January 1, 2009: 2:16 a.m.

The fireworks at midnight woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. After tossing and turning for a couple hours, I gave in and switched on the TV. I don't have cable so the programming options in the wee hours are pretty limited.

Here's is Chuck Norris trying to sell me his portable home exercise system. Actually, he did a good job of reeling me in. If I had the cash readily available, I might now be the proud owner of a Total Gym.

January 1, 2009: 8:48 a.m.

The breakfast for a new year.

Italians have a new year's tradition of eating lentils on January 1. The legend is that because lentils are round and resemble coins, their abundance will bring you good fortune in the new year.

Well, I didn't have any lentils so I grabbed the only round food I could find. Cheerios. Then I got nervous cause the Cheerios have a hole in the middle and I was worried that might effect the whole abundance theory.

So to be safe, for lunch I made silver dollar sized pancakes. (Sorry, no photo available.)

January 1, 2009: 9:46 a.m.

Here I am in my office, at my desk, on the computer as I continue on the path of embracing technology. I've been working on a picture album for my MySpace page that pulls together interesting and impactful world photos from 2008. I thought it would be geek cool to keep my own digital file of history.

Check it out when you get a minute. Let me know if I've missed any significant world event.

January 1, 2009: 11:20 a.m.

December was a lazy month for me and I didn't make it to the health club as much as I normally do. Couple that sloth mode with a heavy holiday diet and you've got trouble....that starts with "t" and rhymes with "p" and stands for pudge.

I try not to beat myself up when I fall off the wagon, cause eventually my body and my spirit tells me it's time to get back into the groove.

I forgot to take my camera to the health club, so here I am on the fitness ball, doing some crunches.

January 1, 2009: 2:23 p.m.

When the sun is shining and the temp is above freezing, I have absolutely no excuse not to walk the dogs. This exercise is a delicate balance. Murphy has arthritic, atrophied back legs so he can't walk too far. Nelson is a force of high energy that could go forever.

But they are gracious buddies who appreciate and understand each other's needs. Murphy does his best to start strong and keep up; Nels knows when limits have been reached and slows his pace.

It's really more of a smell fest for them anyway. The walking part is just the means to move along to the next really interesting scent and the opportunity to leave something of themselves behind.

Boys will be boys.

January 1, 2009: 3:34 p.m.

The Today Show did a story on a Mediterranean based diet where you eat four small meals a day four hours apart. You also include at every meal a MUFA -- which stands for something in the mono-unsaturated family. I like the idea of the four small meals, but I really love that one of MUFA options is Dark Chocolate!

Plus the other MUFAs are olive oil, nuts/seeds, avocado, olives -- am I missing something? Anyway, those are all foods that can easily be incorporated into my eating habits.

I had told myself I would start eating better in the new year, so this a nudge in the right direction.

The photo is me pushing my cart down the aisle at Shop'n'Save as I stock up on my MUFAs.

January 1, 2009: 4:46 p.m.

There is beauty in the hood!

As soon as I brought the groceries in the house, I took out the trash while still in my heavy outer wear. Tossing refuse in the dumpster, I happened to look out to the west and saw this glorious sunset forming.

I zipped back into the house and grabbed the camera. From my front porch, I was able to shoot several shots of the horizon, above the roof lines, as the colors began to swirl and deepen.

What a wonderful omen. The first day of the new year ending on such a lovely note sets the tone for good things to come. Orange is the color of creation, joy, activity...all elements I want to capture in my life....as easily as I was able to capture this blazing sky.