Almost New Year's...

(Okay--couldn't resist another Audrey picture..even tho she has nothing to do with this post.)

The holidays are all but done, and 2009 is nipping at our heels, in much the same way as Jake nips at mine when I'm late with his meals, his snacks, his treats, or whatever cat-business he thinks I should be about--and am not. 

Unfortunately I find that the new year has the same disregard for my agendas as Jake does. Forget that I'd like to (finally) get back to my novel, begun almost four years ago. There are Christmas trappings to be packed away and returned to the storage space. Forget that I resolved LAST year to submit some of my work to magazines; I have a new computer to break in and a printer to set up. Forget that I had such a good start last fall on exercising; I have a trip to Baltimore each week now to check in with my mom. 

As a favorite poet of mine (John Ciardi) once said, "Where is the flaw in us that lets in the trivial?" He may not have meant it in quite the same way, but it is so easy to let the trivial take over, and figure that the rest will all happen somehow, someday. My brief  sojourn as a Franklin/ Covey facilitator had the answer to that one: in class after class, I spouted the wisdom that "someday" is not on the calendar, and that the only way to make something happen is to plan for it, to divide it up into manageable pieces and schedule those pieces into your day. 

Easy for me to say; much harder to practice. (Sorry to any of you who were in any of my workshops...) I'm very good at buying planners, and I am right there, realizing how important it is to write things down (particularly now, when my memory has a distinct resemblance to a piece of well-holed Swiss cheese) -- but actually walking the walk after I've talked the talk? That's another thing altogether.

But 2009 is just around the corner, and now is the time for good intentions. Since I'm apparently following the road to hell anyway, I may as well add some paving along the way. Okay. First step, a planner. Second, a gift to myself of the time I need to update said planner each week. Third, a resolution to write for an hour every morning. Fourth, another hour each week to submit and keep track of submissions to publications. Fifth, a half-hour each day for exercise, repugnant as that is to me. I owe it to myself, and to young Audrey and the rest of my family, to enable me to stick around long enough for them all to REALLY get tired of my weak-willed ways. Sixth, (and runner-up in the 'repugnant' category) Weight Watchers meetings every week and adherence to their healthy eating mantra, no matter how much I hate vegetables.

That's it. The likelihood of my sticking to all of these is slim--but there's a new administration in town. If Obama can take on the mess we have here in Washington, I guess I might hope to make some change in my own little fiefdom, population one. 

Happy New Year, one and all, and best of luck on your own improvement programs!