Resolute: 2012

My resolutions last year were an extraordinary failure. I don't even remember what they were; that's how far off track I got. Nevertheless, I shall make resolutions again this year, because I believe having goals is the only way we progress. At least, they're the only hope we have of progressing into the person we have in mind for ourselves. The rest is up to God. Or, as Shakespeare said with a more positive attitude than mine, "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." Men plan; gods mock. I make resolutions not to achieve these goals (though I'd obviously like to), but rather because it's much easier to get on the path God has in store for you if you've already decided to tackle the mountain yourself. It's not an eloquent metaphor, but you get what I mean. It's the law of inertia; if you're still, you stay still; if you're moving, you keep moving (and in my case, eating lots of chocolate chip cookies.) Therefore, this year I resolve to:

1. Meet up with "that girl" once a month or so. I have decided that maybe she's worth knowing again after all. This is not a resolution to become that girl again--just a resolution to touch base with the parts of me that have always been me: reading, watching old movies, listening to music I like, dancing, whatever. Maybe it's cheesy; I don't care. Once a month I will have a date with that girl. Just to touch base.

2. Read a book. Just one. Preferably a classic. The year 2011 is appalling in that I wasn't able to read a single book from start to finish. Maybe I'll read Jane Eyre or Sense & Sensibility again.

3. Lose this pregnancy weight already. I am reading more and more articles about how research is showing that the longer you are overweight, the more your body adapts to that weight and considers it the new norm, making long-term weight loss (if not impossible) a goal you will have to focus on all day every day for the rest of your life, because for some reason it doesn't adjust back to thinking that the skinny you is normal. But there are LOTS of reasons for me to take off as much excess as possible as quickly as possible. It's got to be done, and it's got to be done now.

With two kids in tow, I'm going to curtail my resolutions at that. Let's be honest. Just one of these is ambitious in my circumstances, but there you have it.