Let’s Try This One More Time: Roz’s 2016 Resolutions

Since I can’t remember, or find, last year’s list of resolutions, I have no idea if I kept them. So, here are my new resolutions for 2016.

Make More Lists

This is big news for 3M and their fabulous Post-it Notes. In 2015, any flat surface in my house was covered with assorted sticky notes, some of which I couldn’t even decipher when I did a survey of what had to be done. From my unreadable scribbles, was I supposed to WALK the dog, or WAKE him? Send Patty a CARD or a CAKE? Join the PEACE CORPS or buy PEAS for a CASSEROLE? Or was that a CAROUSEL . . . who takes peas on a carousel?

Work on Handwriting

I may, or may not, have missed several deadlines due to my scratchy penmanship. I’m not a doctor, for heaven’s sake, so unreadable writing is inexcusable. Gotta work on that.

Buy More Pens

In that kitchen catch-all drawer where assorted items with no other home are relegated, I have at least 20 pens jumbled in with hundreds of giant paper clips, a few thousand wrapped peppermints given away at restaurants, and a large assortment of dull knives (that should really be chucked out, but I may get a knife sharpener one of these days). However, finding one pen with enough ink to scratch out CALL INSURANCE COMPANY or BUY SHOE POLISH is a chore. Must buy new pens and throw out those with no ink.

Buy Shoe Polish

At my father’s insistence, when I was a kid, I polished my school shoes every night (Corinthian Brown leather). This might be considered child abuse nowadays, but what kid wears brown leather shoes every day, much less polishes them? Thank you, Skechers, Nike, Adidas, and all the rest of you that make walking so pleasurable.

Walk More

During 2015, my neighborhood was elevated and house prices shot up when a Starbucks opened within walking distance of my house. So, my current exercise plan consists mainly of walking the ten minutes or so to the barista and taking a half-hour break to sip caffé mocha and read a book before making the journey back home. Works for me.

Read More New Books

My Kindle currently houses close to 70 books. I want—I need—to branch out a bit from my favorite authors and try some new ones. Instead, I find myself rereading books I enjoyed, some of them many years ago. But seriously, can a person read The Winds of War or The Stand too many times?

Stop Telling Lies

Okay, so I don’t really walk to Starbucks. So far I’ve arrived there only by car. Once there, rather than read a book, I get stuck on Facebook reading posts from people who are complete strangers to me. And I currently don’t own any leather shoes that require a touch-up with Corinthian Brown shoe polish. But hey, I just found a pen that works, so time to start making more lists.

We wish you all a happy and prosperous new year, and if you have a list of goals, we hope you achieve them!

Patty’s daybed next to her desk has served the same catch-all purpose as Roz’s kitchen drawer. \
That will change with her 2016 resolution. Or not.