Citizen of the World

I just pulled off my glasses to read something really small. Either my glasses aren't cutting it anymore, or I might need to start considering bifocals. That's disconcerting for sure! I've only seen folks (like my dad) who're much older than me doing that. For some reason, I had previously deemed myself immune to that "tell" of aging. Guess I'm not immune. Ho hum.


When I started going a little gray here and there, even finding a couple of gray strands on my chest or shoulders, I thought, "Embrace your gray! You've earned them!" Somehow myopic reversal or distortion doesn't seem to get categorized into that same vehement exclamation to myself.

We've been boycotting Sonoma County, CA, for months by not buying wines from there (not easy to do!) because of the mistreatment of an elderly gay couple. The court case was finally settled on July 25th with pretty good results, but the entire outcome for the couple (who'd been together for 20+ years) was so sad. Not sure if our and others' boycott of Sonoma County products was helpful in the process, but we like to think it was. We are lifting our boycott of Sonoma County wines due to the fruitful outcome of the settlement. BTW, "the settlement also prohibits the public guardian's office from moving people against their will."

However, now Target is supporting opponents of the LGBT Community and specifically opponents of gay marriage, which, as everyone that knows me knows we support same-sex marriage (the terminology is unimportant, but the equal civil rights and federal & state benefits are important). We'll be boycotting Target now.

The substance of the issues that sprung up in Sonoma represent the need for same-sex marriages or civil unions (whatever they end up being called) across the country. A business that supports candidates that oppose same-sex marriage should not be financially supported by the LGBT community.

Out of the 308 million Americans estimated by the 2010 census bureau, there are roughly 5 million Americans (using 1.5% as based on earlier estimations) who acknowledge themselves as LGBT. If every one of the 5 million people spends $100 a month at Target, then we are supplying Target with $500 million per month to spend as they like. If, however, we decide to boycott any specific company, like Target, and remove that $500 million we spend with them in a month, we send them a distinct message that we don't like how they're using our money!

Just so companies realize, the US Gay Buying Power is estimated at between $732 and $734 billion for 2010. Wake up people! Money talks!

New Year's resolutions are not typically for me. Why make them if you know you're prone not to keep them? Right? Right?

Now, deciding to change something about oneself and setting the date on or around the New Year doesn't have to necessarily be a resolution for the New Year, does it? It doesn't seem like it to me; granted, many people around this time of year make the effort to decide what in their lives they would like to change. That's what I'm working on.

Return to Better Health: Matthew and I chose not to diet that much during the holidays, and starting today (Jan. 2, not Jan. 1), we are choosing to return to what we'd started back in May 2007. We had also smoked cigarettes off and on over the holidays, and not we've stopped that because the holidays are over (not because the New Year has begun, mind you). Also, over the holidays, my father found a picture of me from the late 80s or mid 90s in front of a museum. I know that about then I was weighing in around 205 or 210. I actually remember the point in time that I had gained so much over the course of 3 weeks vacation in the US, that I needed a size 40 in pants. I threw them away after I'd been back in Europe for a couple of weeks because I was "back to normal". Well, my "normal" hasn't been "normal" in about 12 years now! Returning to the diet, staying away from ciggies, and cutting down on alcohol consumption all relate to me getting back to the way I looked 12 years ago or so.

But insofar as general things about me I'd like to change? There are a few.

Shut up and wait: I would like to become more quietly and patiently observant of things around me rather than offering my opinion or input too quickly. I think it reverent to sit back, listen, consider, ponder, and then choose to or not to provide input or feedback. Perhaps only await the invitation for feedback is a good way to let others' opinions out and mine to be sought after rather than just freely given. Not sure if that's important, but I notice that sometimes I just want to and need to shut up and wait.

Taxes - UGH!: It seems important for me to get an accountant to do my taxes, but I'm still not so sure. I hate doing my taxes. I wouldn't really enjoy collecting all my receipts and handing them off to someone else to do them, but you know? There's an H&R Block office across the street from me. They say (Matthew included) that an accountant is one of the best investments, even if you're not making that much because they can save you a lot of money. So, this might be the first year I use one - if for no other reason than I'm tired of doing my own taxes, and I've started this job in Manhattan - double taxation and need to save money.

Financial weightlessness: This year, my credit cards will not be used that much. I'm not in debt and I don't carry balances, but there's no reason to use credit cards. When I was in Europe in the 90s, I rarely used a credit card. My finances were in so much better order and I knew exactly how much money I had in my account at all times within $5 of the actual balance. That for me was a form of financial weightlessness because I wasn't burdened by having to pay bills or keep track of my spending because of impending bills. I want to return to that.

Notice that for the most part, these things are not date driven (except the taxes), but are things that I've been thinking about for a while. I'll start to work on most of these and look forward to the change. If they truly and fully take root in 2008, great! If not, no love lost and no beating up on myself (in the bad way - tee hee).

Here's wishing you all sanity, tranquility, fun, and prosperity in the New Year 2008!