted chocolate cookie while time….stops…count me in. I love you, cookie life!

Let’s take it slow. Be passionate. And put some spinach in our breakfasts.

With love (and optimism),

Morgan.