Your New Year's Resolutions. Take a cue from our tough borrowers!

[Guest]

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[Sherri]

I was observing (with some humour) that even here in The Lounge which I assume was supposed to be for non-Kiva discussion, we still seem to find new Kiva-related things to talk about. So, I'm starting this thread to get some light-hearted, casual conversations going as a break from the sometimes overwhelming issues that Kiva and the lenders are focused on.

I was inspired about the theme of this thread by thinking of the sheer will that some of our borrowers have (here I go, talking about Kiva!) to improve their lives even though they are in extremely difficult situations that many of us here can only imagine.

January is a time of year when many of us make a list of resolutions that aim at making OUR lives better. It's a same that the percent of New Year's resolutions that people give up on is so high. If our Kiva borrowers can improve their lives in such difficult situations such as poverty, war, disease, single parenthood with many, many children, etc, etc... then we should take some inspiration from them to actually stick to our resolutions which seem easy in comparison.

So, without further ado... let's take a lesson from our borrowers and apply some of their grit, to our own resolutions to improve OUR lives.

What are your New Year's Resolutions, why are you making them, and post back here to tell us how you're making out. Let's encourage our fellow K-friends!

I guess I'll start. My resolutions:

- Increase my fitness level with cardio exercise and light weight training. Why? Thin doesn't mean fit, and my desk job has made my endurance nearly non existent. I want the energy to do the things that are important to me.

- To let go of some of my self-made stress and worry. Why? There are better things in life to focus on.

- Stop focusing on the few things in my life that I don't have, and instead remember my many, many blessings. Why? I don't want to fast-forward my life wishing for 'the next thing I need to be happy'.

- Meditate daily. Why? Help with the above two items, and further my Practise.

- Save for a down payment on a house. Why? Want to be financially stable before making such a big purchase. Rather than going for it now with only 5% down, and take on un-needed risk.

(Maybe we can have KFriends partner up with people working on similar resolutions to provide feedback and encouragement to eachother via PMs or Emails?)

Anyone else want to share?

[KivanSteven]

I dont have any new years resolutions--maybe I do, but I usually dont refer to them as that. But some of my goals are to:

- read more
- post more KF messages (just kidding)
- post longer KF messages (seriously---no just kidding)
- mountain hike a few more high state peaks east of the Mississippi--particularly in Maine, New Hampshire, Tennessee, & North Carolina
- move out towards the Adirondack Mountains in Eastern Upstate NY--Id be about 20 minutes north of Albany--most likely mid-late summer
- I want to bike cross country, but that most likely wouldnt have a chance of happening until 2009 at the earliest
- reach about 10k circulating through Kiva and probably stop at that amount

Cant think of more at the moment--great idea linking people together for support, ideas, and encouragment 

[Diane R]

- I want to bike cross country, but that most likely wouldnt have a chance of happening until 2009 at the earliest

Steve -- I rode my bicycle cross-country many years ago: get in touch, I still have my maps and journal.   

--Diane.

[Kay]

Wow, I'm impressed!

[KivanSteven]

Wow Diane, I will definitely PM you in a bit--just to hear of your opinions on the experience more than anything else.  Thanks for letting me know!!  After the idea popped into my head and I determined whether or not I would truly be willing to take on such a long tedious trip, I read a bunch of in depth opinions online from people who managed to make it across and it sounds completely exhilirating, including some of the enormously high peaks you make your way across (depending on the route of course).  Ill be in touch.

[Elizabeth]

Steve -- I rode my bicycle cross-country many years ago: get in touch, I still have my maps and journal.   

--Diane.

Tell him to avoid those rock throwers in KY.

[rusty2]

Steve -- I rode my bicycle cross-country many years ago: get in touch, I still have my maps and journal.   

--Diane.

Bicycle cross-country???  Okay.....that's crazy talk......burn said maps/journals.....

