Deconstructing Shrimp Sushi & Happy New Year!

One of my favorite librarians arrived in town yesterday – the fashionable Ms. M (let’s just call her that). It was a surprise last-minute visit, and Y and I met her for dinner at the local Japanese restaurant (yes, we only have one). There are certain people you occasionally meet in life that you know when you see them it will be a guaranteed good time. Ms. M is one of those “guaranteed good time” people. And, of course, the three of us had a deliciously fabulous time – despite stormy blizzard driving weather, tragic stories about high school crushes on boys with chopstick-like legs, power outages in the restaurant and all over town, and a shrimp sushi mishap. Ms. M revealed some of her 2007 resolutions, and I thought I’d share a few of them ‘cause they’re good ones:

1) Add sunshine and happy emoticons to email communication to avoid sending the occasional feeling of malaise to her friends.
2) Start a program for “homonymaholics”
3) More “good times” (including the possibility of having a specially made gaudy ghetto nameplate necklace that says “Good Times.” Hey, Ms. M, if you get this made, order two of them. I’ll pay you back)

This made me start thinking about my resolutions for this year. In the past, I’ve always made the resolution to drink more. I believe I was trying to accomplish this for ten years, and I think this past year I finally accomplished that goal (and then some). So, here are my resolutions:

1) Climb every mountain
2) Ford every stream
3) Follow every rainbow
4) 'Til you find your dream!
5) Wait – scratch the above (damn that Sound of Music!)
6) Drink in moderation (hmmm)
7) Work on becoming a “famous” writer (ha! I can still dream though – see scratched #4 above)
8) Decide whether the unfinished afghan started last year should be completed or turned into scarf.
9) Purchase new nail polish colors
10) Lose weight (ha! The most boring popular resolution of all. Okay, while 10-15 pounds would be super groovy, I just don’t know that it’s going to happen).
11) Exercise (ha! The second most boring popular resolution of all. Another thing I don’t think is going to happen, but I really wish it would)
12) Spend more time staring out the window
13) Start planning the shape for next year’s cheese ball creation for a holiday party (this year was a penis decoupaged with sliced almonds)
14) Start thinking about what I’ll wear to the next D & O/N Halloween costume party
15) The German just read this and wants me to add “stop complaining about your looks.” Yeah, keep dreaming you verrückt Deutsche mann!
16) Keep reading other fun blogs – like poundy
17) Learn at least 5 Chinese words before big trip in May
18) Consider a new “look” because I’m bored with current look – possibly a Dolce & Gabbana version of a pilgrim?
19) Continue having good times with friends and think about ways that they will not become completely bored with me and want to stop hanging out with me
20) Visit Chicago as much as possible before parents move here officially and I cry every day knowing that my roots have been permanently moved.

Happy New Year everyone!! I love you all.