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January 06, 2010
New Year's Resolutions
Today, the doorbell rang at 12:40 PM and, to my surprise, my new oven was being delivered early. The delivery was supposed to arrive between 1:00 and 4:00. Ordinarily, I would have expected it to show up at 5:00 or even be postponed until tomorrow. So this was great! I hoped this promptness was a sign of how my new year would proceed -- shorter waiting periods, increased productivity -- you get the picture.
While I chatted with one of the delivery men about the broken oven being a great excuse for going out to dinner instead of having to cook tonight, the other man fell silent. He was reading something hanging on my kitchen wall. He chuckled and said, "I like Dad's number three the best." It was then I realized just what he had read.
A little too early on January first, my teenaged daughter pulled out a piece of bright yellow poster board and a big pack of Sharpies(TM). At the top of the poster, she wrote in jaggedy, angularly artistic letters: Unbreakable Resolutions. She proceeded to create a bulleted list of five points for each family member and then added a column for the family as a whole, titled "Everyone." Under this category, she listed chores and responsibilities that generally fall on me, so I was quite happy to see that list evolve.
Once the poster was fully and colorfully decorated, we each had five "unbreakable" blanks to fill. "My first one is easy," I told my daughter. "Write 'EXERCISE'." She laughed and scribbled it in beside the number one.
"Guess you'll have to dust off those old YWCA and Club Membership cards," she said.
I laughed too, but the sad fact was, she wasn't joking. Hopping on an elliptical machine once every ten days did not constitute exercise. And at home, Wii Fit was fine as long as no one else was around to watch. But it seemed I could fill a room with the click of the Wii controller and a ting of the intro music. I guess everyone wanted to witness my best Warrior pose.
I didn't commit any further than the word "Exercise" on line one, however. I wasn't about to add specifics about how many times a week I'd attempt to go. After all, this was the year of the "Unbreakable Resolution." And no way was I going to be the first family member to crack.
I added such achievable resolutions as gagging down more calcium (I hate how huge those horse pills are) and using my new Envirosax bags, given to me as a gift from my dear friend Julie. I knew those were two things I could surely accomplish. But my entries numbered four and five remained unwritten.
My oldest daughter is a college student and she promised to update her list by text messaging entries just as soon as they came to her. But we all could write her list for her: 1. Study Harder. 2. Get More Rest. 3. Get More Rest. 4. Study Harder. She is a collegiate swimmer on an intensive training trip at the moment so, of course, she sent the message that "Swim Faster" should be added to her segment of the family poster. NCAAs, here we come (hopefully)!
My son's list constituted such ideas as "Clean Room", "Talk Less in School", and "Actually DO Physical Therapy Exercises." Those, of course, were all written in his older sister's handwriting. Had he come up with his own resolutions, they would have read something like, "Play More XBox" and "Golf Everyday."
My middle daughter's list of five encompassed such entries as "Stop Procrastinating" and "Strive to Achieve ALL Goals Made." Wow, she went easy on herself this year. She also added a sixth parenthetical point that read: GET A BOYFRIEND. Ahh, isn't that the resolution of every girl her age? But it was her first entry that hit home for me. She wrote the simple words, "Finish Play."
"Wow," I thought. "That's a doable goal." My daughter had begun writing a play last summer and she really could finish writing it this year. After all, she had twelve months to do it.
She had twelve months, and so did I. That was when I stepped up to the plate with my big number four: Finish Novel. And for me, this year, that goal's unbreakable!
So there, I've done it. I've committed in front of all of you to complete my novel and put it out there for the world to see. (Don't worry, I've already warned my agent that it's coming!)
And now, it's your turn. What doable, unbreakable resolutions do you have the courage to commit to this year? Write them in the comments section below, and you won't feel all alone in tackling this year's goals with vigor. No more allowing another year to slip by. This turn of the decade, 2010, is the year for you to be productive!
Oh, and in case you're wondering what point the delivery man got such a chuckle from. It was Dad's number three: Stop Speeding. Can you guess whose handwriting that one was written in?
Happy New Year! Wishing you a productive, happy, and healthy 2010!
