“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Hope.
That is what a day like today can bring. True, it is merely another Thursday. Just another day on the calendar. Magic did not settle upon our lives at the stroke of midnight. All our problems have not disappeared, all of our dreams have not suddenly come true. And the fact is that neither of those things will be happening any time soon. But they can and will happen.
Opportunity.
This ‘day like any other day’ is truly a chance for us to stop, to reflect, to record on paper, and in our hearts, the changes we would like to make, the things we would like to accomplish, the dreams that we would like to make come true.
Hope.
As we leave behind 2008–a year filled with wonderful memories and the often frightening reality of the fragile world we live in today–hope is there for the taking. We may have to grasp it firmly in both hands and hang on to it for dear life, but hope is there. And take it we must. It is not ours because of a newly elected leader or because things are suddenly going to be okay. It is not ours because we have earned it. Hope is our gift and as sentimental as it may sound it is a gift we must embrace. We cannot lose faith. We must believe and grow and love and…hope.
My personal theme for 2009 is health and healing. I am choosing to be more healthy physically, financially, spiritually, and mentally. I want health and healing to enter into every aspect of my life. I have some very specific goals, resolutions if you must, but whether obvious or not they all have to center around being more healthy.
–I will continue 2008’s trend to use my local library with at least one book read per month being checked out instead of purchased.
–I will continue to do my part to stimulate the economy, particularly at the bookstore, but I will be making a concerted effort to buy books when I am ready to read them rather than buying books simply to put on the TBR pile. I know that I will not be rigid about this (thanks to Subterranean Press if no one else!), but I will see a change from my former behavior in this area. Which leads to…
–I will grow more healthy in my finances. I will continue savings trends and debt reduction efforts that began last year and will increase my efforts on those fronts. I will not continue the societal trend towards having to get it now. I will appreciate and cherish what I have and work for what I want and need.
–I will increase my exercise and good eating habits, not because of some vain desire to look better (though I hope that also happens) but because one thing turning 40 has done is make me keenly aware that now is the time to invest in my future long-term health.
–I will not let the stress of my job, one that I generally enjoy very much, interfere with my life to the point that I drop out of my life for short or long periods of time.
–I will maintain a healthy balance between my career, my hobbies, my interests, my relationships both here and online. I will not neglect any one thing for another.
–I will face all the ups and downs that life throws at us all with a positive attitude, faith in God, and a determination to truly experience every day of this year.
Hope, Opportunity, Health and Healing. I believe that if I keep those things in mind in all that I do that 2009 will be a very interesting year!
Thank you all so very much for being a part of my 2008. You enrich my life in ways that cannot be measured. For those of you who have allowed me to interview you this past year and/or promote your work I thank you. It is a real privilege to be able to share the things that inspire me with all of you and being able to be a conduit for you to find artists and authors and creative people in all kinds of ways that inspire you is a real honor.
For those of you who have introduced me to new authors and musicians I thank you. 2008 was richly rewarding in that aspect.
I look forward to sharing my thoughts on books and films and art and all sorts of other things with you in the coming year and I wish each and every one of you the very best that 2009 has to offer.
As my new year’s gift to you I share with you something I have shared before. It is the Sigur Ros song, Hoppipolla. It’s ‘whatever you want it to mean’ lyrics enhance its perfection in representing the kind of hope I feel as 2008 closes and 2009 begins. I love to turn it up, especially towards the end where the music builds and builds.
“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.”
~G. K. Chesterton
Health and healing are positive intentions for 2009. Here’s to the fulfillment of your intentions for the year and more. Stay positive and keep yourself balanced. The years head will be challenging for everyone.
And yes to lubricating the economy by supporting bookstores. A lot of small businesses are affected by the current economic situation, so where we can, we need to help keep them in business, while staying mindful of our own pockets. Love it that you are making an effort to support your local library.
Regretfully, the video you posted is not available in the United Arab Emirates. Censorship!
Happy new year to you too – thank you for your thoughts, information and new artists, books and ideas that you shared in 2008 – looking forwards to seeing what you will share in 2009.
Wonderful sentiments Carl – a very Happy New Year to you and yours
Happy New Year Carl, here’s hoping you have a fantastic 2009!
Happy 2009 Carl! I hope all your wishes and dreams come true in 2009.. most especially the healthy wish!
Happy New Year, Carl! Your blog has brought me a lot of joy over the past year with your reviews, artist interviews, and challenges. Wishing you nothing but joy in this new year.
Cheers Carl, and best wishes for accomplishing all of your worthy goals in 2009.
THANK YOU for spending the time providing such a welcome place to visit and learn and exchange!
What a wonderful list of goals, Carl. May you find the path to achieving them a joyous one!
I have to admit that I’ve been in such a funk as of late that I wasn’t even going to set any goals for the coming year. But you just inspired me, as you so often do. I’m stealing something you said, and adopting it as my one very important goal for the new year…Live Each Day.
Thank you, Carl. For everything. May you and your family have loving, growing, inspiring year full of joy!
Hi Carl,
Happy New Year to you and your family. Great post but I didn’t quite get the video. I am hoping to embrace all of the resolutions or whatever you want to call them that you have put out there. Sometimes writing it down makes it real and I’ll have to come back and reread them for support.
Here’s a book for the new year. “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Have you read it?
