HAPPY NEW YEAR ~~ HAUOLI MAKAHIKI HOU ~~ NARANG-AY A BARO A TAWEN
In Hawaii, I grew up with the tradition of "busting firecrackers" to ring in good luck and good fortune for the new year. You could always tell the families who bought a whole slew of stringed firecrackers by the red paper residue in the driveways on New Year's day.
It's a brand new year, a brand new day ... and though I don't have a string of firecrackers... I hope and pray for happiness to come your way.

The upcoming Chinese New Year is the Year of the Ox. For years I thought I was born in the year of the pig, but I just recently realized that according to the Chinese calendar I was actually born in the year of the dog. But, the holiday tradition of sweets and dinner get-togethers left me still feeling piggish.

I'm not sure why changing the calendar page from December to January should be the major impetus to changing behavior. "It should be a daily occurrence" is what I tell myself, but that hasn't been my modus operandi ever since I abandoned my Franklin Planner, corporate days. Maybe a less structured daily "to do list" should be one of my resolutions instead of loftier monumental goals.

I haven't formally written any new year's resolutions for 2009. I had a small burst of enthusiasm and the intention to start 2009 year off on the right foot with all the usual determination: 1) eat right, 2) exercise regularly, 3) write every day... Then on New Year's eve I started feeling a bit rundown. I guess my body and my mind told me I needed to take some time to rest. So today, after catching up on my sleep, taking vitamins, and drinking Chamomile tea I think I've been spared from having to battle a more evil cold.

Lot of TV shows start up again this month. LOST (finally), DAMAGES, MONK, PSYCH, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS. After taking a break from my blog... (after the election of Barack Obama, I didn't feel that anything I wrote had more circumstance than that) ... I'm ready to resume the self-indulgent, yet self-affirming practice of writing this blog.

In Hawaii we would say IMUA (onward, forward) ...