Hello 2014- What do you have planned for me?

     I am one of those people that treats the new year as a new start and always make resolutions.  For example, for many years now I have resolved to quit smoking, lose weight, take more time for myself.  Pretty standard and non-specific resolutions.  Well- it took until December 17th but I finally, Finally, FINALLY quit smoking. 

      I am using e-cigarettes to do so.  I hate typing that because I feel that the name "e-cigarette" is a misnomer.  We who use the product are not, in fact, smoking.  The battery heats the "juice" to create a water vapor.  Much like we all do when we walk outside on a cold morning and create "steam".  For those that don't know, the e-cigarette juice is made of exactly four (compared to the estimated 600 in cigarettes which create over 4000 chemical compounds when burned) ingredients:  Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycerine, Food Flavoring and Nicotine.  Yes- industrial grade propylene glycol is found in anti-freeze- but we are talking pharmaceutical grade here which is used in the following foods:

- Most cake/cupcake mixes
- Some frostings
- Lots of ice cream brands - Cold Stone Creamery and Graeter's Ice Cream both contain this, plus supermarket brands
- Many McDonald's sauces - including Big Mac sauce and their mayonnaise
- Some flavoring syrups
- Most beers use it as a foaming agent
- Cornbread and muffin mixes
- Coffee (specifically Folgers -- probably others)
- Candy
- Fast Food
- Many salad dressings
- Biscuits in the can that you bake at home
- All flavored coffee's of any brand use PG as a solvent/emulsifier to get the "flavoring" into the bean..... it's part of their manufacturing process.   

Sorry- I didn't mean to go off on a tangent but the biggest objections that I have heard was that people are worried about the vapor in the air- Second-hand vapor?  There's a recent study from Drexel University (found here) that refutes any safety concerns completely- making the bans on e-cigarettes in different place all the more ridiculous.  Especially since so very many of us are using them to quit smoking.  

To get back on track- this is the first time in 31 years that "quit smoking" hasn't been on my resolutions list.  This year my resolution list includes (but is not limited to):

• Take better care of ME overall.
• Make sure I take all of my meds daily (I tend to get busy and forget).
• WALK!  I have gotten lazy about taking the puppies for long walks-it's time to get back to it.
• Read a minimum of 1 book a week.
• Complete 50% of the next book I am writing.
• Drink 4 bottles of water daily.  
• Get back into the blogging habit.
• Get back to the habit of using my blessings box.  

So what about you?  Do you make resolutions?  Do you generally keep them?  Do you treat the new year as a fresh start or is it just another day for you?