If you read my title, I suspect you’ve got a pretty good idea where today’s post is headed. If that wasn’t apparent, well then I’m less witty than I thought.
I realize I’m a couple of days behind, but only because I wanted to wait until you’ve had absolutely enough New Year’s Resolutions posts before springing yet another one on you. Besides if I had gotten my act together and published this on Tuesday, it would have been lost in the swarm of other resolution posts. There’s no fun in that, and you want to pay attention to my resolutions because they’re extremely exciting….er, maybe not so much, but I like them.
Since I am a list-loving, OCD maniac (all self diagnosed, but no less valid), the very idea of creating a To Do list for the entire year is not only right up my alley, but an exhilarating concept. I’m the type of person who creates lists for the day, the week, the grocery story, the drug store, things to pack on vacation, the list goes on and on (pun intended). So you can bet your sweet ass I’m creating a New Year’s Resolutions list, although this will be my very first time sharing it with the masses. Yes, I’m a virgin; be gentle with me. Not that kind of virgin; you dirty birdie. Oh, that was just my thoughts in the gutter. Ah well, there’s always next year for that kind of resolution.
For me, a New Year’s Resolution list is special. It’s not the typical list where you pick up dry cleaning, make granola, wash the kitchen floor, clean out the linen closest….this is typical, yes? Instead, it’s a guide, a bucket list, and a self-improvement manual rolled all into one. It also must be short, and each item must be obtainable because otherwise what’s the point? If it’s too long, there’s not enough time to accomplish everything, and if it’s unobtainable, well then, you are shit out of luck. 
Time to get our resolutions on…. or really just my resolutions on, but if you want to borrow one, I say go for it.
- Meditate Once a Week. I’ll be honest, this was on last year’s list, and I could count on one hand the number of times I did it. My problem is I can’t sit still for any period of time, which is also exactly why I need to do it. I know it’s good for me, so I’m going to keep trying and hopefully I’ll make it a habit in 2013.
- Belgium Trip. I have family living in Belgium, so I have no excuse not to go. And really do you need an excuse to visit Belgium (waffles anyone)? I think not, especially when my favorite nephew spends his days there, in this adorable hat. Maybe he’ll let me borrow it. I have a small head; it could work.
- Blog Shit. This is super serious code for update my recipes, improve the overall layout, find another comment widget (any ideas?), and make myself a book of my favorite past posts. Do you ever go back and read your past work? I do, and I crack myself up, until I find an innocuous typo, which pisses me off. How did I miss that the first eight times I read it? I digress.
- Spinning Certification. This one is self-explanatory. The only thing I enjoy more than spinning is actually teaching spinning. Might as well make it official.
- More Romantic. I suck at being romantic or sentimental. It makes me squirm and not in a good way, but I know this would make the Hubby happy and sometimes when you’re married, you try to do that for the other person. Stupid compromising…see, I suck at this.
- Tough Mudder. I’m a fool to want to do this, but it doesn’t make me want it any less.
- Juliet Trip. One of my BFF’s lives über far away or really in Texas, which is the same thing to me. I haven’t seen her, in person, in over a year, and I miss her (look at me getting romantic already) so come hell or high water, I’m seeing her in 2013. Side note: why do people say hell or high water? It’s so dramatic, which is obviously why I like it. Maybe, we should make this the new code for our mail carriers. Forgot rain, snow, and sleet; let’s roll with hell or high water.
- Fitness Goals. A three-minute plank, and yes, I know there are some of you who can plank for fifteen minutes while reading a book and filing your nails. Your abs could eat mine for lunch, but no matter, I’m shooting for three minutes. I’m also aiming for one hundred boy push ups in a single day (knocked out forty yesterday; Bam!) and ten pull ups. The Hubby recently installed a chin up bar, and I try to do some every single day. Currently, I haven’t gotten past the dangle like a fish stage, but damn it, I will get my chin above that bar. Mark my words.
- More Spontaneity and Less Structure. Much like romance, the idea of less structure plus spontaneity, makes me squirm. This is another repeater from last year, so I’m wondering if that makes me less spontaneous already, and is it too structured if you have to write down “less structure?”
There you have it. Nine goals; all obtainable (well maybe not the less structure, but I’m going to try) and most even enjoyable, although the jury is still out on the enjoyment factor of the Tough Mudder. I fully expect to break a nail during the event, even though I’m already planning to double my nail strengthener that day. I don’t think that’s too structured either because my nails are at stake, which is serious business and not to be messed with. No, I don’t have ridiculously long nails, but I don’t want them to look like a train wreck on my hands either.
Noticeably absent from my resolution’s list (you did notice, right?) is anything dealing with weight loss or healthy eating. Both were on the 2012 list and pretty much every list which came before it, but I’m not feeling it this year. Don’t get me wrong; I plan on eating more veggies and fruit than you’d think possible for a five foot two person to consume, but I feel like I’ve got a good handle on it. It’s how I eat now, so there’s no goal to achieve. As far as weight loss goes, I’m not trying to lose any weight. Not a single pound and man that’s weird, but it feels really good too. I’m going to work on firming things up (hello planks, pull-ups and push ups), but the number on the scale still makes me happy.