Judy
Posted by Judy at January 6, 2010 01:35 PM
Comments
My resolution? To not make resolutions but to make commitments–one commitment per month following my "30 in 30" system. I'll choose one task to do or one area where I want to see measurable improvements and then devote 30 minutes a day for 30 days to it. Each day I must make the choice to honor that commitment–all part of my focus on making 2010 the "Year of Choice." (For more, visit my Make a Change blog at http://communityofchange.blogspot.com/.)
This month's commitment? To spend 30 minutes a day for 30 days writing fiction.
Posted by: Nancy Christie at January 6, 2010 05:08 PM
I love the 30-in-30 idea, Nancy! Good luck with the fiction writing!
Judy
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 6, 2010 07:50 PM
I haven't thought about this until I read your blog! Well, here are mine:
1. Read the Bible through
2. Get a handle on my high-calorie snacking
3. Do my exercises
4. Read, write, practice the guitar every day
5. Help people (fill a need, bring joy, be a friend, etc)
Thanks for the reminder!
Posted by: Charlene Jones at January 6, 2010 08:53 PM
Aunt Jude - your wii story reminds me of my own resolution - to fit in exercse while doing other stuff - so what if I am doing squats and lunges while cooking (and alone). Brian did catch me bouncing on my huge green ball the other night while watching TV (I did not care!!) At least I was burning extra calories while he was doing who knows what! Laugh at yourself and let others poke fun! I am multitasking - what a mom does best anyway.
Posted by: Jen Komorowski at January 7, 2010 08:00 AM
Charlene, your list is thorough, complete with goals for the self that are spiritually, physically, and emotionally rewarding! I don't think I could have written a more comprehensive list of resolutions! Good luck!
Jen, I definitely need to get a hold of one of those exercise balls. Do you think they'd notice if I borrowed one from the Y? (Just kidding, I'm not a thief!) My family would delight in the new addition, and it would be a great goal to learn how to fold towels while bouncing! You are right about multitasking -- I feel like I can't sit and watch a movie anymore without doing something else at the same time!
Thanks to all for your posts. This resolution planning is fun!
Judy
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 7, 2010 08:42 AM
1. Learn to play a new instrument and practice as frequently as necessary. (Bowed dulicmer arriving end of January)
2. Yoga at least twice a week, three times even better. (Class and/or video at home)
3. Continue to read good fiction in order to learn how to write good fiction. (An easy one, at least the reading part.)
4. Write (good) fiction, or at least take a stab at it.
Posted by: Jan Fisher at January 7, 2010 04:12 PM
Wow, Jan! The only person I knew who played the dulcimer was a chemical engineer I used to work with. She performed at shows and weddings -- apparently she was very talented. That's a great goal, as are all of your others, especially the last one! Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your resolutions!
Judy
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 7, 2010 05:36 PM
Jude- I absolutely love this story! Right before I received your email, I was contemplating my own resolutions for the coming year.
For the past, oh say, 20 years or so, my resolurion has always been the same. Somtimes it's- lose weight. Sometimes it's- get healthy. Sometimes it's - exercise. However you say it, it all comes down to the same thing- take better care of yourself. This is something I'm not really very good at doing, I think because I'm always last on my list.
I think my goal for the coming year will be to take a little extra time for myself each day and hopefully good things will follow.
Thanks Jude, for your insight- You lift me up and give me hope that 2010 is the year!
Posted by: Kathy Criniti at January 7, 2010 08:05 PM
Kath, it's true that we must take better care of ourselves. Maybe it would help if you tried to do two things each day, one that's a not-so-much-fun way of taking care of yourself (like exercise), and one that's an exceptionally fun way of pampering yourself (like reading a devotional book or planning to have lunch with a friend). Or if that's too much, try every other day -- alternating not-so-much-fun with really fun. That might work! In fact, I think I'll try that myself!
Thanks for commenting! Let's hope 2010 IS our year!
Jude
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 8, 2010 10:04 AM
Kath, it's true that we must take better care of ourselves. Maybe it would help if you tried to do two things each day, one that's a not-so-much-fun way of taking care of yourself (like exercise), and one that's an exceptionally fun way of pampering yourself (like reading a devotional book or planning to have lunch with a friend). Or if that's too much, try every other day -- alternating not-so-much-fun with really fun. That might work! In fact, I think I'll try that myself!
