End of the Year

For me, the period between Christmas and New Year's is an intense work time.  My year end schedule includes:
--  putting the year's photos and memorabilia in the year's scrapbook.  It's not a fancy scrapbook, just a record of what we did.  I've placed an order for photos and will pick them up this afternoon.  On New Year's Eve, as Gary and I babysit with grandson Evan, the final pictures and notations will be added.  I have 35 of these scrapbooks.
--  sorting through the cards and letters I've received during the year and placing the most meaningful into the scrapbook.  The rest are cut up as bookmarks, tags for presents, or simply put out for recycling.
--  writing all the birthdays, anniversaries and other special events on the new calendar.
--  paying the final bills of the year.  I like to go into the New Year owing nothing.
--  making a list of goals.  These are not resolutions, but specific projects.  For instance, I may want to lose weight, but my goal will be to go to the fitness center three times a week.  I set that up on the calendar.
--  sending all magazines and newspapers go to the recyling center at the end of the year.  If I haven't read them by now, I never will.
--  going  through the filing cabinets and finding more to recycle.   Anything that I haven't looked at in three years is a candidate.  
--  clearing out old e-mail.  Delete, delete, delete.
--  Finally, making up a tax folder with everything I need to file listed.  My accountant gives me a list of what I can deduct and I set about totaling mileage, accommodations and restaurant receipts.

All of this will be done by midnight of 2010.  I will wake up on New Year's Day with a clear head and an organized life.  Isn't that better than going out drinking?