2007 Is Fast Approaching - What Will The New Year Bring You?

Carla's post has inspired me! We will be a year out in the first half of the new year, how are we going to celebrate ourselves? With a new body, newfound confidence and a new year fast approaching what new things are you going to try? As many of you know i love to belly dance, this year i'm going to dance with my troupe in public. Two summers ago i kept declining because i feared i'd look like the dancing hippo from Fantasia but this year i'm doing it! I'm also going to go snow tubing even though i hate the cold! I'm going to be in more photographs and not just be the photographer! What will you do in '07 to claim the year? Hugs, ANDI

I have always been a "speak when you're spoken to" person. I wasn't afraid to talk to people, I just didn't usually initiate the conversations. People usually say, "You are so quiet." Well, not anymore. I am constantly talking to people now & really trying to listen to what is important to them & what is going on in their lives. I like the new me so much better. I feel free to be the dork that I am. That is my new year's resolution- to just be me & not worry about what people think. I am not perfect. I'm a dork, and that's ok. I am enjoying every day. I have the belly dancing videos from Target, & I love them. would like to take Latin dancing too! And rock climbing...and run a half-marathon in April...and go on a cruise... Darlene

Hi Dar! You know what i think is funny, i never pictured you shy before! I think you are so beautiful that it's hard to fathom you not looking someone in the eye and speaking to them! Are those things that you think you can actually accomplish in '07? So this is how it looks on paper: things Darlene W. will Do in 2007: 1) Take at least one latin dancing lesson 2) Rock Climbing 3) Run a half marathon in April 4) Go On A Cruise You've got quite an ambitious year ahead my dear i wish you all the success in the world. Be Well and Happy Hollandaise and Peas on EArth ANDI

The other thing I loved to do was country western dance. I actually taught dancing for a while back than. I really stopped dancing because of my knee (you heard that story) but never went back to it cause when I tried to dance I got winded and it was hard on my knee to do. These excuses are no more. About two weeks ago I went out to a regular place and was dancing. I felt like i could have danced all night and didnt even draw a sweat. Yes the knee hurt a bit but I need to get it into shape again.... I found a place close by that has country dancing going on. With christmas its not the best time to go but I WILL go after that. I am gonna take my kids, by the way I have 4 ( all adopted), on a trail ride. Grandma has horses and I never ride because it is so uncomfortable so the kids have never left the ranch to ride the horses. The other day I actually got on the horse and took it for a spin... It felt great. Already told grandma I plan to take the kids out the next time we are out at the ranch to see what horses can really do. I have a jet ski that I never ride. I always felt like a bloated whale trying to get on it. It nearly sinks everytime I get on the thing and pulling all that weight up with a bad knee has never been an easy thing. I had my surgery in May so I was very limited in what I could do out on the water, but this year... watch out.. You'll be lucky if i get off the thing. My kids and SO are into karate. I have always said I didnt want to do it but the truth is I couldnt do it... It was just to hard. My oldest, girl 15, and SO are both 3rd degree black belts. I have missed so much of that because of my weight and embarrasment to go anywhere expecially where the trendy health people hang out. Our sensei called me up a couple months ago and said we would be my personal trainner and help me get into shape. I gave a reason for why I couldnt do it. I am gonna take her up on the offer and start going at the first of the year. She has a knee injury as well and knows the best ways for me to work out and strenghten my knee. Gee.. I just have to many things I want to do now.... I remember this time last year. My SO came in and said she wasn't sure she wanted to stay with me. We had grown so far apart. She is very athletic, as I was when we met 17 years ago, but I had changed. I wanted to hide at home and stay away from people. I gave up semi pro softball, cycling, dancing.. everything that meant something to me. I became a home bound, hope no one sees me. We made it through that day and our relationship survived. Now that I am becoming healthier we are even getting closer... she loves that I am finding my passion for the things I used to love to do and we used to do together. My one son (12) who is autistic told a stranger the other day, which was embarrassing but endearing as well.. this is my mommy.. the new skinny one... I have so much to be thankful for in my life. A person who loves me and that I love, my children who I love so much, a new life that will be filled with the wonderful things I used to do and the new things I want to experience, to WLS which gave me back all the things I have been missing, and to my future that looks brighter each and everyday. See guys... I told you I was emotional today....

you go girl you're an inspiration to me and i'm sure others as well! Take back your life and your love and it'll just keep getting better and better. ANDI

my confidence has already kicked into over drive. I am not waiting another hour, let alone day, week, or month. this is the first day of my second life, I am not going to waste it. I am still the one behind the camera. but that is okay, I look good back here!

Ok Kat i think you missed the boat on this one! What thing(s) will you do in '07 that you either haven't done before or in a long while that you are excited about doing in the New Year? I want to go to the pool club and sit in a lounge chair without a coverup on and not pray that oceanographers will try to keep me moist until they can get me back to sea! I want to go up to the tiny summer house and not feel claustrophobic because i'm too big and the house is too small! Hugs and Happy Hollandaise and Peas on Earth, ANDI

actualy, I caught the helicopter to catch the 06 boat. I am not going to wait until 07 to try new stuff. I have never understood making new years resolutions. spending the last month of a year regretting what you have not done the previous 11. I do not make new years resolutions. I make new morning resolutions. each day I may regret what I didnt do the day before, but I am not going to wait until next month to try something new. but to 'play along' the only thing that I would like to do that I have not done, is rock climbing. and not the indoor fake stuff but I mean real rock climbing. in the rocky mountains of montana or idaho. which I will wait until june 07 simply because it is to freaking cold right now. I checked. http://www.nps.gov/archive/glac/webcams/smcam.htm (back yard) http://tinyurl.com/dyy2o

I think that Jean and I going to the beach in the winter would be iffy but it's been done before. These are NOT resolutions in the true sense they are celebrations of a life we could not have lived last year and can only start living this year. Be Well, ANDI

Hi Andi This was a very good post I want to go to the beach and like you not get miss identified for a beached whale.I will not cry when I see my pictures. My husband just became President and CEO of a major corporation and it has pushed my into a very stressful (for me) Position. (as he is on the news and TV and blah bah blah). I am expected to entertain and do all that stuff. ( I hate all that stuff)(I would rather blend in the background) I will learn this year to be ok with that and not stay in the background or cry about being the "fat" wife who needs to back off the food and work out. (as I was rudely told last year). Ok I might cry a bit... but will show them a new thin sexy me (especially after I get plastic surgery). I think you are great!!!!! For belly dancing and you should go and dance..no one will think your a hippo.