This picture and those vines feel like a metaphor for my life currently, well the past 9 years or so. We (Craig and I) had such clear dreams and plans for our lives back in 1998-1999. Then starting in 1999 it got chipped away at slowly and sometimes fast, over the next 10 years. Craig literally dealt with having his spine twisted at one point. Our efforts to keep the plan going seemed to get more and more complicated and frustrating. Here we are 10 years later and feeling like we’ve almost broken free from the vines and twists that tried to take over.

People reflected on the last 10 years with sadness of the financial crisis, housing crisis, political crisis. I looked back and said, “holy shit I survived it”. I really didn’t think I’d live to see 30. Between all the stresses over the past 10 years and then just my own health which I had put on a back burner it seemed inevitable this was going to be coming to an end. I don’t mean to sound doom and gloom, just felt like, really what else could be thrown at me.

Well maybe not entirely. I used to love the winter, but that was when I lived in a house that actually stayed warm. Our apartment when the wind kicks up can be very hard to keep warm. Thus I’m kind of missing those days of basking in the sun and feeling warm all the way through. I took this photo over last summer on our only visit to White Memorial that year. I’m determined to get out and enjoy the outdoors in 2010. It seems like so long ago but in 2006, I was biking at least once a week and doing all sorts of other things outdoors.

In the spirit of getting in better health

This past week I ate vegetarian from Sunday through Thursday. Friday we started running out groceries, time and I caved and picked up Starbucks for breakfast, Subway for lunch and pizza for dinner. Lesson learned though, as my stomach was none too happy with my meal choices and I spent the evening in a lot of pain. Which leads me to thinking, maybe I do have some level of lactose intolerance. The weekend was filled with lots of out and about activities, and I made decisions that were fairly good.

I’m looking forward to going back to eating simpler, not so rich foods this week. My goal for this week is to continue with primarily vegetarian meals and get in at least two days of exercise. I have to work on my core to help my back, which has been bothering me again. I am also planning to map out different places to mountain bike between home and work. Along with that, I’m putting together a shopping list of winter bike gear; booties, pants and a bright orange fleece jacket (I like my life).

It was probably earlier this past year I saw someone post their daily photo with DailyBooth. I didn’t think much of it, but I’ve seen more people posting lately and then today Gary Vaynerchuk’s job posting even mentioned it as a possible requirement. Since my thing is photography, I figured I’d give it a shot. Might also be a good reminder for myself to see the progress of losing weight this year.

Friend me up if you’re on there.

As I’ve come to find out recently, I’m eating too few calories. As well as too little protein. Sadly I seem to have no issues getting sodium, which is the one thing I need to lessen. I’m back to logging my meals into Daily Burn, at least until I get a better grasp of what it takes to make up a healthy balanced day of meals.

This week will be an experiment, and hopefully next week will be the positive results of this week’s logging.

I’m so glad someone made this movie pulling in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Craig and I started watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” annually about 4 years ago. For some reason neither of us had really been attracted to it when we were younger. Now having lived through the DotCom crash, 9/11, job losses, credit card debts and watched friends and family go through financial hardships, we could really identify with George Bailey. It’s saddening when you realize how many years ago that movie was made, and how much it holds true still today. If not even more so.

I’m happy to say when I went to the website to see about lenders in our area who were community banks, we are already with one. We’ve had our accounts with them since the 90’s. Ironically both the banks we used to work for got swallowed up by Bank of America and Webster.

Visit http://moveyourmoney.info for more information.

Thanks to @kellysims for the link.

2009 Recap:

• Turned 30
• Been on unemployment/shared work program for 13 months
• Fought back depression
• Vacationed in Maine in monsoon season
• Vacated in New Hampshire in intense humidity
• Biked the Lincoln Woods Trail (a highlight for the year)
• Finally bought a TV
• Established some new friendships, that I hope will last a while
• Partnered with new people for projects

2010 Goals:

1. Drink water (I just don’t drink anything currently)
2. Eat vegetarian / vegan 4 days a week
3. Bicycle (a lot more)
4. Shoot more photograhy both B&W film and digital
5. Have a gallery showing/or participate in an art show by end of year
6. Drink more tea and less coffee
7. Read 8 books this year
8. Bring in 3 clients in the first half of 2010
9. Schedule alone/creative time each week
10. Cook (and use more herbs and spices)

What are your goals for the new year?

you make lemonade.

