Monday, January 3, 2011

a new year...


 "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."  Benjamin Franklin
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions.  Resolutions are for dummies.  I’m certain that there are stories of successful resolutions…I can assure you that I don’t care.  I do, however, think that the start of a new year calls for planning ahead.  In 2011, I am going to try to spend more time doing nice things for my husband, for my children and for myself.  By ‘nice things’, I simply mean, the laundry can wait on a day when the weather is too good NOT to go to the zoo. The computer or the book can be set aside after the kids go to bed: even if it means we just sit on the couch and watch more TV.  And, doing nice things for our family means we really should spend more time with family and friends – we have fallen into the habit of hibernating on evenings and weekends – which feels safe and cozy, but we really should be inviting friends over…if we still have any. 
I am going to try to read more this year, and not just US Weekly or Facebook statuses.  I could count for you the number of books I read in 2010 on one hand.  And probably a few of those were for a class or the Writing Project…I MUST do better this year.  I am making lists and, of course, welcome any suggestions. I’m cautiously patting myself on the back because in the past two weeks, I’ve finished two whole books and just started the third tonight.  See? Progress.
I want to push myself more this year to get my writing out there – beyond the walls of blogspot, and not just in the torn up journal I keep near my bedside mostly used for grocery lists and jotting down “to dos”.  I would like to push myself to write for a purpose other than clearing my head, whether it is for the educational magazine where I serve on the advisory board, or just to take a chance and submit my writing somewhere new.  I will never get anywhere if I don’t try. 
I spend a ridiculous amount of time beating myself up for the things I do or don’t do – eating too much, not working out enough (or at all…) having that extra glass of wine when I probably shouldn’t.  In 2011, I would like to ease up on myself.  I would like to look in the mirror and not see the woman with the body that has been changed so drastically by children and time. This year I vow to look beyond those things and see more meaningful stuff. I would like to say that I would try to eat and drink less, but like I said, resolutions are for dummies.

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