10 Sharaf 166 B.E. (Baha'i calendar)
Soundtrack in my head:  Beat Pharmacy, "Nature's Disco"

I'm not normally one for new year's resolutions, but somehow, I feel that this year is different.  Maybe it's because it's a start of a new decade. I find myself imagining that resolutions at the start of a new decade might somehow have more power and resonance.  Maybe it's because later this year, the last two digits of the year on the Baha'i calendar will match the last two digits of my birth year on the Gregorian calendar (1967 C.E. and 167 B.E.)  As such, I imagine this being a significant and transitional year.  (Or maybe I'm just playing air guitar in my head.)

A friend recently asked me what felt more like a new year to me--the Gregorian New Year (1 January) or the Baha'i New Year (20-21 March).  The best answer I can come up with is that both feel like new years to me.  As far as resolutions go, I see 1 January as a time to make new resolutions and 20-21 March (1 Baha) as a time to reaffirm and refine them as necessary.

So, in that spirit, here are my new year resolutions, in no particular order:

• Deepen my practice of the Baha'i Faith.  Read more of the Baha'i writings, explore ways to improve my prayers, and meditate more often.
• Further develop my friendships.  Hang out in my co-op house's common areas more often, leave the door to my room more often to invite spontaneous conversations, invite more friends to our house dinners and take more initiative in organizing get-togethers.
• Further develop my skills as a DJ.  Prepare and practice more for DJ'ing events, listen to more music and expand my music collection, exploring eMusic and listening to Pandora more often to refine my sound. Writing and reflecting about my sound and what exactly The Different Drummer Soundtrack should sound like.
• Eat out less and save more money.
• Lose more weight.  I got a good start two years ago when I lost fifty pounds and I've kept it off, but I need to go further.  Go to gym more often, get more strict with myself in avoiding wheat and grains--this made all the difference with my weight loss two years ago.
• Develop my writing further.  Participate more in the writer's group I belong to, consult writing blogs, and reflect on my journal writing both online and offline.

By putting these resolutions on my blog, maybe I'll take them more seriously. I will post my results at the end of this Gregorian year.  Happy New Gregorian Year, everyone!