Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's Resolutions for 2012

It is that time of year again! The old year is done; the new one begins. When I was a little girl, I used to love the New Year. The comparison between the old man and the new baby always fascinated me. Here is a postcard from 1902 I found on wikimedia. I think it sums up the change we go through this midnight!

File:Lemot-1902 se méfie.jpg

By Achille Lemot (1846-1909) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. {{PD-1923}} – published before 1923 and public domain in the US.


Like everyone, I love a new beginning. It is an opportunity to try to do the things I wanted to do last year, but didn't. Unlike many, I will not resolve to drop 30 pounds, exercise more, or get out of debt. Those are goals we should all pursue. But since I have gained and lost hundreds of pounds in my life, the chance of dropping 30 pounds this year - and keeping the weight off - is slim. I walk on the treadmill and in the mall; sometimes I even do step-ups and step-downs; rarely I lift 5 pounds dumbbells. Will I do this consistently? Probably not. And since I have a mortgage, I won't be out of debt for at least seven more years.

So rather than set goals for 2012, here are my resolutions.

I resolve to try at least one new cake recipe a week. I have old recipes I've pulled from Martha Stewart Magazine, Family Circle, Woman's Day, etc., for over 30 years. This year, I'm going to bake and taste 52 new cakes. (This is one reason why I never set the goal of dropping 30 pounds...) I'll keep you posted on how they come out!

I resolve to blog at least twice a week, and to seriously write at least 1/2 hour a day. That doesn't sound like much time. It comes to 3 1/2 hours a week, which is better than not at all. And sometimes, I might get inspired to write even longer.

I resolve to do at least one hour of genealogical research once a week. I've been playing around with family history for a long time now. This year, I will spend at least 52 hours on it, maybe more.

That's it! My resolutions primarily concern time commitments. But in my blog December 31, 2012, we will see how much I have accomplished.

Happy, healthy, and prosperous New Years to all!

Blaine