Did Kelly follow her 2012 resolutions?

I cringed when Erik said he’d be reviewing his resolutions today, which meant I’d have to take the walk of shame and review mine. Actually, I couldn’t even remember what I’d said I’d do, but at the same time, I was pretty sure I’d not done any of it. If 2012 had a theme, it would be “wheel-spinning” — or at least that’s how it felt to me.

Now that I’ve read over what I wrote last year, I find I actually did do some of it. Sorta. While I do think posting New Year’s resolutions on a blog just begs future embarrassment, I’ve realized that it is valuable to remember where your head was a year ago, and see if it’s still in the same place.

This will be a long, self-indulgent post, so the TL;DR version is that last year I knew I needed to work on my time management skills, and yet I did not improve in that area. This is the key lesson I’m taking from this exercise. The rest is small stuff, but procrastination has been and remains a big problem. Addressing that will be my challenge for 2o13.

Still reading after the break? Are you brave–or are you procrastinating???

I’m going to go through all my 2012 goals. If you haven’t clicked away yet, here’s your chance. (I hear there’s a fantastic video of a disgruntled kitten wearing a tiny Darth Vader costume over at Boing Boing.):

First 2012 resolution. The theme is established:

-No lingering over breakfast, no excuses such as “just one more cup of tea” or “I’ll just check one more blog” or  “the cat needs my lap”,  i.e. a new striving for morning productivity. This means 1/2 hour to eat and defog, then I must do things.

I still linger in the mornings. Waking up is hard. But I’ve started taking morning exercise classes, so on those mornings I do get out the door early. Lesson learned: since I have no internal fortitude, external stimulus is necessary.

-Related to the above–stick to my designated daily schedule, as if I had a real job and boss looking over my shoulder.

Nope. Didn’t happen. If I had a dollar for every daily schedule I’ve composed for myself I wouldn’t have to worry about work at all.  I sing the sad ballad of the freelancer.

-Accomplish my “yucky list” this month:  switching banks, upgrading my RAM, getting a new passport, and making appointments for a physical, a dental exam and an eye exam. (In terms of engaging with the medical establishment, I prefer to behave as if though the zombie apocalypse has already occurred, thus I’m well overdue for a complete overhaul.)

This I did. All of it. Yay me.

-Organize the labels or tags on Root Simple so our dear, somewhat abused readers can find information when they want it.

This I did as part of our overhaul.

-No processed sugar for the month of January. Or beer.  (sigh)

This I did. I’d forgotten. I probably should do it again, because I’ve been having a torrid affair with the cookie jar.

-White flour, crackers, tortillas, pasta & etc. are designated as “treats” this year, as opposed to “staples.”

You know, we have actually been better about this.

-No internet surfing until after supper. No email in the morning. Email at noon and in the evening.

*headdesk*  This lasted all of a week. Why isn’t there a Betty Ford clinic for internet addiction?

-Repaint the living room, hall, two bedrooms and the breakfast nook.

Okay, I haven’t done this yet, but I am starting this week. Seriously. No, really!

-Spend more time outside loving the garden–just being with it, regarding it with joy instead of judgement.

This I did not do, which is a real shame. I don’t know what my block is, why the garden is no longer fun, but that is something to ponder.

-Learn to identify trees.

What a crappy goal. It’s too vaguely stated. All trees? How many trees? I do know a few more trees this year than I did last year.

-Take up archery again. This means starting with practice in the back yard once or twice a week, until I have the chops back enough to visit the range without embarrassment.

Uh….nope. As a partial defense, I will say there was a huge dirt pile blocking our target for at least 6 months this year…and the target is near the beehives, which makes me a wee bit nervous when pulling arrows…but nope.

-Purge the closets. To do this, I’m going to have to either pretend we’re moving and have to pay to ship every object, or if I’m in a more morbid mood, I’ll imagine what what would happen if Erik and I were hit by a bus and people had to come in and clean out our closets. I don’t want to be remembered posthumously as a giant, acquisitive hamster of questionable taste and strange habits.

I did a little of this, but I’m going to do more in tandem with the painting project which starts now. Room by room I’m going to toss out crap before reorganizing and painting.

-Make a dress. (This will make Erik laugh because he will remember the last dress I made. I’ve had 15 years to recover, though.)

Nope. And it’s probably a mercy.

-Make a pair of shoes. Or perhaps just tall spats to start.

This I did, sorta. I learned to weave Japanese sandals out of jute. I want to figure out how to make them less itchy and more attractive. When I do, I’ll let you know.

-Start a gratitude journal. I’m so cynical, really, that the very phrase “gratitude journal” grates on me. Which is exactly why I have to keep one.

I was too cynical to even start. I keep imagining Oprah shaking a finger at me.

-Get fit. To be more concrete, my goal is to be able to keep up with Erik on his masochistic hikes.

This I’m doing. I’m exercising regularly. Poor Erik’s knees are out, so there’s been no hiking, but I am committed to my routine.

-One date night a week with my very ambitious but rather sweet husband.

Oh, the shame. I think we did this twice. Unless you count a run to the feed store and a stop for tacos a date.

I have no wise summary to close with, no clever solutions to my bad habits.  (See, you should have clicked over to Boing Boing!)

All I know for sure is that I’m going to think very carefully before posting my 2013 resolutions!

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11 Comments

  1. Getting going in the morning is a tough one for me, too. I did get my main goal (enroll in midwifery school) done this year, so I should probably go set some crazy goals for next year now!

  2. I read some where that if you have a lot of goals and set just one a week to be accomplished or started you are more likely to get them done.

    I love the humor in this post! Thanks. 🙂

  3. I read some where that if you have a lot of goals and set just one a week to be accomplished or started you are more likely to get them done.

    I love the humor in this post! Thanks. 🙂

  4. Instead of New Years Resolutions, I’m working on a 101 in 1001 list. I, too, shake my head at myself way too often! No worries, it’ll all get done…in time. Hopefully 😉

    Happy 2013!

  5. Oh I love this post of yours! It gave me a good chuckle while I was procrastinating my day!
    Seriously though, I only give myself one resolution in January and I make it a major one (guess it would be equal to “paint only ONE room and clean it out first”), and then if I get it done I make another resolution at Easter (usually to give up some kind of dangerous food or start an exercise program). After that I try for one in Summer. It makes it easier on my brain. I just cannot concentrate on long lists anymore! I tend to forget what I told myself I was going to do!! LOL

  6. Kelly, You are the best. No I mean it. And I need to start a damn gratitude journal for the exact same reason. Also I realized that I can’t trust facebook to keep track of updates. I have to actually come to your blog and read it. Procrastination on Root Simple is far superior to procrastination on facebook.

  7. Ah, gosh, thanks Kevin!

    And re: the Facebook– we need to figure out a way to do auto updates under our new set up. That way all your procrastination can be in the same place!

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