New Year's Resolution: Time to Lighten Up!

By Cal Orey

Are we having fun yet?

A few days before the New Year has got me doing some serious thinking about making some serious changes come 2014. It was brought to my attention that I am too "serious"--I don't know how to have fun or celebrate. How do you spell fun? I suppose I can blame my no-nonsense nature on the sluggish economy that keeps me on the gerbil's treadmill, trying to keep up with other gerbils in the world. 

After all, life is expensive! Working as an author and dishing the future on psychic networks, day after, day can be grueling. Why do I work so hard, anyhow? Well, let me count the ways. Paying an arm and leg to keep up with health care premiums (despite I'm in Healthy Tier 1 and never use it); paying for my fur kids' ordeals: from dental surgery to forehead tumor removal and pup's shots to neutering... 

Fun Today:
Dogs walked, fish tended to, waterbed warm, gifted with rugs
and down...
grocery shopping, temporary crown in, animals happy...Time to
work the networks, proof book, watch films and chill!

And then there is the cost of living, housing, food, utilities, clothes, human dentist (two leaky fillings, one tiny cavity equals 1500 bucks) and pet food--and it never stops. I'm not having fun yet. (Living was more fun when I was a penniless hippie hitchhiker with a dog, knapsack, and sleeping bag.)

Life can be full of good times--and balance--but sometimes hard work ends up giving me a sense of accomplishment, security, and helps give me peace of mind, sort of. When you are goal-oriented and complete a goal it is a rush and empowering. Still, there is a time to work; there is a time to play. Caveat: If you're working on a project it's not smart to ditch it to go rejoice a traditional holiday (laugh, drink, and be merry) because you can lose focus. The word belated was created for celebrations of all kinds because life is not on our time table.

Have another article on olive oil coming up

Walking dogs on dry ground is calming

But come mid January I vow to enjoy down time...more play with the dogs, sleeping in an additional hour (I did that today and it was heaven).  Nesting more. While my cabin is in order, there are some winter-pre-spring projects I'd like to do. The other day, for one, I took my huge collection of stuffed bears and moved them from the top piece of  built-in wooden furniture to the study. I replaced it with plates and baskets for a more earthy, clean "Food Network" chef's look. But a gift rug with wildlife--including bears is now on my floors. Do the bears want to come back to the study/dining room to party? Are we having fun yet?

Regarding diet and exercise. Early next year it's back to the pool in the early mornings (when the ski-loving tourists are sleeping) and dabbling in the Paleo diet for health's sake. The treadmill looks inviting. Note to self: Make fire and share with Aussie Skye spells fun. And despite global warming, I might as well use firewood for the ambiance of it all. Baking and cooking on no-Paleo diet days will fill the cabin with heavenly scents...

And, I will probably go back to the webcam psychic network to entertain folks from abroad and provide readings. The managers have missed me and actually it's like having guests from the UK to Australia visit me and my fur children.

I'd like to go to Europe or Arizona (my Gran used to live there) but I don't think I could leave my kids at a kennel. Skye already has an attitude when I bring up relocating to the desert. He did enjoy Carson City, yesterday (it was colder than South Shore). He sports a winter coat...

Need to find a new java, old one is boring

I adore Zen...he lowers my BP

And my trusty pet sitter? She told me a year ago she doesn't like cats. Zen didn't like that, nor do I. So I am pet sitterless.  I don't have to travel to amuse myself. Actually, I have fun just hanging at watching films, cleaning, creating healthful dishes, writing columns, and working on new ideas for another book.  Note to self: Drink coffee for inspiration.

So, am I too serious? I do like things to run smoothly. Probably need to laugh at life's super crazy foibles, though.  (Easier to do so after than during.) I am an introvert. I am Type-A (go to the dictionary and see a head shot of me). I love to be centerd but realize in the real world we cannot always be on even keel 100% of the time because life is like a roller coaster and sometimes I scream during twists and turns. Other times we can coast. We can be calm. So, as I finish this long and much enjoyed ride through exotic Olive Oil Land I do promise to lighten up (a bit) come the New Year.