A word on resolutions and other things

You know how they say that stupidity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result? Well, I'm really stupid. Luckily, this is the kind of stupid that only effects myself. I went cross-country skiing for the first time this season today, and although I know that I always get blisters from the boots, I chose to ignore this bit of evidence and do what I always do, which is to wear liner socks and thicker socks on top. About three strides into the trail, I knew that this was stupid. It was so stupid that I hadn't even thought about how stupid it was until that point. So, of course, I ended the trail the way I typically do, which is to take off my skis and hobble back to the hut while trying to hold back tears and grimacing.

It was a beautiful day though, even if the trail was less than ideal (lots of skiers going both the proper way around the trail and backwards, necessitating jumping off the trail to let people pass frequently, the snowmobile grooming the trail alongside all of these skiers, and a couple walking their dog in direct violation of the posted signage which says that hikers are not allowed on the trail when the XC trails are open. Of course, they followed behind the snowmobile, obscuring any sign of the groomed path.)

These top two pictures are actually from New Year's Day, which was cold but sunny. I went out for a walk around the neighborhood and listened to Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me on my iPod. Love that show.

And about those resolutions, anway? Well, you may remember that way back last year my resolution was to read all the unread books in my bookshelves. I was pretty good about talking about them here for a while, and then I stopped talking about them, but not reading. I am proud to say that with the exception of 1.25 books, I met my goal. Some of them were great. Some I stopped reading because I decided I didn't care enough to muscle my way through. And some I just decided I wasn't interested enough to start. The 1.25 books I have left to finish are Siddartha by Herman Hesse (this is the .25) and The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupery.

My resolutions for this year, I have already discussed here. I am unconcerned about making lots of resolutions. Two is enough for me: 1. Complete a half-marathon and 2. Incorporate yoga into my life.

One more thing. Everyone knows that the best part of getting cold is getting warm again. I made this soup in a flash after skiing today. It took maybe 10 or 15 minutes to chop everything up and then simmered for about 20 while I was in the shower. Delish! It's the Hearty Stew from The Vegan Table, which I highly recommend. Only, I un-veganized it by adding a chunk of parmesan rind which was lying in my freezer. What a chewy cheesy treat!