2010 "Things"

This is how I titled the page in my notebook on January 1, mostly because I wanted to make a list of attainable goals for 2010 and not call them resolutions. I avoided the word resolution because it is almost always associated with "broken." Even if it is just semantically starting on the wrong foot, this kernel of doubt is not a good foundation. I am also reluctant to call them goals, because this too has less than hopeful associations for me, but I will quietly admit they probably are. The reason for sharing this also builds on the probability of achieving these Things. So without further analysis of my fear of goals and resolutions, here is my list of 2010 Things (and their accompanying notes):

• Bike to work at least once a week (nearly had this one in 2009, until the option of a warm car on cold, wet, windy mornings broke me down; damn Vestas for giving Dani a parking pass.)
• Limit meat consumption to one day a week (Damn I love meat, but know that I can get protein in much healthier- personal and environmental- and efficient ways. Efficient, meaning that the ratio of energy used to consumable calories is at best 4:1 and can be upwards of 54:1, for chicken and beef respectively. This to me is just wasteful. I would rather spend more on very high quality meat once a week than consume filth every night.) Stepping off the soapbox...
  
• Volunteer five days this year (Salmon Watch was awesome and gave such a feeling of hope in the future: more please!)
• Save more money (the coolest part of the downturn is the decrease in mindless consumption and the natural increase in savings, moving toward a sustainable system)
• Be more accepting (sometimes even Glenn Beck has valuable insights, sometimes)
• Limit TV to one hour per day (the American average of four hours per day is abysmal, unfortunately I probably top this average)
  
• Read 12 books (in my extra three hours a day; already have one down: Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers. Amazing book about a family's torturous account of Katrina, read it now!)

That's it, my 2010 Things.