[KivanSteven]

Those maps cost close to $150, or more--sell them before trashing them.  Its actually a pretty popular excursion Rusty that thousands take every year.  And no better way to so intimately experience the country.  If and when I do find a good 3 months of free time, which would include a leave of absence from work of course, I hope to actually use the opportunity to take some time and spread the word about Kiva in each town I hit, from one coast to the other.  I think it would be very fulfilling--Im guessing thats why most people undertake the challenge to begin with.

[Diane R]

I had never been west of Pennsylvania when I made my trip from east to west, Steve. It was without question an amazing way to see the country.

--Diane.
(who does not plan to EVER give/throw away those maps)

[rusty2]

It sounds like quite an exciting challenge to me Steve.  I have not even been on a bike in years-I hope I remember how without training wheels! Sadly, I'm still working on my new years resolution.

[Sherri]

Hey to the rest of you.. what are your resolutions for this year?

[RichardF]

I resolve to dig up at least old Kiva Friends topic instead of starting a new one! 

[Robert]

Inkrease my KivaKommitment. Definitely.

As for the rest, it's too early to share, as the details will only be worked out in a few months. Anyhow, an exciting year ahead!

Robert

[Leslie]

Happy New Year! 

It's just after midnight here in Japan....and many people are making their first visit of the year to their local shrines....

This year I resolve to further help the spread of Kiva in Japan.

[Mona]

In Germany it has become a habit to do on New Year's eve what we did just now: watch "Dinner for One" on tv. If you have never heard about it (and don't understand the German introduction at the beginning  ), here is in short what it is about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One
The sketch presents the 90th birthday of elderly upper-class Englishwoman Miss Sophie, who hosts a dinner every year for her close friends Mr Pommeroy, Mr Winterbottom, Sir Toby, and Admiral von Schneider to celebrate the occasion. The problem is that given Miss Sophie's considerable age, she has outlived all of her friends, and so her equally aged butler James makes his way around the table, impersonating each of the guests in turn.

Hope you will enjoy it. 



Happy new year to you all!   
Mona
 

[Penny]

I really don't do resolutions... but I do have goals:


Finish up 1st year Greek and begin year 2
Take conversational Spanish so I don't have to keep pretending I am a mime at work
Get my certification pre-reqs finished this year
Draw more, get to the Bontanical Gardens more
This year actually properly plan the herb garden
Be less bloody self-centered and self-absorbed
Buy a new powerbook
Keep investing in Kiva
Be able to play Pachebel's Canon in D Major from memory, both first and second violin.

[Henry]

Happy New Year! 
 
May 2009 be wonderfully fine! 
 
Here's to a lighter weight
on all our shoulders
in this new year
and
to more socialization
with friends
and family!

[Environmental Care]

#1. Eat more vegetables. (So far, so good!)
#2. Work on expanding the Environmental Loan Group on Kiva.org  We are off to a good start, as our numbers have more than doubled since Jan. 1, 09. If you're interested, check us out at: www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=231
Best wishes for your health and happiness in 2009, everyone!
Melanie

[Alaska Pack]

I dont have any new years resolutions--maybe I do, but I usually dont refer to them as that. But some of my goals are to:



- I want to bike cross country, but that most likely wouldnt have a chance of happening until 2009 at the earliest


Dear Steven,
My husband's passion is long distance biking.  Tour de France anyone?  He biked from Seattle to Canada then to his home states of Ohio.  This included biking through Glacier National Park and from Canada crossing by boat across Lake Michigan.  He has also done the West coast.  He likes to do the local bike race here the Fireweed in July.  It entails biking anywhere from 25 miles to 400 miles in a day.  It is a RAM qualifier.  He prefers to do the 200.  You can e-mail us if you want input from my husband.  Have you thought about biking from NY to Alaska?  You can stop at various Kivafriends along the way.  If you need further motivation, I'm including a link to the famous Johnny Horton song, North to Alaska:

    Bernice

[Jan & John]

Great idea Bernice (and I haven't heard that song in quite a while:)

Steve - there's a bed in Calgary you can use for one of your stops ...

jan