How about you? Any New Year’s Resolutions which are repeats from prior years? Any resolutions which you know are crazy, but you want to do anyway?
Holy Cow, Meghan!! Love the cartoons. Great goals (except that Tough Mudder thing. I need to see photos if you do it!!) I started meditating again and I’ve hit 60 days. Do I sit still the whole time, no. Is my mind quiet, no-especially when Ralph decides to be up at the same time and has the TV on!!! But I keep doing it and eventually I will be Really doing it. I love the idea of doing which is why I keep at it. I’ve got Lots of blog stuff to work on. I’m even considering paying someone to help me with it. We’ll see. Have a great weekend!
60 days is super impressive. Awesome job Fran! I’m planning (damn there’s goes that less structure thing) to try again this weekend. I’m going to start with five minutes and hopefully work up to 15 minutes by the end of the year. 15 minutes once a week sounds so easy, yet…..
These are great resolutions! I had some blog related ones too, and I’m taking the Blog Improvement Challenge from Blog Genie, so I’m hoping that helps me really learn more about blogging and the back end stuff!
I didn’t know about this challenge, so I’m going to have to check it out. Thanks for sharing. I also have a Blogging for Dummies book which I’m still working my way through.
What a great list! I have heard a few ppl talk about doing tough mudders but I will stay far, far away from that! I also can only dangle like a fish so want to add some strength training to my routine 🙂
Between the push up and the pull ups, I should be able to get enough muscle to get me through a Tough Mudder. That’s my thought process anyway.
I can do pull-ups, but I have to admit, dangling like a fish is still my favorite part of owning pull-up bar. Just hang there for a minute at the gym? Someone will make comments/complain. At home? I’m free to dangle away. I consider it “stretching,” because it’s way more fun than actually stretching.
And holy cow, those past-tense typos! I can’t reread my old posts–I rewrite/reread/look over things ten thousand times, heck, I check grammar as my REAL job–how do those slip through??
You check grammer as your REAL job. Now I’m completely envious, in a healthy non-threatening way.
I knew you would be able to do chin ups, and I suspect you can plank until the cows come home too, but I’m glad you like the stretching part too.
Planking so isn’t my thing. Physically? Maybe I could bang out a minute or two. Mentally? No way I can just plank there, still, not moving, for that long. I mean, that’s two whole minutes of my life that I could be doing something else. Like lifting something. Or writing down a list.
Maybe if I combine planking and meditating, I could accomplish two goals with one bird. Or I could learn to plank and write lists simultaneously, and that could be my 2014 resolution.
Blog Shit. Currently attempting to slog through Blog Shit (but hey, I have typed up all the for-next-Thanksgiving recipes I made during the recent Thanksgiving, so perhaps I can move on to December’s backlog) though here I am–squirrel!–nattering away.
I am also going to check out the challenge. But not today. Must work through backlog. Writing up recipes while children demand to be fed and the dog demands to be walked and it’s still Holiday Time here even though mentally I’m done with the holidays is difficult.
Have you seen this? Useful stuff. Not that you are a beginner, I am, but still: http://www.savorysimple.net/my-top-20-food-blogging-tips/
Thanks for the link; this is great stuff, and I could use all the help I can get. You have posts already typed for next year’s Thanksgiving?! This is like your keen ability to put up veggies so far in advance. I need to take a class from you because you are the queen of preparedness, and I love that.
OMG I want to be a spin instructor SO bad!! You have to tell me how to do it! These resolutions are perfect!
As soon as I figure it out, I’ll let you know.
I take it you love spinning too then?
Happy new year and good for you for making some resolutions! I haven’t made any for this year. I have some goals in the back of my head for this year though.
Oh, a Belgium trip! How fun. 🙂 I went there with my family Fall 2012 and it was really nice.
You went to Belgium last year. I want to hear all about it.
Happy New Year to you too Shannon.
Love your blog! And your resolutions for 2013. I’m careful about what promises I make since I think for so many people New Years Resolutions are just something to feel badly about come February. I am trying to, like most, eat healthier, drink less, exercise more and am excited to make it happen!
Thanks for stopping by and giving me a little comment love. You’ve got some great resolutions, but I agree they shouldn’t be another broken promise or something to feel badly about. Nobody needs that.
I love these!! I hope you keep blogging– I would be sad if you stopped.
I love that you didn’t put anything about healthy eating or losing weight. We (as a society) put too much focus on that!
Thanks Brittany. Glad you enjoy my brand of snark and humor. I plan to keep blogging so hopefully others like it too. Yep, no weight loss goals for me, and while I think they are good goals to have, our society does tend to place too much emphasis on them. Especially when we have so many young girls striving for an unhealthy thinness. Have a great day.