New Year's Resolution 2010

People have been writing me from all over the continguous United States (no one from Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or any part of Canada, oddly enough) as to what are my New Year's Resolutions. Many of you know that I am a somewhat goal-oriented person. I certainly love to make goals, and writing down lists of those goals - although keeping them is where I sometimes find difficulties. Anyway, after much thought and internal debate I have decided on a realistic 2010 New Years Resolution. I can sum up said resolution in one picture:



This picture, cari miei, is of a Franklin Covey Planner. I am going to be using it this year. My list of goals and things I want to get accomplished this year is very long, and so my resolution is to utilize my work-provided planner to get it all accomplished. So if you happen to see me in 2010, you will most likely see my planner.

While I have consistently used some version of a planner since starting with the FDIC, I'm hoping to take it to a more consistent and focused level this year. Think "mission" planning, but a little more task-oriented, since the issue is no longer how many people can I talk to/teach, but how can I get a large variety of assorted and important tasks done.

So there you have it. I see this is as a gateway resolution - by being more organized, I can make sure I'm prioritizing my time to spend them on things that I really want to get done.

I'm looking forward to getting a lot done in 2010, and then blogging about some of it!

p.s. I don't see myself as being one of those weird planner people. You know the type. Not me. I'm just taking what is good from those weird planner people and making it my own, without being weird.

Torrie left me this week. (haha I guess I should rephrase that – Torrie flew away from Dallas a little bit early cause we found a cheaper flight for her) and I fly back to Lexington to reunite with her on Friday. I am once again a lone man. I wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, eat lunch at my desk, come home, run, watch tv, go to sleep. This repeats over and over again.

Now I’ve done this before, and I unfortunately will have to do it again – that’s just the nature of my job. As I sit here trying to come up with the will power to study for an accounting test that I could have passed after a week of that Accounting 101 class I took freshman year (listening to Christmas music), I realized that I really don’t have anything to look forward to this evening. I’ll run, which will be good, and there’s not even any NCIS or Law and Order tonight. But that’s what my life is when I’m on the road and alone – whatever is on television.

Isn’t that sad? It’s only a momentary thing for me – I’ve read all the books I’ve brought, Torrie just left, and I’ll be home tomorrow, where there will be plenty of things to do – but I look at some of my coworkers and that’s all they have. Maybe go to the bar and try to meet somebody. Maybe study some more for this accounting test.

I’m grateful for the direction that my life has – and as always has – thanks to my family and the gospel. I’m grateful for the structure of the LDS church that helped me have things to do when I was single. I’m grateful that I’m married. I can’t wait to have kids.

Oh good news. Just found out that USA has both NCIS and Law and Order on tonight. I’m going to be okay. :)

Torrie and I realized the other day that since we haven't been at our house for most of December, it hasn't felt like Christmas. Well, that is a travesty and was a situation that needed to be corrected immediately.


Work has been pretty self-directed lately, with a lot of accounting. (Yes, I took approximately 15 hours of accounting class time in university. In fact, it was a prerequisite to getting this job, as was getting good grades in those classes. So why am I getting paid to study it for a week? Great question. Good thing the FDIC is paid for by insurance premiums and not on taxes.)


This makes for an easy solution to the Christmas dilemma. Pandora! I've been rocking out and feeling the Christmas spirit all day long, with the expected benefits of being happier, working harder, etc.


However, I've decided that I have a more picky ear than I thought when it comes to Christmas songs. I will skip a few songs to listen to the ones that I really like. Here are some of the best songs I listened to today:

Merry Christmas Darling - The Carpenters
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
Hallelujah Chorus - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Anything where John Rutter was involved.
Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
We Need A Little Christmas - Percy Faith and His Orchestra

What is YOUR favorite christmas song? I know there's plenty of others out there. Merry Christmas!