The person who starts the most new topics will be the prize winner for the month of January. Sound fair? We did this one last year and it was a hit so I thought I'd bring it back.

The stakes are high... . The winner will receive a Friends Heal Friends T shirt AND a pack of Flowers Galore note cards form the gift shop on this site.

Post away ladies!

Hi all...I'm not one for making resolutions for the new year but I do like making goals. How does anyone else feel? (Daddy always said if we were living the way we were supposed to be living then there was no need to make resolutions. <g>)

For me, making goals are easier than resolutions. Goals are more quantifiable...I can keep track of them easier because I break them down into smaller parts that can be achieved. That builds a foundation so that the overall goal can be obtained. Does that make sense?

Some goals for 2004:

*finish The Purpose Driven Life and put into action those lessons learned.

*send off wool to be made into "whatever".

*get the clutter in my office & kitchen under control. (hahahaha...this one absolutely sends me into uncontrollable laughter!)

*send off one magazine article a week for publication consideration.

*mail Samuel's story to a publisher.

*mail letters to school districts promoting farm tours at Thistle Cove Farm.

Gosh, that's plenty for now.

What about anyone else?

Sandra

Personally, I hate them and think they were made to be broken...however, in the spirit of participation, I have decided to try a new method of achieving "resolution."

I'm reversing my resolution...in other words, my resolution for 2004 is to see how much weight I can gain...WHOA! would you look at that! Mission accomplished! See? nutin' to it.

Just wanted to say that I love this forum and how easy it is to use. It is great sharing with other "boomer" women!

Ann

Ann, thanks for joining in the fun. Glad you're here. Looking forward to getting to know you better.

Sandra, as far as resolutions go..I haven't gotten around to making my yet.

Two of my kids started school Monday, took the other to the airport yesterday so he could get back to school and my hubby's off Wednesdays.

Tomorrow when I do my prayer time I'm going to take extra time to come up with a couple goals.

Now, have you sent your article out for the week yet?

Also, do you have a list of publishers you're considering...and what's your book about?

My husband and I did The Purpose Driven Life as a book study with some poeple at church this fall. What an awesome book. I think it's like the BIble int he sense that you can read it over and over agin and continue to glean wisdom. I should get it out again.

LAst year I had the daily tear off calendar for The Prayer of Jabez. It helped keep me on track. I bet I could still get one for the Purpose Driven Life. I'm sure they have on e and it's probably half off. Now we're talking!

Hi Dotsie - yep, sent off an article on Monday. Now I'm working on others. I do have a publisher in mind for the children's book and have printed off their guidelines. I *think* I've finished making revisions (am letting it sit for a week and perk) and am working on the cover letter. The book is about Samuel, one of my sheep and told in the voice of the flock. Dave said it reminded him of Aesop's Fables.

Yea...I really like the half price sales on calendars. I had trouble finding a calendar I really liked this year and (am ashamed to say) I settled for the Warren calendar. Last year I had the Women Wearing Wool calendar. A group of fiber folks in Maine got together and did a nude calendar, 10% went to environmental breast cancer research. The calendar had a lot of knitting patterns, recipes, etc. and was great. They got the idea from the women in England who did the nude calendar to raise money for a friend who got cancer. The move is out "Calendar Girls" but I seriously doubt it will get to Tazewell! After all...there are NEKKID women in the movie! <lol>

I saw the preview for that movie and I want to see it. Talk about a funky twist for Friends Healing Friends! The older I get, the more I appreciate what the ladies did! Ha.

I too make goals but not resolutions, both long- and short-term. I did pretty good at achieving many of them last year.

January is a "down" month for my business, so my goals are about the hated stuff I rationalized avoiding in November-December, which needs to be done now.

1. Paperwork. Takes up an entire kitchen chair and threatens to sprawl onto the table as well. I hate paperwork at least 10x more than everything else on this list combined.

2. Ironing (still in progress). Actually not too bad because I can almost go Zen while doing it.

3. House cleaning. Did it!! (Does this mean I can cross it off my list for 2004? )

4. (or 1.b) Business taxes are due last week in January. Blehhh.

5. Contact at least 2 businesses to try to wholesale to them. Did I mention that I also hate making phone calls?

...and a bunch of other stuff, but this is the immediate list.

I'm still on schedule for submitting articles and have sold two this week, payment on publication. I've got a few others in the works and am branching out.

Dave and I saw FISH last weekend and it's fabulous...a tender and gentle movie about what's important in life and what we think is important. It's a Tim Burton film.

Expecting snow and ice tonight and we have one sector of heat that's not working. Found out it's because of a split in the boiler. Oh joy. Don't ya know, sometimes I think of past people in my life with less than Christian love. <g>
But that's another story.

Thistle, please share where you're being published. Congrats!

Yeah, we were especting snow too. The kids were hoping for at least 2 hours late, but the snow was a nothing.

The weather men were dancing all around themselves this morningbecause of the ridiculous predictions.