Man…New Years Eve ain’t what it used to be. Here I sit…struggling to see my computer screen…not because I’ve had too much to drink but because my eyes have gone to pot over the past year. WHAT is UP with that? My eye doctor calls it ‘forty-eye-tus’. I call it ‘it sucks.’ I’d like to think I can eat some carrots or exercise a little more and save my eyesight. She says…no. It is getting old. Well..boo on that.

Anyhoo, as I watch the crazy kids on TV enjoying Green Day live at the Los Angeles New Years Eve party, I’m happy to be in the comfort of my own home, sipping a glass of wine and waiting for 2010. Earlier tonight I stared at my baby girl’s, who just turned 4, feet and thought…these are not the feet of a baby anymore. And this is my New Years Eve and I love it.

I guess I am getting old. The last time I REALLY went out and celebrated NYEve was before Jack was born (7 or 8 years ago).  D and I went to Gville, got a hotel room, went out with friends, watched the Root Doctors, ran up a $300 bar tab and I ended up walking the streets of downtown Gville in a white furry hat telling people I was the Blair Witch. And growling at them. Sweet.

Needless to say…tonight will NOT be that kinda night and I will feel MUCH better tomorrow than I did on that New Years Day. Thank goodness.

I’m looking forward to 2010. 2009 has been pretty okay for us compared to so many of our friends and neighbors and we are thankful for that but so sorry for them. We’ve learned a lot from watching others struggle with job loss, illness and tough times in other ways. It has made us step back and reevaluate how we live our own lives, work to be more frugal, cherish those we love and live everyday to the fullest. It goes by so quick and can all change so fast. Life is so exciting yet so scary.

I’m optimistic about what is to come for Spartanburg in the new year. I feel confident that we will come together to work harder to move our community forward.  We must start focusing locally. We’ve all let ourselves become so consumed with the national battle of R vs. D and conservative vs. liberal…being played like pawns in a game. We need to put a stop to that in 2010.

We’ve forgotten what it is to take care of what is right around us and our communities are suffering. If we take care of what is around us…I truly believe all that will spread and start to heal the rest of it.

So like everyone…I have New Years resolutions. One—I need to exercise more. Okay…A LOT more than I’m doing now…which is practically none. I gave up years ago on attaining my college weight again. Now, I’d just like to fit comfortably in the pants I own because right now…I’m not comfortable in these jeans. Two—I want my family to reduce our waste. I want us to reduce our overall impact on all the systems we use. The landfill, gas, electric, oil. All of it. Use less. Three—be better consumers and support our local economies as much as we can. We need to keep our money in our local economy and need to think about that with every purchase we make. It does matter. And Four…grow some of our own food. I’ve tried this for the past couple of years and failed miserably. Thank goodness for the Farmers Market and other local growers but I really want to do some of my own and will try again this year.

I think those are ‘doable’ goals. I need to set goals that I can accomplish all on my own. All of us do because when we see little successes it sets us up to accomplish more.

One thing I’ve learned after doing this blog for ALMOST 5 years (Seeding Spartanburg turns 5 in January) is that I can talk state and national politics ALL day and accomplish nothing. But that maybe…just maybe…I can focus on local and influence my fellow citizens to get involved and care about our own community. What happens local effects our everyday life and people want better lives but we won’t get that unless we work for it. So I hope to do more of that in 2010 for no other reason than because I care about this place. And I know if you’re bothering to read what I’m typing…so do you. So thank you.

And Happy New Year. Cheers to a great one.

:) t