Happy 2011 - The Resolutions Edition

cue the music It's almost 13 hours into 2011. Where has the year gone?

Fabio, Sunshine, Heidi the reindeer and Me (not in the MIDDLE)

Fabio and I went to Brookfield Zoo for Zoo Year's Eve with Fab's friend Sunshine. Sugar Momma wasn't feeling well (post-op recovery pain) and Splenda is too cool for us now so it was just we men. I got off work a little after 4 and we were at the zoo by 5:30. It was a lot of fun; I think the fact that it was 55 degrees had a big part of it being fun. The entire zoo was pretty much open and we went to all of the major exhibits or attractions or whatever they are called at the zoo. The guys even talked to a 25' talking Christmas tree; actually we did that a couple of times so I think they really liked the tree. Incidentally, the tree is "not a psychic" because he did not know Sunshine's birth date. We went to see The Disney Prize Patrol but it was a bunch of screaming 5-year-old girls who would freak out every time the Disney people would mention or play the music of The Jonah's Brothers or Justin Bieber. We didn't stay there too long. We watched an ice sculpturer who had to try to carve blocks of ice in 55 degree temperatures. We saw a magician. One of the only complaints that I have about the zoo experience is that it was way too dark. The fountain there was surrounded by Christmas Trees decorated by various families and organizations. Though they were trimmed with lights and ornaments the lights were not illuminated like in year's past. I, as I always do, found this comical as the whole Festival of Lights is sponsored by Commonwealth Edison. The Christmas magic would have been much more magical if the scrooges at Com-Ed would not have had a power surge. I know this is the case because I overheard some of the zoo people discussing the power surge (I am nosy for you). There were a lot of lights that were working well and great but the ones in the center of the zoo, one of the main lighting attractions, were not lit. So we did not have the Zoo Year Roast Beast! We did, however, stop and Cheeseburger In Paradise on the way home for our final meal of 2010...good times, good times!

Not Powered By

I am starting the new year off with blogging at the mouth again. Why should this year be any different than the last? Com-Ed may have power surges but apparently this blog does not.

The few of you that are lucid enough to be able to read this may be here because I promised my 2011 resolutions. I have only been able to come up with a couple but, as always happens, when I start playing with it here in the blog I am sure the list will get longer (TWSS). So here is my list of 20 10 9 8 New Year's Resolutions:

1. I will lose 25 more pounds in 2011 (that's only 2 and 1/12th pounds a month)
2. I will work-out at least 150 times in 2011 (will help #1)
3. I will be more charitable this year 
4. I will visit an ocean again this year (nothing planned yet though)
5. I will get a proto-type of my invention produced and get the invention patented
6. I will see at least three concerts that I am not working (hopefully Mishka and Xavier Rudd)
7. I will get at least one of my five screenplays/books completed (or very close)
8. I will not be as selfish as in 2010 (not referencing anything in particular - just overall)

See, once I started writing the list they just appeared. I know there is a lot more that I want to do and change about myself and my life but I don't need to list them all to make them happen right? Some are just things that are buried a little deeper and maybe they will rise up to make the list for 2010 and some just pop up based on changing circumstances. My last 11 year's of lists has consisted of: "I resolve to make no resolutions this year" so I am making progress. The last 11 years' resolutions were easy to achieve though.
 
I have a lot more to blog but those resolutions took up a lot of space and you're probably sleepy ... darned irresolute resolutions. Tomorrow I think I am supposed to go to some bar in Sandwich called Mongo's (owned by former Chicago Bear Steve McMichael) for our end of the year fantasy football meeting/thingy. I am not sure but I had better check. I will blog early tomorrow just in case and if you want to go with me or meet me there let me know. I know a lot of you MIDDLES probably included "spend more time with Matt In The Middle" in your list of 2011 resolutions so here is your chance to start. TTTT...MITM (out for the first time in 2011).