Thanks for commenting! Let's hope 2010 IS our year!
Jude
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 8, 2010 10:05 AM
Let's see . . .
I want to return to the exercise program that I had for two years; I stopped in October and need to get back on track. (I made it to the gym twice this week, so I'm getting there! Bad weather derailed me.)
I have medical dietary restrictions and I do fine, re: staying away from foods that I can't have -- but I want to do a better job eating a balanced diet.
I want to read books in 10 different genres by 10/2010; there is a library that's promoting that program and it sounds like fun.
I am co-authoring a two-book series and I want it to be the best, ever.
Those are some of the top priority resolutions, anyhow!
Posted by: Kelly Boyer Sagert at January 9, 2010 09:42 PM
Kelly, it sounds like you're off to a good start with the exercise. And reading books in ten different genres sounds like a challenge, but an intersting one! I wish you the best with your new two-book series. I hope it will be the best ever!
Great to hear from you!
Judy
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 10, 2010 11:13 AM
JUDY...THANKS FOR BRINGING ME INTO THE NEW MILLENIUM...I'M NO LONGER UN-BLOGGED...AS FOR YOUR RESOLUTION ORDEAL...I FIND THIS INTERNET MECHANISM A GREAT TOOL FOR AVOIDING THE PERFORMANCE OF A TASK BY ALLOWING YOU TO CONVERSE ABOUT IT ENDLESSLY...AS I WAS NOT A PHILOSOPHY MINOR IN COLLEGE, I WILL RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO CHALLENGE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF RESOLUTIONS AND SELF IMAGES/SELF SATISFACTION...EXCEPT TO THE POINT OF RESOLVING TO BE RESOLUTE IN THE NEW YEAR!
Posted by: ED SCHNEIDER at January 11, 2010 11:42 AM
I forgot to add...shape up all the fiction I've got laying around and send it "out" for editing!
(Ahem)
Note on the bowed dulcimer: I saw a man named Ken Bloom play this instrument last summer and became intrigued with it. It's nothing like the lap style or "mountain" dulcimer or the hammered dulcimer, two more common instruments with this name. The bowed dulcimer looks more like a small cello. Ken is the only person I know who makes them...I'll take lessons from him through Skype. It looks like 2010 will hold lots of newness for me.
Posted by: Jan Fisher at January 11, 2010 04:11 PM
Judy, you know my #1 resolution from my latest blog posts: No dialing while driving!
Posted by: Julie Long at January 11, 2010 06:51 PM
I made one New Year's Resolution...I set up a blog with my high school classmate who lives in Chicago. The blog keeps me writing daily because it is for Baby Boomers. My blog partner and I decided to do 52 new adventures and write about them. Actually we split them up and I only have to do 26...thank God for that! I am not the adventurous type...so I decided to do the mundane and write about it in a humorous way. It helps me to get out of my comfort zone. My biggest problem was setting the blog up but I am learning a lot and like I said...it is helping my writing.
Posted by: Mary Gauntner at January 27, 2010 03:44 PM
Ed, welcome to the blogosphere! You will be addicted soon! :)
Jan, you have the right idea, to shape up the fiction you have in your drawer. Too often, writers want to begin a new, exciting project without doing what it takes to put the old one out into the publishing world. We all should take a look at our "old" manuscripts. If they're worthy of editing, you'll know it when you read them -- especially if a significant amount of time has elapsed since you last picked up the piece. If they're not worthy of any more of your time, chalk it up to experience, and move on to a project with more promise. Good luck!
Julie, we all should follow your lead and stop sending/reading text messages while driving! We need to take a deep breath and stay in the moment! Whatever happened to enjoying books on CD or just plain singing behind the wheel?
Congratulations, Mary, on your new blog! I can't wait to follow along, reading about all your new adventures!
Good luck to all! February is almost upon us! I hope you're sticking to those goals!
Judy
Posted by: Judy Schneider at January 28, 2010 03:23 PM