Resolutions

Here is the first sunset of 2011. 

I have never really liked the whole New Year thing. I often find it depressing, or I make poor choices, or I end up doing something disappointing while it seems that everyone everywhere else in the world is wearing cool sequined dresses at awesome parties where they take flattering photos of each other and throw confetti  and kiss in a carefree it's the new year way and have the best time of their lives while I'm standing in some linoleum-floor kitchen looking at a digital microwave clock with a large drink in my hand.

Anyway, I had a great adventure this year involving a car trip up to Bellingham with Sam, the Lion's Inn Motel, Mt. Baker, cherry bombs, sparklers, creepy alleyways, timed photos in front of City Hall, champagne, Dick Clark and donuts.

It wasn't all family-oriented fun however. There were two distinct challenges:

1. I started driving up I-5 and my snowboard rack popped open and I pulled onto the shoulder just in time to watch my brand-new board slide down my windshield. That was nice. But we fixed the rack and continued on. Round 2.

2. Mt. Baker was bullet-proof. It is a gorgeous, steep, awesome looking mountain but that sort of thing just isn't fun for me unless there's fresh snow. Which there wasn't. And after ragdolling down a sketchy line through the trees, I didn't want to snowboard anymore. So it was kind of a short day. But we are totally prepared for next time.

Rest assured, none of this ruined the fun. Not when you're having an adventure. I found my childhood home in Burlington. We drove by it and I would have taken a picture to show you but someone was peeping out from behind the curtains, most likely preparing to call 911, so we left. I also took Sam through Seattle, showed him Pike Place Market and posed with a Justin Bieber cardboard cutout. The things you do for love.

Anyway, my new year's resolution may have been to be a nicer girlfriend but I think I immediately blew it by mocking him for spilling cold coffee all over himself (it still makes me laugh thinking about it), so I think I should move on from that resolution and find a new one. Maybe to floss every day. Did you make a resolution? I feel like the whole thing is kind of lame, and they never work (my goal last year was to be a nicer, more positive person and I think everyone saw that failure in action), but I still like the idea in theory and I like to hear about the futile resolutions other people come up with.

Happy 2011.