I’ve started to mull over my resolutions for the coming year…last year I was only able to come up with one—to clean my refrigerator out more regularly and make a commitment to purging and scouring the beastly appliance on a regular basis. I feel pretty good about my efforts and would go so far as to say that was one New Year’s resolution I was able to accomplish. This past year has been a challenging one, full of changes and transitions and trials and such, so it was a good thing I only had the one resolution to wrestle with.
So, as I’m hopefully saying “so long” to this past year and looking forward the new one, I anticipate some big upcoming milestones—my fortieth birthday, my eldest becoming a high school senior, continuing adventures in the houseful of teens, but what about those resolutions? Maybe I should keep it manageable and reasonable with all the unpredictable directions the year may go in…
My kids have offered up their own suggestions for where I should put my energy in 2007—it’s been suggested that I grow my hair (and maybe even think about a little color, streaking, layering or some other hip touches); the short, sassy mom-do is out, I’ve been told, and maybe it’s time I let things get a little longer and looser. My favorite suggestion is that I should “get a life” this year. I may actually adopt that one. Maybe it’s high time I do broaden my horizons, build some new social networks and re-invigorate my social life. Of course, when I suggest to my kids that my “getting a life” might mean I’ll need more help with laundry, cooking, shopping and general household management—no one’s stepping up to lend support.
It’s also been suggested that I work on “getting out of their grills” which I will translate for you to mean that it’s been recommended that I mind my own business more and ease up on the where-have-you-been, where-are-you-going, and what’s-going-on-in-school questions.
Finally, one of my kids has suggested that I put some energy into “buying better food” for the coming year. I can assure you that this doesn’t mean a larger variety of organic greens or more fresh fruit. “Better food” would be salty, crunchy things that can be eaten directly out of the bag or insta-meals that can go from freezer to microwave to plate in two minutes or less.
I believe I will take the committee’s suggestions under advisement and come up with my own New Year’s resolutions, thank you very much!