New Year´s Resolutions

Well, better late than never, right? I don´t usually make New Year´s resolutions, mainly because when I have in the past, I´ve, well... FAILED. But this year (and I don´t really know why), I had an urge to make some. It´s just that there are a few changes I want to make in my life, so why not start with the new year? I may add to these over time, but these are the main ones I´ve been thinking of:

1. SAVE MONEY. This is one of the more important ones, especially now that I´ve found out that my parents have more debt than I thought. I knew they had some (like most Americans), but I didn´t know how much. I also have a bit, and I´d like to get out of it, as well as try to actually save some money. And if there is any way I can, I´d like to try to help my parents a bit (yeah, probably not on my English teacher´s salary, but at some point down the line).

2. Quit spending so much money on puras weas. This goes along with # 1 - my thinking is that if I can stop spending so much money on stupid (or maybe it would be better to say ¨unnecessary¨) things, I can actually save some money, right? And when I think about puras weas, the first thing that comes to mind is Coca-Cola. Sweet nectar of the gods it is. And 600 pesos doesn´t seem like that much when I´m spending it on a Coke, but when I add it all up and realize how much money I spend in a month on Coke, I shudder. That, and real coffee. I´m sorry, but having a Starbucks just a few short blocks from where I work is ridiculously tempting. Although I have to say, I haven´t been there that much lately (go me!). Still, good grief... it´s like the Chilean universe is conspiring against me and my budget.

3. Stop taking the easy way out when speaking Spanish. Or, in other words, stop being lazy. The thing is, when I´m talking to D (who understands almost 100% of what I say in English), it´s so tempting to just finish a sentence in English that I start in Spanish, if I can´t think of the right words to say. This is fine as far as his comprehension goes. But NOT fine as far as me getting over that hurdle and becoming fluent in Spanish. My Spanish is pretty good, and I do know a lot of chilenismos, but I´m not quite fluent yet, and I want to get there. So one thing I need to do is quit being lazy, and force myself to complete the thought in Spanish, no matter how challenging.

4. EXERCISE. If there existed a Top Ten list of New Year´s resolutions that Americans make, this one would probably top the list. That, or quitting smoking. It´s almost cliche, it´s so common. But I don´t care - call me cliche if you will, I really do need to start exercising. No one´s said I look fat or anything, but I just FEEL a lot better when I exercise, physically and mentally. I long for the days when I ran on my high school´s cross country team. That was the best shape I´ve been in in my life, and I want at least a semblance of that back.

5. Read as much as I can. I love reading, and it really helps me with writing, and even gives me ideas for my English classes sometimes. I´m stoked because I got 2 Barnes & Noble gift cards for Christmas, so I brought back a nice stash of books with me to Chile (I am indeed a nerd, have I mentioned that on this blog already?).

6. Travel to the south of Chile. I´ve wanted to do this for so long, and have never really had the opportunity or the money. I want to make it happen sometime in 2009 - if not in February, maybe in September during the week of dieciocho, when I´ll actually have some vacation time.

That´s it for now... I think 6 is plenty. Now all I need is someone to help me stick with these resolutions!