Resolution(s)

From Wikipedia:

Cheating refers to an immoral way of achieving a goal. It is generally used for the breaking of rules to gain unfair advantage in a competitive situation. Cheating is the getting of reward for ability by dishonest means.

January 1st - the first day of the year (at least on western calendars).  The time for resolutions.  I haven't made a New Years Resolution in many years, but I know that fitness centers are hopping this time of year, so diets must be high on the list!

So when people say that they are cheating on their diet, what does that mean?  If you read the Wikipedia description, it must mean that they are only eating carrots and celery, since by definition they're getting to the goal by dishonest means.  And the goal is losing weight, right?  Or maybe they're taking water pills and laxatives.  Or photo shopping their profile pics?

Based on what I'm seeing on Pinterest, not a lot of my friends made a diet resolution this year.  I see pins for caramel pretzel bars, and death by chocolate cake, and, oh my...I can't go on for fear of the food porn police coming to get me.  

On a totally unrelated subject, my alma mater, North Dakota State University, won the NCAA FCS football championship for the 3rd year in a row!  Here we are with #4 Ryan Smith, who had to stand on tippy toes for the shot (I didn't, but that doesn't mean I'm vertically challenged).

And here I am with Thundar, the Bison Mascot the night before the big game at the Pep Fest.  It was so cold, and at that point I was shivering and barely able to hold on to my wine!

The highlights of the game weekend were my Niece's family visiting, meeting my nephew-in-law's Mom and Pop, the homemade dilly beans and chokecherry jelly my Niece brought me, and well, just being with family.  I've been dreaming about my move back north for a long time - sometimes it seems impossible, and sometimes, just sometimes, I can see it.  

In order to sell my house, I need to come up with the money to install baseboards, repair some siding, and replace some fence.  I don't know now where that money will come from, but if I hold on to my dream it'll come.

What is my dream now?  When I was younger, my dream was to travel the world and have adventures.  I DID THAT!  Dream realized 100 times over!

Now?  I want to be close to family.  Close enough to have game watching parties at my house.  With a garden out back.  Ideally, chickens out back, but that probably isn't going to happen.  I want my geriatric cat Gracie to go with me, but she's 16 and has kidney and liver disease, so when she goes, I want 2 kittens - not to take her place, but to start anew.  I want to laugh, and cry, and live near those I love.  I want to sweat because I'm working out.  I want to be in the best shape of my life.  I want to run a 5K - not walk/run, but run the whole way.  I want to learn how to recognize mushrooms in the wild, pick them, and create magnificent food.  

The last couple of days I've done a count down in my head.  I'm 53, so how many years does that give me?  By no means do I feel like I've wasted my life, but the warning bell is sounding in my head to do what I want now.  There's no guarantee of more, ever.  My family has been incredibly blessed with  rare fatal illness.  My folks both smoked and died from it (heart attack and lung cancer), but incredibly, we're okay.  My big brother has had heart issues (bypass) but it now in the best shape of his life.  My sister-in-law and step-father have both had skin cancer scares.  Type 2 diabetes has been cured by weight loss for my younger brother and me.   

Long, rambling post tonight.  But it's full of my wants, needs, and dreams.  May they all come true - sooner than later!