In One Year and Out the Other

So, it is New Year’s Eve again. That time of year that provides us with the opportunity to commit ourselves to change and vow to make better our lives, happier our souls, and smaller our asses. Last year, I vowed to give up Diet Coke and meat. I can proudly say that I went meat free for about 10 months (about 9 longer than I expected) and now drink regular Coke (baby steps, people). I vowed to lose weight. I did and then gained it back. And more. I vowed to be more positive. Whatever – overrated. I also vowed as stated in my New Year’s 2010 blog to blog more often. That was my only blog of the year. But this year will be different. Clearly. So, here are my 2011 New Year’s resolutions:

• Lose Weight: Okay, see, in 2010 I vowed to reuse and recycle more often. So, I am recycling/reusing this resolution for 2011. It’s only right.
• Put it on Paper: I am going to begin to begin to write a book (no, that is not a typo). No promises that there will be anything that resembles a finished product, or even a finished chapter, by the end of the year. But I am going to commit to thinking through a concept for what will be my first book. I know all of you will one day support me in this venture by ordering multiple copies (hopefully, not from the Dollar General, Tree, or any other store with “dollar” in the name) and telling me how great it is no matter if it is or not. Because many of you reading this love me (or are pretending to) and that is sometimes what love requires. That and forgiveness, which I am sure you will grant me if there are characters in my book that happen to resemble you. All names will be changed.
• Let my Hair Down: I don’t mean that literally or in a drank-too-much-Boone’s-Farm kind of way. This one is metaphorical. Sometimes I feel stuck, like Rapunzel, waiting for a man to find me so I can get on with life. Like everyone in the world around me is moving and living life while I am watching and waiting. But, unlike Rapunzel, I don’t have 27-foot long, rope-strength hair. Even if someone did come along, he wouldn’t be able to reach me and would probably just give up and ride away. So, this one is two-fold. One, I will stop worrying and waiting and remind myself that life is not on hold – it is happening every day. (And I can save myself, damn it.) And two, I will be more open to potential relationships in my life when they do come along – I will “let my hair down” and give people a chance to reach me.
• A Drop List: There are many parts of the country, some within driving distance, which I have not seen. There are places here in Nashville that I haven’t been to yet. There are also things that I keep saying I want to do or try but have not yet. I am going to make a list for the year of 50 things to do, see, explore, visit, photograph, create, eat, try, play, and accomplish. Sort of like a smaller version of a “bucket list” – a drop in the bucket, if you will. Some of those things will be small things like making a pizza from scratch or planting sunflowers on the side of the house. Others will be bigger things like walking the Music City Half-Marathon in April or taking a photography class. The first thing on the list is to make the actual list. I will post it when it is complete. Suggestions welcome.

That’s it for 2011. A short but grand list of resolutions. We will see how these first few months go. I may give up resolutions for Lent.

Resolutions

Most of you know that I am a social worker that works with children. Today, I talked to one of “my kids” (I like to say I have 116 of them) about what it means to make a New Year’s resolution. I described it as making a promise to yourself, a promise to grow, learn, and improve yourself or your life in some area. As my first blog in 2010, here are some of my promises to myself this year - my resolutions in no particular order of importance.

No Diet Coke

It. Has. Been. Five. Days. Really, I am fine. (twitch, twitch)

No Meat

I don’t know that I should be considered a vegetarian though, as I would eat hunted meat or organic, grass-fed, free range meat processed by a local farmer. Keep in mind I live in a big city – the only things hunted are parking spots, jobs, and sometimes people. And some parts of town are hard pressed for grass, let alone room to “free-range” anywhere. Therefore, for the most part, no meat for me. As an addendum to this resolution, I am also joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group, buying into a share of an organic, local farm that delivers crops into the city once a week. Good for local jobs, my health, and the environment. Plus, the food comes in a cute little basket that Farmer Tim (yes, that is his name) calls a “bushel” which makes me feel like I am in a storybook.

Shop Less

I am going to challenge myself to continue to buy second-hand clothing, books, and some household items at thrift shops, garage sales, Craigslist, etc. My one-woman attempt at making a dent in consumerism and waste. There are some exceptions listed in the fine print of this one. I will continue to buy some new things like underwear, toothbrushes, and the remaining seasons of Sex in the City or Girlfriends that I need to complete my collections. And please remember that I have a bigger booty coupled with a smaller waist which requires that I sometimes have to fork over the money and buy the pants that fit, new or not.

Be More Positive

I don’t think this one is going to stick, but whatever.

Burn the Candles, Use the Good Sheets, and Drink the Wine

I know that sounds like a bad R&B collection as seen on TV. But this one is more metaphorical. Let me explain. I have all these candles around my house that I have acquired over the years – some are small tealights, some are beautiful and intricate, and some smell incredible. I never burn them. I always think that I will burn them when I have someone over or when it is a “special occasion.” I also have these amazingly soft sheets (which I am sure are like 4 million thread count, if only I knew what that meant) that I save for out-of-town guests. Not to mention the bottle of wine that has been sitting in my kitchen for months, waiting for a small group gathering with a “special occasion”. Well, I have decided that I am the special occasion. I should enjoy my candles on any given day, as a take a bath, watch television, or, hell, do a little dusting. I threw caution to the wind when I threw the fancy sheets on my bed earlier today. And I might just get a little wild and have a glass of wine this weekend – by myself, in my pajamas, while watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother. Why am I waiting for someone else to come along for me to enjoy life? (See the metaphor? Deep, huh?)

Go Green

This one has two meanings. The first is the most obvious. I will continue to recycle, reuse, reduce, and reconsider. I will buy environmentally friendly and biodegradable products, including those made of recyclable or recycled material. I will even make my own household cleaners (not hard, don’t worry). Yes, I will have spots on my dishes and ants in my (wild) flower bed, but also the peace of mind of knowing that neither I nor cute, small, fuzzy animals will be drinking water with toxic chemicals. The second meaning in this is that I will donate some of the wee-bit of spending money I have to “Malama na Honu”, an organization in Hawaii that advocates for the protection and preservation of the sea turtles. Every day of the year, Honu Guardian volunteers, sit at the beach on Oahu’s North Shore to educate visitors on these amazing creatures and protect them from human contact. Swimming with the turtles in the open sea last summer was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. I want someone else to experience that same awe and amazement before it is poached out of existence. Much like buying eco-friendly products or second-hand items, this is just another way to put my money where my mouth is so to speak.

Lose Weight

This resolution has been on the list since I was like 12 (or a size 12, whichever came last). This year I mean it. Really. As soon as that bag of cookies (and maybe some potato chips and a few candy canes) in the cupboard is gone, I am eating healthy. Unless it is a holiday. Or a “special occasion”. Or a weekend out with friends. Or a work day (those can be stressful without my Diet Coke).

Blog More Often

It’s no coincidence that it is the beginning of January and I am blogging for the first time in months. As you can see, I am not back to writing because I have had a life-changing event or feel enlightened on tangible steps toward world peace. It’s the same me. Well, at least for now. That is, until these other resolutions improve my life in clear and immeasurable ways, leaving me a better version of myself that you might just not recognize. And if these don’t work, there is always Lent.