“A new heart for a New Year, always!” Charles Dickens

PICTURE (S) OF THE DAY: Performers in the Neighborhood at the Sanford Home Tour in December…..looking good gals. https://sanfordhistorictrust.wildapricot.org/Holiday-Tour-of-Homes

“Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.”
― Alfred, Lord Tennyson

DragonLaire $4.30 USD

Honorable Mention:

THE GOBLIN MARKET RESTAURANT

330 Dora Drawdy Lane

Mount Dora, Fl 32757

www.Goblinmarketrestaurant.com

Since 1996. The restaurant features three intimate, book-lined dining rooms furnished in soothing muted tones with tasteful modern art. The private, tree shaded, courtyard and garden patio are open year round for alfresco dining, and lighter gourmet fare is served nightly in our full-service lounge. Low lighting and “new age” music add the finishing touches to the restaurant’s casual elegance. From homemade soups, dressings and desserts to the freshest in seafood and steaks, the goblin is that perfect place for any occasion. Open for lunch, dinner .

“[T]omorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well & serenely, & with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day … is too dear with its hopes & invitations to waste a moment on the rotten yesterdays.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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All about Jamie and why it worked with Sam

http://fandemoniumnetwork.com/watch-outlander-dvd-extra-sam-heughan/

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards.”
― G.K. Chesterton

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.”
― T.S. Eliot

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I thought these quotes I’ve been using today are very interesting in each points out the importance of the new and often seems to down grades the value of what you were and did before. I don’t see life like that myself–I do not think that we are ever free of our past–but on the other hand I do believe that we only become victims of it when we allow ourselves to do so.

In fact I like this one better than most of the previous:

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”
― L.M. Montgomery

The idea of a new year with a clean start is definitely appealing–if not a bit daunting.

How can we do better with this new chance:

Realize that it was only a few days since 2015 and accept the idea that nothing much has changed. Midnight 20016 (1/1) wasn’t a magical entry into a land (or year) where you’re going to leave bad habits and ways behind and become a different you.

That said don’t throw up your hands in defeat and say what the hell, pick up another cigarette or chocolate and accept that fact that you’ll die of lung or throat cancer before your time or that your fat will increase and your life expectancy decrease. But what you have to accept is that this is just a starting point to something you really need to do–it isn’t magical–you haven’t suddenly gotten over your smoking or eating addiction (etc)–but that it’s time to take a stand and the first few days of 2016 are as good as any time to actually grow a back bone and stand and say “I’m worth it and I’m going to do it.”

“Each age has deemed the new-born year
The fittest time for festal cheer.”
― Sir Walter Scott

IT’S USELESS WTHOUT A PLAN:

If you want to quit smoking look into the plans—are you best suited for a cold turkey stop or maybe pills or other tobacco items that let you stop gradually–then look into local programs.

Other things to consider when picking a program whether for weight loss, cigarette cessation or whatever.

1. Do you need professional help–some problems have to have different levels of help–Drug addiction for instance needs assistance beyond what most self-help groups can do. On the other hand getting out of a bad relationship may work with self help or maybe you even need a psychologist or psychiatrist.

2. Do your research for what’s available and how it applies to you and your situation—a personal one-on-one counselor is good for people who don’t like sharing with the group, but are often costly so that has to be considered as well. On the other hand they might be available at your church, school or community resources.

3. There are also self help programs from online sources, programs on DVDs that can be purchased and special programs offered by places like the “Y” or other agencies. But remember if you’re going to do this you must be able to continue your motivation with nothing but an impersonal reminder of your goals.

“I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.”
― Anaïs Nin

When looking at programs more things to consider:

1. How far away is the program—the further and/or more out of your way it is the less likely you are to continue to attend….gyms start out the New Years with many attendees but even though most of them pay for full years membership few continue coming regularly after the first few months, even weeks.

2. How much supervision is there. You may be very motivated, but I find that most of us are more motivated on returning to the usual, less demanding life style and let our planned life improvement sinks slowly into the swamp of lost efforts and intentions.

3. Is there a friend or relative that can (needs to) join you? You’re much more likely to succeed if you have someone else to share the effort with.

“[I]f this life of ours
Be a good glad thing, why should we make us merry
Because a year of it is gone? but Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering ‘it will be happier’…”
― Alfred, Lord Tennyson