Resolutions

I guess I understand the genesis and the theory of New Year's Resolutions.

New Year = New You.

In a way, it makes sense. Most of us have things we would like to change about ourselves, and somehow it seems the be easier to contemplate starting anew at some official demarcation.

Happy New Year!

It can be so easy to set oneself up for failure by making a concrete declaration:

"I'm going to exercise three times a week for an hour and a half each time."

Right.

"Lose 30 pounds by my birthday."

Uh-huh.

"Improved my mind and vocabulary by reading a page of the dictionary every day."

Now where did that dictionary get to?

"Clean the garage."

You and what army?

"Give up chocolate."

Get real.

So I decided to make just one resolution that covers all the bases.

I resolve to try to do more of what I know I should do and less of what I know I shouldn't do.

Sounds good. It's open ended enough not to blow up in less than a week. And I only promise to try, not to accomplish, the whole dang shebang.

Let's see how far I get with it...

Day 3, or is it 4, Excuses Already

On October 24th I resolved to try to make a post every day if I had access to my computer. Made a post to the Clueless Crafter on the 25th. Missed Sunday the 26th. That didn't take long, did it?

So here's the excuse: I didn't have access to my computer.

True, the computer lives in the basement, but I was upstairs baking pies, yummilicious pumpkin pies. Then I made miniature pumpkin tarts with gingersnap crust from the left over pumpkin filling, then with the left over piecrust, I made custard tarts. Then I had to go to my very first Mormon church service because ChosenSister and her spouse were speaking because they're leaving on an 18 month mission. (I miss her already.) We picked up a mutual friend on the way to the church. After the ward service, it was on to ChosenSister's house for the buffet, for which the pies were baked. After the buffet, we dropped off our passenger and came home, where I started finishing cleaning up the cooking mess. Then the Engineer decided that he needed a light dinner, so I cooked and cleaned up after that, then sat down in my chair to watch the news and finish sewing up baby elf hat number two and fell asleep sitting in my chair with both cats holding me down. By the time I woke up, I decided, that since I had to get up at 7:30 Monday morning, it was too late to go downstairs and turn on the computer.

I think that's a pretty good excuse. Don't you?

Resolved

True, it isn't the New Year, but I don't think resolutions should have a season. Especially resolutions that one is re-resolving.

Here are the first two paragraphs from my very first blog entry almost two years ago:

2007, a time to practice consistency, one of those traits I've never been strong on. Thus a blog entry to write every day -- every day I have access to my computer anyway. It should build character, or so my mother would have me believe. Setting goals and whacking away at them, consistently, is good for a person's character. I'll bet all the mothers tell their children that.

We'll see if it works.

So, how has it worked? Erratically. Some months, June, July and September of 2007, I hit the mark. Some months. most notably May 2008 with only 4 entries, were abysmal. True I did start a second blog, The Clueless Crafter, to segregate my knitting ramblings, but still, I've not been hitting goal. This past summer and fall especially have been nonproductive. Much of that can be explained by how tumultuous life has been, but even the tumultuous life needs a little discipline, so...

Resolved: I shall endeavor to make a blog post each day to either The Witless Wanderer or The Clueless Crafter. If I make posts to both on a single day, it's a bonus, not a free ticket for a day off.

This offer is void where prohibited by law and not applicable on days I don't have access to my computer.

Now to hold to it.

Resolutions

I made two resolutions this year: 1. To try to do what I know I should do. .2. To try not to do what I know I shouldn't do. Kinda covers everything all at once. Note: I only said try, I didn't make any cast in concrete promises.

Why is it that the stuff that's the most fun is usually the stuff you shouldn't be doing? Why does chocolate taste better than celery? Why do I want to stay up late and get up late rather than follow the classically virtuous "early to bed, early to rise" adage? True, I've never particularly lusted after the wealthy part of the results of the early adage, but the healthy and wise are definitely desirable.

Wouldn't it be lovely if lounging on a pile of pillows in bed while reading trashy novels and eating bonbons produced a beautiful bosom? (For the guys, we can substitute drinking beer and watching sports on TV producing a rippling six pack.)

I went looking for "six pack" on Google Images and this is what I found.
Nothing more I can say after that.

2008 - New Year, New Beginnings?

The year is three days old, so this is a little late, but Happy New Year! to everyone.

Didn't spend New Year's Eve at home this time. Last year the house was unlivable, so when the New Year's skiers came, we spent New Year's Eve at a "quaint" bed and breakfast where they served an extravagant dinner and had dancing and midnight blowing of the alpenhorn. The Twin'sWife decided that she would never again spend the first night of the year at my mundane home, but would return again to the Blue Boar Inn. Which is why the annual party was held a couple of days early.

This is who I spent my New Year's with. -->

The best part of the evening was when the band played "Proud Mary." Four men got up to dance together with great enthusiasm and when the music came to the "rolling" part, they got down on the floor and rolled. It was one of those times I really wished for a video camera.

Though I did not get down on the floor and roll, I did stand up and blow a mighty blast on the alpenhorn at midnight.

I made a couple of resolutions.

Wonder if I'll keep them...