Tag Spring

Resolving to Keep It Real

Michael 2 Comments

Last year the Monday adjacent to New Year’s Day was actually January 2.  We called it the day resolutions die and posed that if we made our annual resolutions more toward a climatic re-awakening, say the beginning of spring, we’d be more likely to keep them for more than 24 hours.  So last year we made our resolution to make our resolutions come spring.  (See Be It Resolved, Jan. 2, 2012.)  How did we do?

Let’s pick two.  When we finally got around to making those resolutions She of We felt she was watching too much television and to combat that would read more.  Well she’s reading more but still feels she watches too much television.  He of We clearly needed more exercise and by the time spring rolled around had a positive plan.  That was to walk the local high school football field every morning before work. Well he walked some for about a month but that was still better than just 24 hours.  (See Be It Further Resolved, March 22, 2012.)  The real question is, was delaying resolution making successful in making rational, keepable resolutions?  Really, not much.

So here we are, back to another winter Monday and this time it’s New Year’s Eve, the day resolutions are made.  Will we?  We have some time to think about.  We might.  We still know January is a terrible time to start a new year.  But we also know we need to still exercise more no matter if we’re at the beginning, middle, or end of the year.  We know we need to still keep our minds nimble no matter if it’s hot, cold, or comfortable outside.  And we need to spend less, save more, and eat better.  Do we need resolutions for those?  Really, not much.

We like the idea of not making any serious goals while it’s only 20 degrees outside.  The mind is challenged enough at the holidays and New Year’s Day is still best suited for continuing the stress of the holiday period.  That hasn’t changed from last year.  But we think we can come up with a few rational, keepable resolutions. 

We resolve to keep having fun.  We resolve to work on the hard stuff later.  We resolve to keep you posted on how we’re doing with both.

Now, that’s what we think.  Really.  How ‘bout you?

 

Be It Further Resolved

Michael 2 Comments

If you were reading us at the beginning of the year you know we didn’t make our New Year’s Resolutions on the turn of the New Year.  (Be It Resolved, January 2, 2012)  We contended that to try to make life changes while still reeling from weeks’ worth of parties, presents, and way too much food is just plain goofy.  “Ask us to set goals when Mother Nature is setting some of hers,” we said.  And now, we can.

We live in the right part of the country for Spring Resolutions.  Just a couple of days into Spring and we are in the midst of a potential record breaking string of 70+ degree days.  Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and what rain we’ve gotten has been warm and overnight, leaving the days washed bright and sunny.  It’s the perfect time to collaborate with Mother Nature on this year’s goals.

Back in January, She of We was concerned about her television watching.  She had talked then that television had become too much a part of her routine and when she was watching she wasn’t doing anything else.  Back then her resolution would have been to stop watching so much television.  Not terribly positive.  If it had been a goal on a self-appraisal it would have been rejected for sure.  But after a few weeks of getting out of the holiday routine and back into a more normal “rest of the year” routine she found what she was missing was reading.  Her books had become orphans.  So now She of We can say the she wants to increase her reading time and the time to do it will be in the evening which previously had been time watching television.

He of We had complained for the entire holiday season that he wasn’t getting enough activity, neither physical nor mental.  Other than carrying boxes of decorations up and down steps there was no exercise in his life.  The most thought he’d put into anything was whether the plastic cocoon covering a new flashlight was trash or recyclable.  Had a resolution been made on January 1 it might have been to exercise more.  It might have made it to January 2.  But now in the warm morning sun it’s a comfortable walk to the nearby high school football field where he can circle it for a few laps in solitude and thought.  He of We now can say that he’s going to spend at least 30 minutes a day reflecting on what he can do to be more positive to others and as long as his mind is occupied for those 30 minutes, how about occupying the body too.

So we managed to keep our one resolution that we did make back in January.  We resolved then to make our resolutions this Spring.  Spring is here and it’s time we live up to our words.  You’ve heard two of them and we’re pretty certain that we can say we’ll continue those at least until the next snowfall.  That’s usually how long resolutions last anyway.  In January the next snow fall could be only minutes away.  Now we should have some 6 or 7 snow-free months to work on these.  By then, they may not be resolutions.  They might be good habits instead. 

We’ll get back to you and let you know.

Now, that’s what we think.  Really.  How ‘bout you?

Hey! Here’s something else we think.  Today we upload our 50th post!  There was a time we weren’t certain if we’d ever get to our first.  We’ve had fun, we’ve been reflective, we’ve ranted a little, we’ve enjoyed a lot.  It’s our way of celebrating reality. Real reality. Because if you aren’t real, you aren’t. 
And that’s what we think.  Really.