Happy New Year!

When the clock radio went off this morning, I hestitated only slightly before hitting the snooze button for the fifth time because I heard something interesting: If you truly want to make changes this year, consider making intentions rather than resolutions. Once I comprehended this pearl of wisdom, I said to myself, "I fully intend to get 9 more minutes of sleep, starting...NOW." (And Mr. Snooze Button was subsequently smacked.)

When I finally reached full consciousness (precipitated by the crying of Amy), I really considered the whole resolutions vs. intentions argument. And I have to say, it's a good one. First of all, I h-a-t-e resolutions. I've never once kept a resolution; in my first real college psychology class (not 101--it was called Behavior Modification, or some such nonsense) I didn't get an A because my personal behavior modification project failed. The reason? I think I'm pretty good just the way I am, and isn't loving yourself the way you are what psychology and therapy are supposed to teach people anyway?

So back to our friends "resolution" and "intention". Here is what the all-knowing Merriam-Webster online dictionary had to say by way of definition of these two words:

resolution: the act or process of resolving: as the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones
intention: a determination to act in a certain way

Frankly, given those definitions, I resolve to make intentions from now on due to the confusing nature of trying to analyze a complex notion into simpler ones. Seriously though, it makes sense to say there is no wiggle room in a resolution. No wonder those of us who have resolved on past January 1sts to lose weight give up the moment we pay for that first Krispy Kreme of the new year.

However, intentions allow for a tumble off the wagon every now and then. When we are determined to act a certain way, we don't tie ourselves down to an all-or-nothing proposition. If we don't act the way we wanted to, we get up, brush off the dust, and remind ourselves of what we are intending to accomplish. The motivation to make changes is still intact, because the requirement of complete adherence to a resolution is absent. Wow. That sounded way more intelligent than I thought it would.

With what I learned about the difference between resolutions and intentions, I'm telling you now that I fully intend to post new pictures every week this year. I'm putting it on my calendar. And on those weeks when the faithful readers of this blog are stuck looking at the previous weeks' pictures, please know that I haven't given up!

I wish all of you the best of intentions in 2008.

Gina