Auld Lang Syne and all that.

Random thought for the day: will we say "two thousand and ten" or "twenty-ten?" It should be interesting to see how we mere mortals refer to this year as we usher in the second decade of the 21st century.

For the first time in a long time, I managed to start the new year off right - the Christmas decs are all "snug in their beds" until next December. Most years, I'm lucky to have them down by the 2nd week of January, but I decided to get on the ball this time around. I also accomplished another first - I ran 3.5 miles, and bumped up the pace, too. Now that I've got the 5K goal under my belt, I'm ready to tackle longer runs, and maybe a half-marathon isn't such a stretch after all.

We ushered in the new year with a quiet evening at home. After braving the grocery store, I served up New Orleans-style oyster stew to start things off and provide comfort to my discouraged UT fan/husband as he watched the Vols lose to Virginia Tech at the Chik-Fil-A bowl. (At least he didn't drive down to Hotlanta and buy a ticket to watch the game!) A couple big steaks fed three of us (middle child opted to spend the night with us), along with some spicy shrimp, baked 'taters and crusty bread.

I've never been good at making or keeping resolutions, but that doesn't stop me from making a run at it every now and again. So this year, I resolve these five things (it's easy to remember if I can count 'em on one hand):

1. Show more hospitality. I love spending time with our friends and I love getting acquainted with new friends. Entertaining guests is a great motivator to clean the house and an excuse to create a decadent dessert. All upside, no downside.
   
2. Run the race. My energy level and outlook on life have certainly improved by introducing running to my life last spring. It seems like a good thing to continue.
3. Become more purposeful. As a good friend once advised, everyone has 24 hours in each day and we all manage to find time for the things we really want to do. So my goal is to consider what it is I really want to do each day, and tackle it like there's no tomorrow - because there may not be.
4. Become more prayerful. That's what my knees are for. Well, that and gardening and cleaning behind toilets.
   
5. Finish reading the Bible through. I started it in 2009 and made great strides; there's no sense in starting over just because it's a new year. I just need to finish what I started and then begin again.