A New Year of Resolutions

We all know it, we lead crazy lives.  Even me who doesn't "really work".  My big New Years Resolution is to do some serious updating of my pictures, for myself, not as gifts.  Barb, my sister,  has already done this.  Last year found me learning to read on a bus, ( I knew how to read, just not while moving, controlling the nausea was the challenge.)I've had wonderful success and although I haven't kept a # of books read I'm sure it's more than 50. That's a huge # for me. I've always loved reading but always thought I'd have more time someday to enjoy it.  You'll know if I'm into a good book if I visit our mother more frequently.(it's a two hour bus trip)This year the goal is to learn to listen to a book, with things in my ears.  Why you ask, well, when I see the many elderly people in my mother's facility sitting day after day with little to do, many cannot see well enough to read anymore, it kills me.  I think if I couldn't read or paint or sew I'd really wonder why I was living.  So my Christmas gift was a CD player, one baby step at a time.  I still have my old tape/radio player so some of the older versions of books that are available to me on tape are still o.k. for listening.  But, I found as I was doing my household things it's really hard to vacuum and listen.  Hence the ear thingys. I don't like ear thingys, so it's quite a challenge for me.   One of the books I read this year was Lift by Kelly Corrigan (I borrowed it from the Library but it's a book I should buy.) What a wonderful concept the author chose for her memories.  I loved it.  It was short and sweet and really helped her children know who she was.  And while I'm still thinking of that Romance Novel, for the moment or at least for 2011 this will be my focus.  I don't know what my mother was like as a child, other than the stories she told, and now I can't ask her.  So if I have one book that I have to choose to recommend to you to read at the beginning of this year it would be this one.  The next thing I accomplished last year was a little more time for my faith. Once you start with these things, you'll think what was I worried about, it really doesn't take too much time.  And while I say I'm going to get things in order, my soul is a good place to start.  Personal friendships are part of that soul search. I hope I'm a good friend, but I do think I need to work on that as well.  Some friendships need work and some friendships, although difficult, must be forgotten.  I thought since January is such a birthday busy month this would be a good place to start with some serious memories.  For example it's my son's 25th birthday at the end of January, I need to write about the day he was born.  My sister's birthday on the 6th also a note worthy experience and of course my mother's on the 11th.  Good starts I hope.   Some times you need more than a picture memory, you need words.  I can't possibly record everything, but I thought it would be most efficient if I did this each month. So today while I begin the un Christmasing of my home ,I'm  going to jot down what we did as kids with our tree etc.  I do it in my home, but quite honestly I don't think my boys notice.  I hope I  haven't bored you with my life plan for 2011, and I hope the crazy doesn't get in the way.  What are your New Years Resolutions?

Book photo of a book I own.