Saturday, January 05, 2013

Not Resolving To Do More ... The Fifty-2 Weeks of 2013 Project

I don't remember when I stopped making resolutions. I don't remember how long my resolutions lasted. They were usually mundane stuff, well, now mundane - lose weight, eat better, write a diary, blah blah. I don't think I took resolutions very seriously at all and then I found the exercise pointless and stopped making any, though I do think about them whenever the new year comes around. This is not to say I gave up on the resolutions but I didn't organise my life around them. So while I'm fairly obsessive about losing weight and eating better, I don't have a goal because it makes me sad when I don't achieve it by a certain date. These are constant, ongoing projects for me.

Then a couple of years ago, I was so irritated by the yelling-shrieking-holier-than-thou-intolerant-of-others anchors on the news channel I generally watch, and I resolved to watch less of it. I succeeded. Though I would choose that channel by habit, I would click away and watch another.

This year too, I don't have any resolutions, just some amorphous thoughts. Maybe I could describe them better as being halfway houses between thoughts and resolutions, teetering on the threshold of crossing over to resolutions, me unwilling to make the commitment. What's the point of starting out with great ceremony (even if it's limited to your own mind) only to feel misery and self-loathing for grand goals not fulfilled later? Might as well cut out the mental pomp and formality and strive for whatever you want with some sincerity unfettered by a starting date and an ending date. That said, January 1 is a nice, clean, easy-to-remember date to start on.

Getting more social: Maybe I'll get more active on Twitter - I've got an account and have signed on to follow some folks whom I know through work, but I rarely visit it. Keeping up with work, life and other social media is quite time-consuming, do I really need another? Maybe not, but that's where the vocal, the bold and the beautiful seem to be saying a lot and I don't want to miss out.

Itchy feet: Another nebulous thought is about making the time for more travelling, even if it's a short trip. I have promised myself, and my friends, at least three visits in total. None of them worked out and one friend is moving away from the city where she now lives that I want to visit. I have to get there soon. The last time I went there six years ago, it was so cold during this time that I had to rig myself out in woollens from top to toe, replete with mittens, two blankets underneath me, five above and a room heater. My host told me she didn't tell me the temperature dipped to zero in case I felt colder. But still ...

Some other thoughts: Learning something new, be it a craft or some music; being less obsessive and more easy-going about certain things; watch more movies; volunteer; even more home-cooked meals; taking healthier snacks to work, not giving The Spouse a hard time ...

This morning, as soon as I returned from vacation, I told him I had made some resolutions.
"Oh?" he said.
"For you," I said. "You will give (the ironing lady) the suitcase full of curtains that we washed about a month ago. You will empty your writing desk and move it out of the house. (This is so that we can make more space in our TV room for the recliner we bought recently. He promised.) ... And you should get the plumber to check on the heater in my bathroom." I forgot the third. I would have woken him up and checked but I had decided to be easy-going. Luckily, he woke up and remembered. Now let's see if he sticks to his resolutions.

And best of luck with yours!

15 comments:

  1. Rolling with laughter. But on a serious note, I think you will succeed with those other thoughts! If I tried 'not giving the spouse a hard time' with mine, he will wonder if it wasn't me. Lata Raja, Flavours & Tastes

    I like the idea of making a few resolutions for the spouse most :-D and, how about visiting me?? Lata Raja, Flavours and Tastes


    I like the idea of making a few resolutions for the spouse most :-D and, how about visiting me?? Dershana, Scribbles from the Mind

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  2. Thanks, Lata, Dershana and Aparna. Sorry, there was a problem with the post and I copy-pasted your comments.

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  3. I love your resolutions for your husband. Now those are New Year resolutions! :D Aparna, My Diverse Kitchen

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  4. I couldn't connect from FB. Nice piece. I am sure M will stick to your resolutions for him...;)

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  5. After seeing your post, now feel why didn't I make some for him? ??? But then it will contradict with my other 2 promises!!!!! Best of luck with your resolutions! !!

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  6. Aha! I like the idea of making resolutions for hubby. Maybe I will try it sometime ;-). And I liked what you said about thoughts, resolutions and commitment. Really nice :)

    Happy New Year

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  7. That made for a delightful read, Sra

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  8. Lol, great job, well done!!

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  9. LOL. It is so much fun to read your posts as always Sra. Losing weight is an ongoing resolution for me too. I don't even count it as a resolution any more but just an uphill battle that goes on year around.
    And yes, I should get T to resolve to keep his paperwork under control but since that is not going to happen, I will have to take the lead on that one too.

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  10. Why why i don't have brains to come up with making resolution for Hans, i am so curious to see if you hubby will keep to your resolutions.

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  11. Haha!! That was funny! :D :D

    I made easy ones.. watch more TV.. work less.. Pick up a new hobby/skill.. Am leaning towards Astronomy! Thinking I'll learn some star-charts.. something more than that's the Moon. If you ask me which is the Milky Way now I will point you to some 2% Reduced Fat. In 2014 all I need is to be able to say, Aah.. Milky Way? Just a moment.. it's all here in my latest Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! ;)

    Happy New Yr, Sra!

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  12. I was so tempted to make resolutions for the husband ! He doesn't even bother with such things. Have a great year girl !

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  13. LOL on implementing resolutions to hubby :)

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  14. Now I feel that I've wasted all these years when I could have been making resolutions for hubby and ensuring he followed them :-)
    Travel is always lovely and I hope you'll get to fulfill that resolution....I intend to travel more this year too, plan to make at least a trip a month....just got from a weekend trip to Mahabaleshwar.

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  15. Not giving the spouse a hard time. What a nice thought.

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