I
make New Year’s Resolutions every year, and every year my momentum seems to
fizzle out between February and April. I come up with excuses not to follow
through. Last year my two resolutions met the same fate.
The first resolution of
2012 was to work on my novel for an hour a day and then on short stories for
another hour. I did really well gluing my butt to my chair and staying off the
internet the whole time until I started feeling the guilt of working on
personal things rather than schoolwork. I convinced myself that I would have
plenty of time to write after graduation. And so that resolution failed.
My
second resolution was to run a 5k. I started out really well, running the loop
around the Hollins University campus for about two and a half months. I got to
the point where I could run for four minutes straight. But then I got out of my
routine after Spring Break. I stopped making myself change into my running
clothes, stretch, and head outside into the chilly spring air.
So,
what’s going to make my 2013 resolutions any different from those of 2012? I’m
not longer a college student living in Virginia, and I’m currently struggling
to stand on my own two feet financially thanks to two minimum wage part time
jobs. I am also looking at the world in a different way right now. I’m a
grown-up even if I haven’t quite come to terms with that reality.
The
world is mine to conquer as long as I put in the effort. I don’t want to look
back and feel regret for the things I didn’t do.
New
Year’s Resolutions for 2013
1.
Write for at least two hours a day: Ideally I’d like to work on my novel for an
hour and then use the second hour to work on articles for publication in the
local paper or in other local interest publications
2.
Project 365: A good friend of mine did the 365 Day Photo Project last year as
part of her New Year’s Resolution, and she did really well with it. I always loved
seeing the pictures she posted for it. I did a shorter version for the final
100 days of my college career last spring. I haven’t decided whether I’m going
to create a new blog to post the pictures or to post them on Facebook.
3.
Visit Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: This year is the 150th anniversary
of the Battle of Gettysburg which occurred July 1-3, 1863. I’ve already come to
terms with the fact that I won’t be able to afford a trip to the battlefield
for the actual battle anniversary. It would probably be way too crowed for me
to really enjoy the experience anyway. But the anniversary celebration will
probably be a yearlong event, and I can enjoy it just as much during a
September visit. Plus it won’t be as hot.
4.
Get Healthy: I don’t like thinking about what’s in the stuff I eat. My family
has never been big on eating healthy. The nature of fending for ourselves meant
eating a lot of frozen food from the freezer. So this year I’m going to eat
more salads, chicken, and keep an eye on how much I eat. I’d also like to start
exercising. Maybe walking the neighborhood with Grace and using my brother’s
weights downstairs. I’d also like to make a doctor’s appointment. I haven’t
been since before college, and I think I’m long overdue.
5.
Find a full time job: I’m getting tired of working two part time jobs and not
seeming to get anywhere. Now the challenge will be convincing employers to hire
me.
6.
Put away a sizeable chunk of money toward National K-9 School for Dog Trainers:
I will become a dog trainer. That’s what I want to do with my life, and I can
see loving pretty much every moment of that career. For right now, I just need
to keep plugging along and putting a few hundred dollars away toward it every
month.
Resolutions for Grace
1.
Daily Training: I’ve lost the time I had for Grace thanks to the two part time
jobs, and I’ve noticed how that lack of training has impacted her. So I’m going
to make it a goal to spend at least thirty minutes every day working with her
on things ranging from obedience to clipping her nails to tricks.
2.
Sharing the House: Grace has become very territorial at home when people come
inside the house. I know I’m to blame for this because I haven’t had anyone in
and out to expose her to that. So I, and the whole family, will be working on
having people over at least once every week and teaching Grace that the house
belongs to us, not her.
3.
Visit the Beach: I live about half an hour from the beach, and I don’t usually
venture out there to enjoy it. But I’d like to take Grace. I know she’d love it,
and it would be a fantastic teaching moment. She could have the opportunity to
show even more people how polite and good I know she is capable of being.
So
here’s a toast to the year 2013. May yours be happy, successful, and full of good
memories. Happy New Year, everyone.
