Nine Goals for 2009

Last year I vowed to stop drinking diet and regular soda, lose 20 lbs. and read 52 books. For the most part, I stopped with the sugary beverages and my stomach has thanked me for it. I'm currently on book 49, which is close to 52, and I lost 17 pounds since last year at this time - so I feel like I've mostly succeeded at those resolutions.

Now, I will put this year's resolutions down for all to see so that I can accomplish them. I wrote 20 resolutions down in my journal, but only about 9 of them are good enough to announce in public.

So here they are, nine goals for 2009, with inspiration from some of my favorite songs:

1. Weighting to Exhale (AKA Lose 9 kilos) - Ok, it's a little bit of a cheat, since I did the goal in pounds last year. But this year I'm on the metric system, so it sounds like something completely new!

2. I like to Move It, Move It - That's right, the Swedish Fishermen will soon be the Danish Legomen, when we hopefully move to Copenhagen this summer. The 3-hour commute each day is not that great for Kjartan and my first semester will be in more nearby Malmo, so it makes more sense to move to the Fatherland. We're looking to buy a 2-bedroom apartment - so let us know if you have any offers!

3. But the Cat Came Back, the very next Day - While Kjartan's resolution may be "convince Stephanie not to get a cat," mine is just the opposite. I grew up with at least two cats in the house at all times and I miss the little critters. Right now, our lease prevents it, but if goal No. 2 is accomplished then we can get one.

4. I Can go the Distance- Swedish grades are a bit different than American grades. For my classes I can Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction. I'm aiming for the high marks.

5. Twist and Shout (AKA Perfect Swedanglish)- I'm taking the next level of Swedish classes next semester and will begin Danish for Immigrants classes when we move to Copenhagen, so hopefully I will reach near fluency in the language I have made up.

6. That's Tea for Two - I gave up soda last year, and this year I'm giving up everything else. I'm not that big of a fan of drinking anything (I don't even drink alcohol), so getting rid of juice and other sugared drinks will help with goal No. 1. I'll still allow myself my breakfast fruit and spinach smoothie, though.

7. And Two for Tea - As a new wife, it's appropriate that I devote at least one resolution to my marriage. Kjartan and I hope to find a couple hobby when we move to Copenhagen and are relieved of the commute - like dance classes, cooking classes, long bike rides, or hikes. With a new apartment, our hobby might end up being to fix it up, but that's OK too.

8. Heal the World, Make it a Better Place - I've always enjoyed volunteering (and Michael Jackson), and I miss those opportunities over in Sweden, where it seems like fewer people need non-government sponsored help. A few weeks ago I read about The Nightingale Mentoring Scheme at Malmo University, which allows students to "adopt" a child aged 8-12 and act as their mentor for 2-3 hours each week. Since I'll be taking some classes at Malmo University, I'm eligible for the program.

9. Carry on my Wayward Son - I already live in a foreign country, but I do suprisingly little travel outside of Skane and Denmark. I want to use this extra free student time to see the more undiscovered Europe with Kjartan and my friends. It costs about $75 round-trip to get to Milan, Poland, and Budapest - so that's where I plan to start. In the summer we want to go to Bergen, Norway where Kjartan's relatives live. I also want to head North to the Kiruna, in the Arctic Circle - But I'm not sure if I can take the 20-hour train ride!

Ok now, speak up! What are your resolutions for 2009?