New Leaf.

In the South where I grew up, we always have the traditional New Year’s day menu of luck, money & love: black-eyed peas for luck, collard greens for money, pork chops for love (don’t ask me – red meat, I guess?) Hard to stomach, but hey – it’s tradition.
My Resolutions for 2008:
1) Carve out more time for my writing – 5 pgs or 5 hrs / week. When I set out into the corporate world instead of getting my MFA, I figured I would have the best of both worlds – financial stability and time to write. I have found that at entry level, I don’t really have either. When I leave work, though I may have a few hours left in the day, I have the mental energy to microwave something while Anderson Cooper gives me the news. My novel collects dust. Or rather, my laptop does. So I’m hoping to set aside more time to write, whether it’s leaving early one night a week, or more likely – devoting a weekend morning. I desperately need a new routine.
2) Burn No Bridges. The older I get, the more I am learning the truth in Faulkner: "The past isn't dead-it isn't even past." More and more people come into my life that I was thankful to have washed my hands of. Not that I’m the kind of person to throw down torches. But it seems like there’s always someone who I didn’t even try to keep in touch with, or someone that I was rude to because I thought I would never have to deal with again. No longer. I am going to reach out to everyone, try to maintain contacts as long as it is socially feasible and bring out my best Southern belle act, even when I have a hard time getting along with someone. Because you never know.
3) Monthly Financial Review. I used to hate to think about money. I still don’t really care for it. But I am realizing how important it is not to be blind to the true state of affairs of my finances. Not knowing what the numbers are doesn’t change anything and it doesn’t make it better. I’m hoping this blog will help me with monthly tracking. Now I like to think about it more broadly. By starting this, I’m asserting that it’s normal to develop ulcers about finances, but that it’s the responsible thing to track them and get better. Provided I continue to monitor my budget and make sound choices, I will never make less money than I do now. My net worth can only increase!