Einen Guten Rutsch, Y'all

2012 was a tough year.  A car accident, the death of a colleague, illness, and the hurricane affected me personally, and the senseless killing of 20 children near the end of the year hit too close to home.

It's left me deeply fatigued and emotionally raw, reading the news aslant fearing more horrors and deeply affected by events around the globe.

So how to move forward to 2013?

I'd like to try to be calmer, less irritable with strangers and family members alike, more focused on the positive.

I want to keep working to make a difference in the world, to try to figure out how to have more of an impact.

At the same time, I want to give attention to the personal: sleep more, exercise more, make more music. Spend more time outdoors, in the woods and near water, or in it.

Drink less coffee and eat less junk food -- and eat more food that's delicious and healthy .  Spend less time spinning my wheels and getting stressed out about work.

The Germans wish each other "einen guten Rutsch," a good slide, into the New Year.  Maybe this year I can do more sliding, less scraping, slip and glide through life instead of bumping and bouncing.  Whaddya think; can I manage it?

Less complaining, more affirmation.  More hugs, fewer snarls, more thanks.