Saturday, January 01, 2011

Happy New Year, and goals... Writing, 'n stuff...

So, resolutions. PBBBBT.  I made 'em, broke 'em, didn't really care.  I need to call them goals, and not have an end date.  Don't know if it's my passive aggressive nature, or what, but say "thou shalt have one year to do x".  X, 99% sure won't get done.  (1%  is possible, if it's something I was going to do anyway.  But even then it's a little iffy...)  So.  I do want to do some goals, which are NOT going to all be written here as a January 1st thing.  Except this shorter one.  I am sure more will come up time progresses (guitar, book writing, anyone??)

I decided that to combine something I was unable to do last month- a daily question from reverb 10, and writing a blog, every day, for one month.  And since both December and January have 31 days, the questions will line up.  I will write about my doings and incidents and miscellaneous stuff, as well, first.  That way if you want to skip the question, you can just read Cat's Daily Fluff, and skip the analysis.

(But thanks for reading any of it!!!)

***

To that end, the first question for reverb10 is (was):

One Word. Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you? (Author: Gwen Bell)

One word, huh? 

Bravery. 

I tried several things this year that I would have said I couldn't do.  And I did them.  I went to the Petty concert.  I was full of all sorts of worry about why, what, how, can I do this, geez it's expensive, yadayadayada.  But I 'sucked it up' and decided, I want to do this.  If I want to do this, I am going to have to get out of my comfort zone.  And, although I found out that some Petty fans are crazy, some are scary, and some really need to get out more (like I should talk), I found I could do it. 

I also found out I could bash spiders by myself, if I have a long brush. (Except on the ceiling, I am about 4 inches too short to do that effectively, and I am not about to decorate my decolletage with arachnids!)  I have always been scared of spiders, (no, I don't know why...), but Husband showed me a way to be able to take care of them without needing to call him in the house.  This took his time, and made me feel even more annoyed and helpless than I already feel, quite often.  I also have a flip flop attack, for low hanging ones. 

The arsenal grows... (insert crazy evil laughter here...)

I also, slowly, have learned to say no.  This may not sound like bravery, in a standard form, but I have the nasty habit of always thinking, gee, that might upset someone...  Then grinding my teeth to the roots because it wasn't something I wanted to do, or ended up being given a job that someone else could have much more effectively performed, just because they didn't want to.  Well, that is not a requirement that I jump into the breach. 

And you know, a friend told me something enlightening.  I say, "well no, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." in explanation.  She said, "you do realize, NO is a sentence.  You don't need more."  And I have tried NO as a sentence, and darned if she isn't right.  Sometimes it's, "no." But- "Thank you, no." Are you sure? "I am sure. No."  It has irritated people this year, and I am sorry about that, but do you want to know a secret?  I'm feeling like my life isn't running for other people, I am finding that I am able to decide if I want to do something, rather than just feeling obligated, and MOST of the time, I am able to have more time for things I want to do, rather than planning my 'stuff' around everyone else's 'stuff'.  (For some reason, December still was over the top busy, but I made most of the choices.  That, my friends, is a big improvement.)

Bravery is also finding out that when I make a commitment to exercise, and I get up feeling like I was in a fight with a biker gang, putting on my boots, hat and getting out the sticks is sometimes the best thing I can do.  Especially when it's the last thing I want to do.  Rudee, bless him, is motivation and a half, but when I hurt, and it's cold, or wet, or (insert reason to skip here), I just have to remember that I make choices, and being stronger than my attitudes is indeed a form of bravery.  (Don't tell Rudee, though, he just thinks it's a heck of a lot of fun...)

The second part of the question, what word for 2011. 

Action.

I want to DO things.  I want to work on learning guitar.  I want to lose more weight.  I want to get my book started. 

Well.  WANT to.  That doesn't get things done.  Actions do.  So, I need to again make some choices on how to best reach the goals of playing, losing, and walking, (and writing).

Making me more active.  Making me happier.  Probably making Husband happier, because I am happy.  But mostly I will be happy.

Lights!
Camera!

Well... You know.

Onward!

Happy 2011!

7 comments:

Sharon said...

You did have a good year - learning to say "no" takes a lot of guts! I learned to say "no" and I felt like I had a heavy burden off my shoulders, I was a real rug back then. Now it is occasionally "he--, no!".

I have no resolutions, because they are like plans to me and plans always fall through for me. Not being a wet blanket, just stating a fact.

I know you will lose weight - because it feels so good! All your other goals are realistic and you should be quite successful!

Have a great day!

Tina said...

Great entry Cat. Happy New Year to you and your family. You are so right it's the words we choose that put labels and limitations on us at times, and yes want doesn't get things done, I have wanted so many things and haven't done "shit" , pardon my french. Action is a great word. And everything and everyday it has to be a concious effort, that's the way to do things and get things done. Here is to more doing than wanting.:)

Terry said...

Happy 2011. Here's to action!

messymimi said...

Happy Action Year!

Good for you for the bravery. Saying no by itself is best, because if you tell why, they think they have a reason to argue you into it. No arguing with a broken record.

And yes, the exercise when you least feel like it is bravery and action, so you are working on both.

V.L. Locey said...

Nicely done entry. I know how hard those literary goals can be to reach! I did NaNoWriMo this past Nov. and it was TOUGH!!

Inger said...

Great post, thank you. No is a wonderful word and thinking of it as a sentence would be so helpful to those who have a problem with it. I want to do thing too and first of all, I want to walk every day and get strong like I was before all these darned accidents that I want to leave behind in 2010. I would also like to work on my writing in 2011. But I stay away from resolutions. Happy New Year, Cat.--Inger

Anonymous said...

Another spider killing technique, and this one should work for the ceiling - break out the vacuum cleaner, and suck it up using the wand!