Remember when I made New Years resolutions? Ya, me neither.
Okay I do remember. And I know I haven’t been keeping them all and least of been keeping up with blogging about them. Last time I mentioned how I was faring it was February and I was already failing at least one. So you can guess how much better I am not doing now that it is the end of June and I have sort of had some major life change to distract me from my goals. Yes, I am going to blame it o the kids.
My resolutions amounted to this.
Get regular physical activity.
Learn new skills or develop old ones.
Read the classics.
Write my Grandma.
Eat less processed sugar.
Raise money for charity: water.
Get away and clear my head.
Give the first part of my day to Jesus.
And now the almost halfway mark verdict.
I do get regular physical activity now through my weekly Aquafit class and by going for walks. I’m not suppose to increase my activity at this point and I have found recently that my back and feet get pretty sore from longer walking but I make it a point to walk to the store and carry my groceries so I’m out of the house almost daily doing something.
I haven’t taken another class since belly dancing ended and I don’t know if I’ll have time. Can I count the prenatal classes as learning a new skill?
Now the reading, here I have been doing pretty good I’d say. Yes, I have broken down and read some more recent fare but you have to understand: I accidentally got introduced to the works of Margaret Atwood one day when I couldn’t get to the library. Once you read one you have to read another. Handmaid’s Tale was my favorite but I just finished Moral Disorder and it did not disappoint. So far this year I have also read Anna Karenina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Tale of Two Cities and Passage to India.
I thought I was a person who liked older books and classic stories but like the time we tried to watch that ridiculous indie film Coffee and Cigarettes, I have realized the classics I do like made me think I was more cultured and deep than I really am. I’m pretty focused in my preferences and topics outside that – like Passage – don’t capture my imagination.
And I’m just going to say this, think what you like about me, but Breakfast at Tiffany’s was stupid. Nothing about the writing makes one sympathetic for any of the characters and the plot is just pathetic and pointless. How they made a movie out of that (and by the way the girl in the book is kind of more of an alcoholic slut than the Hepburn type) I’ll never know.
Moving on.
Oh writing my Grandma. I saw her at my brother’s wedding, can that count for something? I’m a bad granddaughter. I’d love to tell you that instead of concentrating my efforts on writing her I have been reducing my processed sugar intake and raising hundreds for charity: water but I’d have a hard time doing that in good conscience while eating my fifth chocolate truffle.
The truffles were worth it though, just so you know. Like the Atwood books.
I’ll get back to you on getting away for a day, I am not sure how I’m going to pull that off yet. I have enjoyed the time I have set aside most days to read my Bible and be quiet long enough to listen to God. I’d like to get better at starting my day that way as so many times I find myself anxious and trying to control my circumstances and end up retreating to read my Bible to get back on track again instead of getting my focus right to begin with.
All in all not terrible. But not great either. I think I’d like to work on a couple resolutions specifically to try and accomplish them and reduce the number to work on for the rest of the year. I’d like to raise money for charity: water again at my birthday in July and finish reading one more classic book.
Any suggestions on which book to finish up with? Remember my guidelines for choosing them. And if it’s about French or English royalty you get bonus points because I love that crap. Seriously, I’m a nerd for it.
Tags: books, charity:water, projects
I gave John “The Year of the Flood” (Margaret Atwood) to give to you last week and he forgot it in the garage. Then I was supposed to give it to you yesterday. Shoot. It’s so good… Not a classic, but so fantastic. I’m glad you’ve joined me in the world of Atwood…
Darren recently read a Margaret Atwood & loved it! We’d heard mixed review. Great job on getting through Anna Karenina! Was it good? I brought it to South Asia but I wasn’t in the mood for that kind of a book so I read a chick lit book instead. I wasn’t disappointed but I WOULD like to read Anna Karenina one day soon.