We’re not going out tonight to some fabulous dinner party; we’re not going to a bar to drink and yell across the crowds to our friends; we’re not standing in Times Square with eighty gazillion people from out of town watching Snooki drop from a (stripper’s) pole at midnight.

I’ve given up on reverb10, despite the inner voice telling me I shouldn’t quit; the prompts were sort of variations on a theme and I’m out of ways to be interesting about writing more and bitching less?

Because basically, when you get right down to it? Those are my twin intentions for 2011.  Granted, it’s not up there with world peace or curing cancer, but hey – no less an expert than Gretchen Rubin, the Happiness Project lady, says that you should “start small” when you’re making resolutions.  So I’m starting small: I can bitch less, right? I just have to…not bitch.  Tucked into “not bitching,” though, you’ll find: be patient; find compassion; trust; breathe; let go.

And write more? Well, I can do that too. I can write in the morning before doing my email; I can write at night instead of watching reruns of “Burn Notice;” I can write instead of sitting on the couch and eating cookies – which is, truly, one of my favorite winter (and spring) sports.

I think 2011 will be filled with adventures and changes – Husband turns 50, Liam graduates from 5th grade, Caleb seems to be learning how to multiply (in first grade), and me? Well, if I believe my own reverb10 posts, I’m going to write a ton, learn to juggle, and do a lot of yoga.

I can do that, right?

Happy New Year!