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Ramblings About the New Year & a Bunch of Other Stuff

Ramblings About the New Year & a Bunch of Other Stuff

My first post of the New Year is a bit of a ramble. (What else is new, right?) Are you sick of reading about New Year’s resolutions and goal setting yet? I am. Blah. Blah. Blah. Been there. Done that. Of course, if you love that sort of thing, more power to you. Really, I mean that. I’m actually envious. I suck at resolutions, well, the keeping of them part anyway. Resolutions do not motivate me. What about you?

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions years ago. More recently, I gave up on selecting three words to “live by” for the year too. I would pick them and then forget about them – just as I did with resolutions. Last year, I tried affirmations. Though not perfect, that approach worked best for me. This year, I’m ditching them all.

I figure, what’s the point?

I am not a list maker either, btw. Are you? I suspect this is why I don’t get as much done on any given day as I’d like.

This is not to say I do not have goals. I do. I have lots of goals. Daily goals. Weekly goals. Monthly goals. Sometimes hourly goals. I have goals for this blog, some of which I’ll be sharing with you, my dear readers, over the next months. But for the most part, I keep my goals to myself.

One thing I do enjoy about beginning a new year is swapping out my old wall calendars for new ones.

These days, do people even hang up wall calendars? Do you?

I do. But the number of them hanging on my walls has gone down. Way down. This year there will be two. The English Springer Spaniel wall calendar and the English Springer Spaniel wall calendar. Yeah, that’s right. I have two. Same theme. Different calendars. Oops. Sorry, Ninja. Maybe I better pick up one more.

This will be the first year in decades I haven’t bought the Minnesota Weather Guide Calendar. I bought it for my dad for years. Last year I bought it for myself because I couldn’t fathom not buying it. Not buying it seemed too sad. This year, I am feeling the opposite. Buying it feels too sad. Over the past year, I discovered walking by it every day didn’t make me feel better like I thought it would. Mostly, I avoided looking at it. Doing so made me more sad about the fact my dad was no longer here adding his two cents about anything and everything weather related. I miss you just as much this January as last January, Dad. I will miss you forever, but this year buying it makes me more sad than not buying it. So, let’s see how that goes.

Then there are desk calendars. I used to enjoy tearing off a page every day, if only for that scratch paper that naturally accumulated and was put to good use. These days, I don’t do desk calendars.

Do you? 

Many people, maybe even most, do calendar-type stuff on their phones and/or computers these days. I still like the spiral-type daily planner for plugging in appointments, writing down blog post ideas and such. Come to think of it, I don’t have one yet for this year.

I wonder if wall and desk calendars have to some extent, gone by the wayside, sort of like wearing a watch.

Do you still wear a watch? (Did I mention this one’s a ramble?)

I always did. Now. Never.

Phones have become our time keepers, too, have they not? A phone is the new watch, at least for me.

Come to think of it, I don’t even have a bedside alarm clock anymore. Actually, I do, but it’s not plugged in because Ninja sits on it sometimes and inadvertently turns on the radio and/or alarm and/or volume increase button. Yikes! My phone is within arm’s length all night anyway, so there’s no need for another clock, right? I’m not sure if all this phone dependence is a good thing. In fact, I’m pretty sure, it’s not. Oh well, that’s a post for another day…

Beginning another new year is a welcome thing for many of us, including me.

Last year was a rough year. The thing is, in Cancer Land, every year is a rough year for far too many families because cancer, regardless of stage, continues to raise havoc in countless, ongoing ways and because metastatic disease continues to steal too many women and men every single year. This year will mark ten years since my mother died from metastatic breast cancer. Ten years! Where’s the progress on decreasing the number of annual deaths?

And there is the ongoing chaos of the political sort here in the USA. No need to say more, right?

Each of us continues to deal with our own personal challenges, some of which we share about and some we choose not to. The struggles of last year don’t disappear with the changing of a calendar.

Still, no matter what our challenges might be, most of us also begin the New Year with hope and gratitude. It’s human nature to look for a brighter future and fresh starts. It’s also the perfect time (as is every day, of course) to reflect upon the people and things we are grateful for. Among other things, I am grateful for you, my dear readers. It’s lovely to know you’re out there, no matter what the new year brings.

So hello, New Year. It’s good to see you.

Two weeks nearly down. 50 more to go.

No matter where the new year takes us, let’s tackle it together, shall we?

Do you have a goal for the New Year (or for today) that you’d like to share?

What’s your favorite sort of calendar and do you wear a watch?

What will be one of your challenges this year?

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Ramblings About the New Year & a Bunch of Other Stuff

 

These two will help keep me grounded in 2018. Who helps you?

These two will help keep me grounded in 2018. Who or what will help you?