Happy New Year, Carl. (Ah, just a little late.) That was a wonderful post – inspiring even. I, personally, appreciate all of the time and effort you take in keeping up this blog; I know it’s enriched my life in little ways since day one. So, thank you, and I hope all of 2009 is wonderful and rewarding for you and yours.
Thanks Chelle, blogging has been a real source of inspiration and enjoyment for me these past 4 years and I’m glad others get a little something out of the effort as well.
Cynthia: It isn’t so much the video but the music that I find inspiring for the new year (although I do love the video. Old folks acting like kids…does my heart good) I find the music to be romantic and enchanting and inspiring. Helps that I had just watched Penelope again before doing that post and it is the kiss scene music which helped endear the song to me.
I have Shadow of the Wind on my tbr pile and I have heard great things about it.
Debi: Steal away!!! I’m sorry the end of the year has been, pardon the play on your words, funky. I do hope 2009 is much, much better. I look forward to Annie’s challenge as well as all the other interaction we’ll have throughout the year.
Dark O: It will be challenging for us all, won’t it. But I do believe we can get through it and can do so with success if we stay focused, stay positive, and stick together. Sorry the video won’t work over there.
Gang: Happy New Year to you all as well. Thank you for the encouraging words you always give me about this site. It makes my heart grow enormous! 🙂
Happy New Year, Carl. (I love that book.)
Mosker: I love the books you are making, they are fantastic!!!
Ah, Carl. That is a wonderful list of “resolutions”. I tend not to make them, because I figure it sets me up to fail miserably. I have however gotten into the mode of just trying to live the best life I can…one day at a time. I even worked out yesterday!!
I hope you and your family has a wonderful 2009!! Peace!!
Happy New Year everyone!
I echo your resolutions for 2009 as well. Especially health. The video was interesting. I watched it twice. I imagine the actors had quite a bit of fun filming it. I couldn’t understand the lyrics myself but I really enjoyed the video content. I’m horrible when it comes to understanding lyrics. I just don’t have the best of hearing I believe.
Okay, the music was uplifting. The video was sad. I didn’t like the “meaness” of the townfolks because they were playing war like games and I was never fond of that growing up as a child. I guess its a guy thing. I didn’t understand the lyrics either but my hearing isn’t that great and I thought it was in another language.
Good luck with your plans for 2009, Carl! My 2009 started with a snowstorm. I still have to go home and shovel my car out, would you care to start exercising by doing it for me? lol Here’s to great things in 2009! (I’d just settle right now for finding my car because my book is in there! It’s driving me crazy!)
Kailana: Sure, I’ll be right there!
Cynthia and Jeff: your hearing is fine, I described them in the post as ‘whatever you want them to mean’ lyrics because they are not real words. They are a combination of some real foreign language and a made up language that the band did. It really is supposed to be all about the sound and the feeling it gives you.
I don’t see the video as mean, but I can understand seeing it that way. I see it really as the idea that you can still be young at heart and the whole idea of how kids fight and then get freaked out when someone actually gets hurt is what I saw in the violence of the video. But again, that’s me.
Stephanie: Living the best life is what it is all about.
Hoppipola is one of my favorite Sigur Ros songs. Very appropriate for the new year in it’s feel. I wish you a wonderful 2009 Carl. You have some perfect goals for 2009 that we could all benefit from. Beautiful post!
This is a great post, Carl! I share a lot of your themes, too, particularly on
I have been trying to make the effort to buy books only when I am ready to read them so that they don’t end up piling on the TBR pile, but I’ve not been successful in that. I guess it has a lot to do with my hoarding habit. Another thing is, books are expensive where I live so whenever there’s a sale, I jump on those and I splurge. I may not read them immediately but I got them at a good price. I most often don’t buy books at full retail prices unless I’m dying to read them at once.
Fitness in every aspect is also on my top to–do list. Managing stress and keeping a healthy balance between my personal and professional life is something I have to keep reminding myself about. I think blogging, reading, photography, and my volunteer work have kept me ‘grounded’ without selling my soul to my job. The most important of all, I have to align myself with God.
Here’s a toast to a wonderful 2009!
Happy New Year Carl! I like your positive attitude for the coming year and I wish you the best in all your endeavours!
Hoppipolla is my favourite Sigur Ros song! Love it, thanks!
dang! it feels like just yesterday that i read your 2008 post for the new year…
hope 2009 sees the fulfilment of your wishes!
Mariel: It is my favorite as well, but I must admit that I have only listened to a couple more of their songs so I don’t have a wide range of material to compare it to.
JP: It feels like that to me as well!!!
I love your resolutions (they echo mine as well) and the GK Chesterton quote. To love and hope in 2009, and wishing you a fantastic start to 2009!
Happy New Year, Carl! You have some wonderful goals–I hope you achieve them all! I especially like the one about libraries–I plan on using mine this year as well (though it shouldn’t be too hard as I love the library!).
Danielle: Shouldn’t be hard at all since I really got into the habit last year. 19 out of the 76 books I read were from the library which is incredible for me considering how little I had used the library for books for several years. I’ve already lined up 4 books that I am wanting to read and have them on hold. Saving money and supporting the library. Good things!!!
Catherine: I love Chesterton. He has some of the greatest quotes in literary history! I wish you an amazing 09 as well.
Great goals, Carl! I especially like the overall theme of health and healing.
Happy New Year, Carl, to you and yours! Love your resolutions, many of which I have also decided upon. I like how you put it, health in all aspects of life.