More fun – less work – that sounds like a good goal

(editor's note: I have some bad news and some good news – the bad news is that I shovel like a little girl. The good news is that using my newly learned shoveling skills (thank you, Sherry!) I no longer have a million shovel fulls of moat to fill!)

Every year for New Years Sherry and I set a 'theme' for the year. We don't make resolutions (I'll lose 50 pounds this year or I'll read 120 books, or whatever) we set a general theme for the year.

The very first theme was "More Fun, Less Work". We spent an entire year trimming out the time-wasters that really are just 'work' and adding back in things like Family Game Night and other fun things.

One of our better themes was "One Hand In, One Hand Out". Meaning that you have to be careful to take care of yourself (one hand in), but then you really need to give back to the community (one hand out).

My 'hand in' was hanging out with two very Green People (if you need to ask, don't – that's a three hours course that I teach!). I had coffee with my Green Friends every week (and still do as much as I can and that was years ago!)

Last year's theme was "Living the Dream" – we prepared everything that we needed in order to ensure that we were able to pursue our long term vision for us and our family. It was a mediocre year at best for a bunch of reasons – most of them out of our control.

I usually start thinking about the theme for next year in December or so (117 days to Christmas, everybody) and I watch around me for clues – repeated patterns, hints, words. I also spend a little time meditating about the theme (don't go all weird on me – meditating just means thinking about one thing).

The only thing that kept coming back last December was "Stay the Course". What a sucky theme.

But it resonated with me. And I heard that phrase over and over. Bummer.

Now. Who would have thought that 'The Course' would have taken us this far south on this much land (with this much lawn!) and this much work? That's a pretty aggressive Course to stay on.

But I guess the path should be difficult if it's Bound To Please.