Yes, it’s time again for us to make New Year resolutions. Here are mine:
1. No more stressing about dinner parties.
Actually, I started on this resolution over the last few months. I’ve been using the catering menus from local restaurants. For Christmas Eve, instead of making my husband’s family’s favorite enchiladas, I served lasagna from Olive Garden. While it went well for me, the family let it be known that enchiladas was something they looked forward to all year. So next year, maybe, I will do a little more cooking and less take out. So scratch this one.
2. Play more games.
Now I don’t mean Scrabble, Yahtzee, or Uno. I mean interactive games. When my kids were little, they had a Nintendo. They would laugh whenever I would play because I would get so excited. My limbs would fling out, I would yell, and just make a fool out of myself, so I stopped playing.
Well, this Christmas I bought both kids a Wii. Paul, Muriel, and my husband set the darn thing up and had a ball. They bowled, played tennis, fished, and target shooting. We all laughed and had a good time. However, I just watched. They asked me to play, but I just didn’t want to embarrass myself. So I sat.
Well my new resolution was to play more games right? So on New Year’s Eve, I played. I had so much fun. I can bowl again without my thighs rubbing and without bending down. I stood up and bowled. My knees didn’t hurt from standing a long time; it felt good. It was great. So my husband said I could get myself a Wii. Now I realize you have to play these games responsibly. I know I’m fifty-four years old, and over weight, so when I play I will keep the phone by my feet to call 911.
3. Reduce stress.
Easier said than done. I live on the corner of Caretaker Blvd and Mom Avenue. Quite a few things have happened in this intersection. AAA has not been able to help me but I’m looking into AA.
Seriously, my husband has been pointing out articles that say a caregiver’s life span is shortened four to eight years due to stress. I guess trying to maintain a normal lifestyle with your spouse, children, grandchildren, and friends is difficult when you are responsible 24/7 for an elderly parent or ill child.
I looked at a few lifespan calculators to see my longevity. Once I put in all the information (i.e.; age, weight, lifestyle and the fact that I take care of my mother). I should be gone next Thursday.
So I will be working on stress.
After I grocery shop, I will sit in the car for at least ten minutes to enjoy some me time.
After I clean the bathroom, I will shut my eyes and think of the forest pines in the Pine Sol ad.
Before I wash the Pledge off of my hands, I will enjoy the aroma of a freshly baked lemon pie.
I will spend more money on gloves, so after I rub down my mom with Ben Gay I won’t wear the scent like cheap perfume all day.
I will try to locate other caregivers and arrange a play date.
I will pamper myself.
4. Lose weight.
I’m a stressful eater. (So you know where this is going.) I, again, will try to lose weight this year. After all the 75% Off candy is gone.
After my sugar high has left.
I will try. I will not diet. I will not starve. I will cut down. There have been many studies done that show when people diet and then fall off, they gain more weight. I cannot afford to gain more weight than I am now. So I will cut down. If I’m not successful, I will just stop watching the health channel.
5. Get out of debt.
Scratch this one, I can’t even find a solvent bank to rob.
6. Go green.
Forget this one. I thought it meant I didn’t have to clean the refrigerator.
7. No more gossiping.
8. Be spontaneous.
I will plan to be more spontaneous.
9. Learn something new.
Learn how to post pictures on my blog.
10. Sign up to go on Survivor.
