This is me on the last day of 2009. Some people think making New Year Resolutions is corny. I happen to love the idea of starting fresh with a clean slate each year. If not at the beginning of the year, then when? I make resolutions every year. I write them down and post them on my wall as a daily reminder. Some resolutions have worked, like the year I declared I was going to work full time for a magazine. Others, such as losing ___ pounds, remain on my wall year after year. Goal setting is important, and writing your goals helps to solidify them. Here are mine in no particular order:

Blog More
I used to fancy myself a pretty good writer, but somehow I started getting in the way of myself. I would be so concerned with being extra clever and witty that it stressed me out. I guess it’s the perfectionist side of me. That perfectionist attitude was counter-productive because I didn’t try to overcome it, I just stopped posting! A wonderful client recently requested that I blog about her family because she liked the stories I wrote to go with the pictures. I had no idea that people actually read my blogs! LOL! So I’m going to set a blog schedule and stick to it. Just be prepared for some witless, un-clever postings hopefully intertwined with some gems.

Get Money Control!
I have to face facts that I am not great with my money. To be more specific, I don’t spend wildly on frivolous things, I just lose track of my spending and end up with stupid late fees and overdraft fees. I’m done with those in 2010. This year I’m going to be meticulous with my spending!

Watch Less HGTV and Actually Work on MY House
My friends know I’m an HGTVaholic. If my tv isn’t on HGTV they usually have some kind of well-deserved wisecrack. I sit and watch all the people with extra money buy perfectly nice homes and rip out bathrooms and replace them with shiny new ones. Problem is, I look around my house and want to rip out everything and come up with another great color-scheme, floorplan, and furniture style with each great episode. I don’t invite people over often because I’m convinced they will think my house is as disappointing as I do. I have a big house with a lot of rooms and constantly being disappointed with my abode is exhausting. So with all the time I’ll have from not watching tv, and all the money I’ll save from getting rid of late fees and overdraft fees, I can do some great things to my house.

Shoot 12 Weddings
This one is more of a goal than a resolution. In 2008, I shot two and last year I shot five on my own, including one in Philadelphia and several in Baltimore as a second-shooter for my friend Tiffaney of TJW Experience. As part of my blogging resolution I’m going to start blogging about all my 2009 weddings this month and continue throughout the year.

Get Fit!
I’m done with the diets (for now). But I’m not done with attempting to get fit. I started working with a fantastic trainer last year. I started seeing results pretty quickly while working with Candii at Sharpe Shape Fitness, but I had to stop because of my crazy work schedule. Yeah Yeah I know that’s a poor excuse, but you try getting up at 5am everyday and returning after 9pm and shooting on the weekends. I’m an adjunct professor of photography and graphic design in a small school in Northern Virginia…and I live in Baltimore. Try getting through that rush-hour traffic everyday and feel like working out at night. Hmpff! But I will make it my priority this year. Besides, it takes muscle to lug around all of that heavy equipment.

Be a Better (Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Friend, Teacher, Photographer) Person
This is my goal every year. This year I’m going to recycle more and work on reducing my carbon footprint. I’m going to be more committed to shopping local and buying goods from the farmer’s market. I might even grow a vegetable garden. I’m going to spend more time with my family and friends. They were so awesome to me in 2009. I will strive to inspire the students who show interest to use good design principles so they can get great jobs after graduation.

I’m also going to dedicate myself to finding my style or photography and doing it well. I have one idea and I think I’m going to pursue it. But for the next 30 days I’ll ponder other ideas. It’s time to find my photographic voice once again.