2011: Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Here's to a new year!  I hope it is better than last year which was pretty stinky.  Although I am housebound and occasionally bedbound and generally a sofa sloth I actually have some resolutions for the new year and I am not typically a resolution type of gal.  I guess being sick has made me more introspective than I normally am.

1. Take MIT's bio 101 class online via their open courseware.  This one is going to take a while but I already watched the video of the first class and I learned tons of stuff.  I hope to work up to their virology and epidemiology classes.  Hopefully I'm better before I get that far and can attend class for real.  The main reason for doing this is to learn enough biology that I can read the virology papers that are being published on XMRV.  However, I get bored intellectually and need some brain candy to keep me going.
2. Eat better.  Although I eat pretty well I'm still sorting out the food vs energy equation and the cooking vs energy battle.  I'll be seeing my old nutritionist for some help on this one.  If I can also stop the weight gain that would be a nice side benefit.
3. I'll keep posting new recipes and blog links on Fast Foodie.  I'm hoping to build up that readership a bit more over the next year and if I get enough recipes together maybe publish a real book.  How cool would that be?
4. Figure out the whole pacing thing.  I still haven't got that one down yet.  I get so excited when I feel normal I jump around and do all sorts of stuff until I hit the wall and feel like crap again.  I need to start timing myself and sitting down between things or every two hours whichever comes first.
5. I want to start exercising again.  I would love it if I can get enough energy reserved that I can start a very very mild exercise program just a few minutes of yoga or a gentle walk a couple of times a week.  I miss moving my body around.  Before I got sick I was figure skating, weight lifting, off ice training and had a personal trainer as well as a skating coach.  I miss being able to move around.  I'll take any small improvement in this arena.
6. Win my LTD case so I don't have to worry about money.  First I have to find a lawyer.  Project #1 for Monday.

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promis'd joy!

(The best laid schemes of Mice and Men

oft go awry,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!)

Robert Burns, To a Mouse (Poem, November, 1785)