HAPPY 2013!

Happy NewYear!  It is 8 a.m. on New Year's Day where I am.  My basement is full of sleeping teenagers.  Everyone (sadly including me!) went to bed sober.  I didn't even open the champers!  You know what that means: Happy New Year Day to Me!  I have a recipe for champagne risotto that will be paired with a roast duck and some broccoli later today and of course, my chilled champagne! 

What we did do last night:

Fireworks!  We live outside our city and so are allowed to do fireworks.  Husband and son have it down to a science!  All went well and lots of oohs and aahs!  We only had a couple that look like the one below.  It is a truth known to all that to get a really good fireworks show, you need to spend a lot of money.  But we have fun anyway!

Trivial Pursuit!  I have not played this for MANY years, but all of the houseguests loved it!  It is clear to me however that 2013 will be about learning my geography better!

New Years with Anderson and Kathy Griffin.  Oh I know - she is completely inappropriate.  Darn right rude.  But my goodness she can make me laugh and Anderson Cooper is her perfect foil.  I had more belly laughs between 11 pm and 1 am (which is when the balls drops in Times Square.  The joy of living in the Atlantic Time Zone is we are happy to do New Year's twice.  Twice as many toasts!) than I have had in months. 

But today is New Year's Day.  If yesterday was about looking back, today is about looking forward.

My friend Julie, over at the wonderful blog JulieStyles, has written a wonderful post about her 2013 style resolutions.  It is well worth a read!  And it appears that Shopping with M will be sharing more housewares than fashion wares with us in 2013, which I think will be so much fun!  And WellFedFred has some great words of inspiration and reminders of what is important in her blog today as well.

Do I have any resolutions?  Oh sure the usual - eat less, exercise more, save the world.

But realistically, I have boiled it down to one over-arching resolution for 2013:

Grip the Club Less Tightly and Choose Happiness.

I guess this falls into the "don't sweat the small stuff category", but it is slightly more than that for me.  Earlier this fall, I came across a book that is actually almost 4 years old, 10-10-10: A Life Transforming Idea, by Suzy Welch.  It was in the $3 bin at my local bookstore.  It was well worth the $3!

The premise of the book is simple.  The author argues that using the 10-10-10 principle when making decisions (what will be the impact of any important decision in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years?) provides clarity and perspective and thus leads to better, more aligned, decision-making and in turn, ehanced contentment.

I don't know about you, but I find that the older I have gotten, I have forgotten at times how to have fun.  I niggle at stupid things.  I agree to things because others, or my conservative self, tells me I should do them.  I have a lot of guilt if I am not doing it all perfectly.  Maybe that isn't you.  But boy, it is me sometimes!  My husband tells me all the time that I am gripping the club too tightly. 

source

So this year, I am loosening my grip.  And I am going to actively use the 10-10-10 principle, which, to the extent I have used it to date, has forced me to think about how happy and how content or at peace any particular decision will make me in the future.  It is my experience that when I consciously choose happiness or peace, the results are always better because I bring my whole heart and talents into the process.  And choosing happiness doesn't simply mean choosing happiness for me - it will also be about how I can choose to make others happy by giving back. 

I even think the 10-10-10 principle will help in choosing what clothing to purchase! Hello J Crew sale!

How about you?  Any resolutions for 2013?

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On the 8th Day of Christmas WMM gave to me:

A Vineyard in the South of France!


My Summer Vacation - No grapes of wrath here!



"We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry."-E. B. White

E.B. White is one of my philosopher kings.  If you ever get a chance to read not only his works, but his wonderful letters, by all means, do so!

This quote, coupled with this photograph I took in late August in France at a wonderful vineyard, remind me that we must all try and live joyful lives.  Each one of those lives will look different and that is okay.  As I march towards my 50th birthday, I think I am a lot like the grapevine above - full of lots of ripe grapes, but with some browning and fading around the edges.  I choose to see the grapes and the greenery.  Now it is time to start making wine!

I hope you have a wonderful day!  I will definitely take a picture of me (finally!) drinking my champers!

Stay Safe Out There!

xoxo