There's something about the turning of the year that makes folks want to resolve to do better in the year that's to come. For whatever reason, resolutions have become part of our society. In my world, the New Year is part of its own month and happened about two months ago. But, I'll play along because I have things that I really would like to see happen for me in the next year.



*Stick up for myself more.

 
That really is my first order of business. Look out for the louder and prouder me in 2010. I may even use my librarian voice. It's very tiresome to be nice to people all the time and still have them accuse you of eating babies roasted on a spit. I do not roast babies on spits. It makes them tough.




*Bedazzle something.

 

1_Mom is the Bedazzling Queen of the Universe. I'm a big fan of sparkly things, but I'm still not sure about this. It's important to always try things we are afraid of. Bedazzling could make me a stronger human being because I am very, very afraid of it.


*Read more.



I did manage to make my way through most of my summer reading list, but it's a whole new year. The shelf in the photo above is my "To Read" shelf. Note the bend of the shelf under the weight. I got a lot of good books for Christmas and I still have some hanging out from last year, so I need to read more. I think I'll have the time if I start using long-term crops in Farmville.




*More cookies.

  

As much as I enjoy the culinary acrobatics of the cream puff, I think I'm going to aim for more accessibility in the coming year, both in the recipes I post here and the restaurants I review for my "real job." I want to write about things people want to make and places people can afford to go. I'll take that up with management.



*Not dye myself orange.

 

That took two months to fully wear off. Remind me of that in April, please.




*Go back to England.

 

That photo was five years and fifty pounds ago in Glastonbury. I don't care if I take the whole flight, step off, breathe the air, kiss the tarmac at Heathrow like the Pope, get back on the plane and go home. I miss England so much it physically hurts.


*See my Grammy more often.

 

She's 87 years old and she still lives alone and kicks major ass. She is who I want to be when I grow up. This is her with Pudge at his Christening. Incidentally, when they poured the water over Pudge's head and he cried, The Man said (very loudly), "I know it burns, son." That's why I married him.




*Meet more e-blip friends.

 

This is (left to right) me, cartouche, Michael Rodgers, lalucas, Dorinda Fox and Liz Emrich. When you see that people are real they become real friends. Don't ever pass up a meet-up if you can help it. I want more!



*Drink more Guinness.

 

I think that one is self-explanatory.


*Wear more hats.

 

I got this magnificent hat for Christmas. If I wear this to the grocery store, people will look at me funny. I like that.



*Don't be so hard on myself.

 

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh darn it, if people don't like me, I'll just apologize and try harder. (I'm taking suggestions on this one.)



*Drink out of this cup more - but wash it less.

 

This is the Official Open Salon Collage Cup. Of the original 400 disembodied heads of my closest e-blip friends, about 50 are left (in my non-scientific estimation). This is why I should go to more meet-ups. I have the superstition that this cup is like the photo in Back to the Future. As the dishwasher fades it, the people just blow away in the wind. Around August, I started hand-washing, but I can't bear not to use it.

 
*Make the children load the dishwasher.

 

I have four children, a husband and a Schnauzer. The least they can do is load the dishwasher. Otherwise I end up drinking out of this...



 

GAHHHH!
Which brings me to another resolution: Teach my 12-year-old daughter to rebel. When I was 12, my room was papered with posters of tattooed unhappy men who had about a 40/60 ratio of dying in a pool of their own vomit. (Well, we assume it was their vomit. You can't very well positively identify vomit, now can you?) She needs to dye her hair green, pierce her nose and date a guy named "Taz" that calls me "dude."


*Smile more and show people who I really am.

 

Each and every one of these little avatar squares represents a beautiful, flawed, hopeful, troubled, loving, angry, talented human being. We all have hearts, which is easy to forget on the internet where the click of a mouse or the press of a button sends out messages without accountability to anyone but ourselves.

I vow to be real - to you and to me.
I am Jodi Kasten.
I live in Jacksonville, Florida.
I am 34 years old.
I am not just an avatar.
Pleased to meet you.

Happy New Year!