I'm not one to make resolutions. The whole idea of coming up with a list of crap that I swear I'll do but inevitably won't is kind of bogus to me. Besides, like Christy said a few days ago, why should we wait until Jan. 1 to change something about ourselves? Why not start now?
To be honest, I would start on the 2012 Path to Greatness at this very moment, but I'm a bit stuffed from the seven handfuls of Chex Mix I just ate, and my feet are retaining as much water as there is hot air in the GOP.
Instead, I've outlined a series of Wills and Won'ts to help me consider the year ahead not as a year in which to reinvent myself, but rather a year to continue doing what I've been doing in an effort to maintain pure and simple happiness in my life.
On Dieting
What I Won't Be Doing: Going on any kind of fad diet in an effort to be my leanest, yet crabbiest, self.
Give me refined carbs (once in a while) or give me death.
What I Will Be Doing: Enjoying gluten, dairy, carbs, meat, and every other "off-limit" food both in and not in moderation. Food is too tasty to be enjoyed half-ass, but I'll at least make sure to exercise enough to balance it all out.
On Organizing My Life
What I Won't Be Doing: Stocking up on the plastic bins, cool totes, color-coded file folders, or large wall calendars that are being hawked mercilessly at Target right now in a marketing effort designed to make us all feel like lazy slobs.
What I Will Be Doing: Keeping my house and belongings cleaned and organized throughout the year. Making regular donations to Goodwill. Buying only what I need as I need it.
On Racing
What I Won't Be Doing: Inundating my self-esteem by registering for too many races that I can't reasonably compete in.
Maybe I should add "correct heel strike" to this list somewhere.
What I Will Be Doing: A few small races in early spring to help me rediscover my racing mojo, followed by the Seattle RnR Half-Marathon in June. In August, I'll take on the Crim, and October shall bring a fall marathon, likely Marine Corps since the NYC Marathon registration fee alone is $255. If I get real feisty, I may attempt a summer sprint triathlon again.
On Parenting
What I Won't Be Doing: Trying to figure out parenthood all at once (ok, so I have read a little bit ahead in What to Expect the First Year) or pretend that my kid is the best kid ever (ok, so maybe she will be).
What I Will Be Doing: Living each day as it comes and hope not to completely fail my child by being too average at life. Attempting to get over my fear of drool. For some reason, poop doesn't scare me too much, but drool... drool is the devil!
On Living a Type-A Life
What I Won't Be Doing: Resolving to give up my control freak issues as I've realized that can't really be done, and I only become more Type-A the more I try to eradicate the problem.
What I Will Be Doing: Becoming a more flexible Type-A person (oxy moron, right?) by learning to deal with schedules being changed and routines becoming unroutine with the notion that I can at least be on a routine schedule about 98% of the time.
I also plan on wearing several funny hats in 2012.
And now, if you'll please excuse me for a second while I gather the teeniest amount of warmth and soul I have in my cynical body to say thank you, truly, for reading and following along with me this year. At times, I've gotten tired of blogging, not wanting to overshare or bore you guys with my average life. But your comments - here, on FB, Twitter, etc - always bring me back to a dirty white Mac keyboard to once again put digital pen to paper. Thanks for that!
Best wishes to everyone for a fabulous, confetti-and-champagne filled New Year's. Please, go back for that third helping of bean dip and that sixth cookie tonight, and have an extra glass of champagne for the 38-Weeks Pregnant Lady in Michigan who can't wait to add "drinking" to the list of what she will be doing in 2012.
One last question for 2011... What's one Will or Won't that you have on your 2012 list?