Keeping it simple in the New Year
By Staff
Leada Gore, Editor
I’ve never been very big on New Year’s resolutions. I think this is because my birthday is in January, so my “holiday season” didn’t really end until the middle of the month or so. Since most resolutions deal with weight loss or other ideas about healthy living, I often find myself making something more along the lines of “February resolutions.”
After all, my grandmother’s chocolate birthday cake is not something I plan on giving up anytime soon.
The few resolutions I have made in the past were simple ones. There was the one where I vowed to cut back to one Diet Coke a day. Another was to ride the exercise bike every day. Yet another had to do with the length of time between removing clothes from the dryer and folding them.
I will not tell you how each of these worked out, except to let you know as I am writing this (it’s about noon) I’m on my third Diet Coke and I cleaned dust of the exercise bike last night. I did find, however, that the bike’s handlebars make excellent clothes hangars for those items that never quite got folded.
This year, I know better than to even try to make any major resolutions. Having a baby this year has thrown things askew. Why would you worry about things like cleaning and dishes when it’s so much more fun to play with her and make her laugh? In the end, what will matter most – a clean house or a happy family?
I will take spending time with my family every time.
Still, there are some things I probably should work on in this new year.
I really need to keep my car cleaner, as I believe there are gum wrappers in the back seat that would qualify for a museum somewhere.
I also need to get back to my daily walks. I enjoyed walking each afternoon and got to know many of the people along my route.
I need to resolve to get to know all my neighbors and not just when my dog runs in their yard (or, one time, in their house through an open garage door) and does something he shouldn’t. This is not the best way to meet your neighbors, by the way.
This year, I think I will also try to finally get my closet organized so things don’t hit me on the head when I try to get them down; throw out the purple silk suit I’ve had since I was 22 that will now only fit if I cut off one leg; and not spend one more minute watching anything on television if it involves some young movie star doing something stupid.
These are pretty doable things. And I think it’s better this way. My life’s not at the point where I can make major changes. The best I can hope for is just to maintain the rest while enjoying the best.
And for the maintaining? That’s not going to start in February anyway. Have to get through the holidays after all.