 

2 oe

Tuesday 30th of January 2018

So reassuring to read these posts and ramblings. These are similar to thoughts that speed through my mind without pausing to be resolved. I cannot relate to resolutions, surely if something is important to you it should not be a yearly occurrence but a priority in our busy, unstable lives. I’m considering the watch...to wear or not to wear? Would I get used to the feeling of it around my wrist? I also use an app on my phone as an alarm clock but fondly remember the bedside clocks that flicked over each digit with the march of time. As for lists, I do need lists in my life, I am guilty of including things I’ve slready done...I excuse this as self motivation as if some omnipotent chore master was watching and shaking their head with disappointment at my inclusion of “have a bath”. So sorry Laine that you are where you are xx

Nancy

Wednesday 31st of January 2018

Zoe, Your words about some omnipotent chore master made me laugh and it's funny, I have put things on lists (when I make them) that I have already done. I suppose whatever motivates or makes us feel we've accomplished stuff is useful. And for sure, resolutions do neither for me. Thanks for sharing.

Laine

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

Happy New Year! Mine started off with my husband of 42 years leaving me for the other woman. His biggest complaint is that since my year of cancer treatment for Stage 3 Triple Negative (and poor prognosis) that I don't have the energy to do things with him and I haven't made him my priority. And that I am obsessed with my cancer, always reading blogs. Well, I faithfully read yours but that is it. I was shocked to read the statistics on how many men leave their wives after s cancer diagnosis. Never thought it would happen to me. Cancer a gift? Not bloody likely.

Nancy

Wednesday 17th of January 2018

Laine, Oh my, I am very sorry. Sadly, you're right, there are a lot of men who do leave their partners after a cancer diagnosis. I am very sorry this has now happened to you. I hope you have some people you can turn to for support when you feel you need to vent, cry, share or whatever the case might be. I appreciate that you shared this personal news and that you feel comfortable doing so here. Again, I'm sorry.

Honey Bee

Sunday 14th of January 2018

I love these "rambles". I have two wall calendars, and two planners, one is weekly, one is daily. I use them mostly to track appointments and engagements, and reminders like "take your ticket to the concert", and "get meds refilled". I am a bit "list averse". They overwhelm me. I just do what I can when I can. My goals are full of grace. If I feel up to it, I do it. If my body says, "Rest", I listen.

I have a watch and a phone. I use my phone mostly for photos, or for browsing the internet if I'm at a place that has wifi, like Starbucks. My phone also becomes my alarm clock if I'm travelling, or my calculator if I'm trying to unscramble my finances.

I don't do resolutions. But this year I came up with the idea of having a word for my focus for the month. January is Morning Pages (based on Julia Cameron's books, especially The Artist's Way), February is Nutrition, March is Home, April is Walk, etc. We'll see how that goes. They don't tie me down to specific action but they can stimulate thinking about actions.

Hope 2018 has lots of good things in store for you. Honey Bee

Nancy

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

Honey Bee, You are so nice to say you love my rambles. I like your approach, just do what you can when you can. That is a very interesting idea about selecting a word for the month. It'll be nice not to be tied down to any specific action for too long. Let me know how that goes for you. Hoping 2018 has lots of good things in store for you too. Thank you for sharing. Your comments are always so insightful and candid.

Eileen

Sunday 14th of January 2018

I never do resolutions, but I've always been a list maker. Speaking for myself, there's a noticeable difference in what I get done if I see it written down and have the pleasure of checking it off. I didn't used to write most things down because I kept everything in my head -- until cancer. Now I need help from technology such as Google reminders or Todoist, my app for keeping track of work and personal tasks.

Other than that, I haven't worn a watch in over ten years. I look at my cell phone when I need to know the time. After working in offices most of my adult life, but being a creative spirit, I rebelled against wearing time on my body when not necessary. Being bound by time is a fact of life, but I resist it when nothing is at stake.

Nancy

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

Eileen, I don't care about scratching things off a list and only make lists when I am really feeling under a time crunch to accomplish specific things in a short amount of time. I've always kept track of things in my head, probably not the best way to go these days. Sometimes I still miss a watch because as Lennox mentioned, it's so easy to glance at your wrist. Instead I dig out my phone from my pocket or purse. And yet, I don't go buy a watch either. Not sure what any of this says. Guess it just is. Thank you for sharing, Eileen.

Marie Ennis-O'Connor (@JBBC)

Sunday 14th of January 2018

Nope I don't do lists or resolutions. I started with the three words years ago but didn't stick with it - though as a concept I like it a lot and admire those who keep it up. I'm looking forward to learning more about your blogging goals this year Nancy!

Nancy

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

Marie, Nice to know I'm not the only one in our community who gave up on resolutions and the three-word exercise. Plus, you don't do lists! Think you just made my day. ha. Like you, I admire people who do those things. Thank you for reading and sharing, Marie. Hope the new year is off to a good start for you.