resolutions

I have been trying to make up all the hours from the holidays. That leaves me very little time to think, write, or do anything else.

I spent Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur davening for clarity. I didn't quite get the answer I sought, but I did get a list of things I need to do during the coming year. I know that they're all very small, basic things, but I'm not good at following through with grand changes. Baby steps are more likely to succeed:

1. Work on my Hebrew. I bought the interlinear Tehillim thinking that I could use it to practice my Hebrew and increase my vocabulary. I tried the same thing with a siddur last year, but I really don't have hours to spend each day on my prayers, so those need to stay in English for now. Surely I can read one Psalm a day out loud.

2. Get better about my after-brachas. It is NOT that hard to memorize the after-brachas, at least not the shorter ones. I need to stop being lazy.

3. Start donating to a BT learning center I particularly admire. I don't give nearly as much tzedaka as I should. One of my friends gave me the idea of sending in 12 checks, 11 post-dated. Surely I can find $15 a month in my budget for this.

4. Create (and stick with) a plan to get out of debt. All of my tax refund needs to go towards paying off debt. That will take care of my one high-interest credit card. After that, I need to divert the money I was paying each month on that card to my car loan. Where did I get the idea that 6% was an acceptable interest rate? The economy is pretty scary right now; I need to get my house in order!

5. Get better about housework. I can't find the key to the box where I keep my jewelry. I've even lost a siddur! I need to get this house clean and keep it that way!

6. This is the one that isn't so small... I want to get engaged. I want to settle down. I need to break through the one thing that's really blocking me from this.

I hope everyone had a productive fast and was sealed for good in the Book of Life.