Here we are at the beginning of another calendar year, yet right in the middle of another dancing year. Somehow flipping a page on the calendar, and adding a number to the accumulation of years helps us reflect on what has been, and consider what might be.

This is the time when we think about resolutions. We say them out loud or write them down to make them real. But perhaps resolution is too strong a word. It suggests dogged stubbornness, which perhaps we don't possess. Maybe a better word is goal. Setting a goal and working toward it. If there is a setback, the goal is still out there. You pick yourself up and start over and continue toward the goal until it is achieved. If a resolution is broken it seems we have to wait until the calendar flips again before we can make another attempt.

So instead of resolving to be a better dancer (which I assume is on everyone's list) (and does in fact, take a lot of dogged determination, through a series of achievable goals) we should probably set manageable goals for ourselves to work toward. Naturally, everyone's goals will be different - 'for three months I'm going to work on improving my turn out', or 'by the Dinner Dance I'm going to be able to dance a whole dance from just a brief'. Luckily, since we're in the middle of the dancing year, we can set lots of little goals for ourselves and don't have to be beset by grand resolutions.

And, of course, there are individual goals and collective goals.

As a Branch, one of our goals for the year needs to be to find new / different / better ways to make money. I wrote about this in the last newsletter. Since I got no response, it's likely that I've gone about it wrong. Perhaps instead of asking a grand and nebulous question, I should set an achievable goal.

How about this - sometime in the next two months all interested parties should meet to brainstorm how to make money for the Branch. The first thing I'll need is a list of interested parties, and then we'll need to find a meeting date that works for all of us. So your goal is to decide if you're interested in helping find ways to make money, and let me know by January 15th.

Little steps.

Here's the lineup of the classes currently offered around Clark County. As you will no doubt notice, classes started this week at the Marshall, Firstenburg, and Battle Ground Community Ed Centers. So, now is an excellent time to sign up (if you haven't already done so).

Vancouver, Marshall Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd
Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation 360-487-7100 www.ci.vancouver.wa.us/parks-recreation