Alright, 2007, time to move along now

December 20, 2007, the final night of our most recent trip
to Missouri. In the backyard, Ian, Dad, Mom and me.

A New Year's post is requisite for La Vie Dansante (which means the dancing life in French, if any of you were wondering. It's from the title of a Jimmy Buffett song. I don't speak French and I'm no more a Jimmy Buffett fan than the majority of us. And I'm not even particularly fond of the person who first played me this song. Regardless, the phrase has stuck with me for a good number of years.). Reflection is a key to growth. Goal-setting is another. Both of which I do with various degrees of gusto throughout the year. So, I'm no bah-humbug about today, which has turned into sort of national day of personal reorganizing.

Here's the abbreviated version of what I've been working on.

1) Reflection: If some years are for questions and some years are for answers, 2007 was -- thank the lord -- full of answers. I needed that after the whipping I got from 2006.

2) Resolution: A crusade against passive-aggressive behavior, quickly defined as:

Function: adjective

: being, marked by, or displaying behavior characterized by expression of negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive way (as through procrastination, stubbornness, and unwillingness to communicate) <a passive-aggressive personality>
- passive-aggressively adverb

I am guilty; Ian is most definitely guilty. People at work are guilty. Mom and Dad are guilty. Little Julian hasn't quite mastered it, but there's no doubting that he will. Everyone resorts to passive-aggressive behavior under certain stresses. Dianne, our incredible teacher friend, brought up a good point last night. What effect that this have on our kids?, she asked.

So, for many kid and non-kid reasons, this year, I'm going to work harder to say what I mean and mean what I say around people, and be most open about my intentions. Being honest while being direct is hard on the giver and hard on the receiver. I need to learn how to do both a little better.

3) Resolution: I quote from last night's notes: "WRITE, for God's sake."

It might be time to bring out those morning pages.

So, I begin: "There, squeezed into a living room only twice its size, sat a terribly out-of-tune piano and a fuzzy orange cat. Both kept the apartment company while she was away..."

That's all for now. What are ya'll thinking about today?