Happy New Year!

I'm back from my annual year-end reader alienation period, where I fail to post for months on end and everyone gives up on me. And now I'll start trying to win you all over again with my verve and wit! 

Soon I'll write more about the holidays and all the funny things the kids have been doing, and how I sometimes feel like my job consists of dragging a millstone up a hill while various volunteers, board members, and staff hop on periodically for a ride. For now - I present my ambitious New Year's Resolutions:

• Climb Squak Mountain (I had to tie my fitness goal in with my research - Squak Mountain is the site of Robert Legg's land claim, otherwise I wouldn't bother).
• Ten sets of 12 squats every week (this is a goal more than a resolution... although I did five sets last week! I'm behind for this week unless I want to cram 120 squats into two days).
• Eat the yogurt I buy (as opposed to taking it to work with me, not eating it, carrying it back to work the next day, not eating it, wash rinse repeat until the yogurt has expired and I need to throw it out).
• Stop say “Jesus Fucking Christ.” At least, in front of the kids. (I'm doing well on this, although I appear to be substituting "Oh fuck me," which is not really an improvement)
• Finish a draft of the Ben Legg saga by Dec 31 (not perfect, not complete, but a linear version of what I know/surmise). 
• Related: Start saying, with confidence, "I'm writing a book about..." instead of "I seem to be writing something that looks like a book," in a weird, sheepish sort of way.
• Level up to a 9 on Fitocracy by the end of January.
• Send birthday cards.
• Do a methodical declutter (see the Declutter Calendar) (oh god, this one already seems overwhelming and I haven't even looked at the Declutter Calendar since I wrote my resolutions)
• Take the time to translate French and Swedish Facebook posts
• Subscribe to Facebook feeds for friends I want to stay in touch with.
• EXPAND CHICKEN COOP and add roost ASAP
• Shift to DIY cleaning supplies. Think about unpaper towels, DIY beauty products.
• Switch to CREDO for phone.
• One Tuesday a month: send Conrad to Pinehurst and use time for appointments, work, errands, struggling to stay sane, etc.
• Write in my blog more! Or again! Or whatever!