More than 130,000 advertising professionals have lost their jobs in this “Great Recession.” Lemonade is about what happens when people who were once paid to be creative in advertising are forced to be creative with their own lives.

Craig and I have talked often over the years of the “what if I lost my job” scenario. Both of my last two jobs had layoffs, and I grew to understand in my first job at a dot com, that at any moment it could be you. Don’t take it personally, you’re a number in the end, not in a bad way, just a salary and when budgets are not being met, it comes down to numbers. To me layoffs have become a fact of life, I’m always some what prepared in my head, a box under my desk and trying to stay one step ahead.

The advertising industry to me feels like the canary in the coal mine. The arts always take the first hit of being the “unnecessary” expense businesses cut in tough times. The irony there is with good marketing and imagery your product will continue to be successful.

It’s wonderful someone is making this movie. As creative professionals I think we generally have the ability to bounce back quicker than others and start off in new directions. Many times, happier directions more in line with our true callings.

Need help coming up with resolutions for 2010? Visit the New Year’s Resolution Generator.

Personally I never seem to have a problem coming up with a long list of resolutions, my usual over eager self. Of course sticking to those resolutions is a whole other matter. I’ll be following up with a post on New Year’s Day of my, very few, resolutions for 2010.

Speaking of 2010, aren’t we supposed to be seeing monoliths start arriving soon?

Let me first address, that I do realize the post before this is about having compassion. I probably should have more compassion for the drivers around me, who knows what insanity they are dealing with or have found no way of dealing with. Before I reach that point of enlightenment though, my list of pet peeves.

1) Blinkers. Cars now-a-days (possibly since the beginning) have blinkers. It’s amazing, they come with them, and even a handy lever off the steering wheel for easy access. Use them! Not only do they help you to remind you where you’re going but they help all of us around you know what your plans are. Best practice, is to turn them on before actually moving your vehicle in that new direction.

2) Drive Right, Pass Left. It’s an entire campaign for a reason. You’re not a cop, you don’t have the right to police the left lane. Just because you don’t think anyone should go above 65mph doesn’t mean you get to enforce this on the rest of us. Maybe we’re going to hell for it, but let me get by and I’ll find out. Note: if there’s a line of cars ahead obviously you can’t move over, but when you’re all by yourself toodling along in the fast lane, move over! I don’t like to use my horn and I’m not a light flasher, and I don’t like to pass on the right.

3) The Wave (Cell Phone Style). So you’re following behind me, and you get really close, then back off, then really close, then back off, rinse and repeat. I’ve been able to prove 100% of the time, you are on your cell phone. Get off the damn phone, if it’s distracting you that much. You’re not safe to yourself or me.

4) Hoppers. Are you the kind of person who likes to try to get ahead of a pack of cars by hopping from lane to lane, slowly increasing by one car at a time and cutting people off? If you are, get a freaking life, because you’re bound to lose yours at some point with that crappy driving. Seriously? it doesn’t work in video games and it rarely pans out in real life.

5) Slow Red Light Runners. While you seem to have an aversion to going the speed limit particularly in areas where it’s only 25-30mph to begin with, how is it you manage to not touch your brakes and roll right through stop signs and red lights. Does the vehicle scare you that much? Is it a safety factor motivating your desire to drive under the speed limit? If so, how is it safe to roll through stop signs and red lights?

6) Park Like You Just Don’t Care. Now parking is not a science, especially the pull in straight type. Parallel, backing in, I’ll cut you some slack, but pulling straight in? You don’t have to be perfect, but getting a relative even distance between you and the cars next to you is respectable. Because as we all know, when you’re in the car, you can tell if you’re too close, and you can certainly tell by the time you get out of the car. Do you really want to end up on a website like youparklikeanasshole.com? It just takes a few moments to care about your fellow driver.

Disclaimer: I am not a perfect driver, and do not claim to be one. I spend roughly 2 hours a day on the road, 5 days a week, and then travel usually on the weekend. I’ve done road trips through the mid-west and south east, I feel I’ve gotten to see a fare amount of drivers out there. All of these items, can be summed up simply, pay attention to the other people around you. Be considerate of your other drivers. Be safe. If someone wants to go faster, let them go!

As we close a decade marked by war, help us usher in a decade focused on compassion.

The names of all affirmers on December 31 will be sent along with the Charter for Compassion to 5 world leaders whose countries are engaged in conflict.

What if more people went about their days with this view on the world and life? Check out the Charter for Compassion video and if you feel moved, add your name.