Saturday, January 23, 2010

Resolutions future: Blame Dell

So the next day or Sunday turned into way more than a week. But this time it is not my procrastination but the hellish customer service from Dell that is the reason for the silence. Here I was with my list of resolutions all ready to type away and start to follow through, partly attempting to guilt myself into doing something about them by the fact that I write them down and because last years were a washout, and I am usually very very good about resolutions. Of course the laptop refused to cooperate. It's given us problems from the day we bought the damn Dell. The keyboard is the main accused, with keys behaving errantly and causing words to come out looking all sad and misshapen. I won't bore you with more, I already chewed a whole bunch of people's ears with my miserable life. Anyway, it seems to work now and so here are my resolutions for 20-10.

1. De-clutter: Our house regulary looks like the paper monster came and threw up his lunch all over it. There is paper everywhere and no matter what we do it seems to never come under control. Of course now we have hideous plastic toys and furry animals and spilt biscuits to add to the mess. This year I will devise a workable filing system and get rid of as much unused stuff as humanly possible.
2. I will finish my scrapbook/ photo album which has been lying on the bookshelf, filling in pictures and ticket stubs etc that hark back to 2005. I will also get on with the new scrapbook that I enthusiastically started and have somewhat abandoned.
3. Lose all the weight that having a child has added back on. This will include going back to the gym with enthusiasm by April and not eating the dregs of leftover food. And abandoning chocolate and anything Ben & Jerry's (within reason of course; a gals gotta live a little!). So 20kgs lighter (and make no mistake I will still be grossly overweight!) by 31st december 2010.
4. Lose my temper less and count to 20 before I nag. Harder to quantify but I shall try try try to not sound like a whiny old woman. And I don't want to hit 35 and look in the mirror and see a curmudgeonly wizened hag.

That's it folks. 4 resolutions in what promises to be a busy year anyway. And this year I aim to meet them all head on.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Resolutions past

The first week of a new decade over and done with - a bit quick don't you think? All a giant blur in face of rubbish Dell laptop and endless screaming at their poor employees via phone while small child purses lips and refuses to eat ANYTHING. I can already see how the tone of this year, if not decade, is set.

So very quickly on resolutions past:
1. Learn to de-clutter: Tried. Valiently. But did not count on arrival of small person and all their clutter.My once 'good sized' home now looks like a small hovel made of hideous plastic toys and fluffy animals.
2. Read read read: Bought a second bookshelf. Unsurprised to find that it is already full. And I have stacks lying on the side, homeless. Not inspired to try much writing though. Have ideas but too chicken.
3. Treat my friends and acquaintances better: Was ruthless about people taking advantage, expecting me to call, takers not givers – I cut them out. And seriously pared down the ridiculous numbers on Facebook, giving email and the many phones their chance.
4. Host yet more convivial meals: More or less the same as the previous year which I came to realise was very hectic with socialising. More than I imagined considering the second half of the year brought us a whole new timetable and takeaway menus to keep up with the upkeep of a small child.
5. Slow down with the blogging. But try not to stop. Stop being obsessed by blogs. And by people who write them: Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes. Although I was not much less harsh about other people's crap. Only now I do it in private and learn to temper my feelings with the 'to each their own' philosophy!
6. People watch: Failed miserably. Basically I have no time to stop and smell the roses. More like daipers these days.

Resolutions future is nearly there although not quite. List should be up tomorrow or Sunday. I guess not putting everything off all the time ( I have so many book and restaurant reviews in draft stage it is frightening!) should make that list....