New Year’s Ambitions…

New Year’s Ambitions…

Every year, thousands of people make New Year’s resolutions. I looked it up and about 40-45 percent make resolutions and less than half of those people actually stick to their resolution. I have always somewhat prided myself on the fact that I have never made a new year’s resolution. I guess it was always the feeling that if 50 percent of the people fail at their resolutions, my odds are pretty low.

I have always been that person who starts projects and never finishs them. Take for instance my painting that I started 5 years ago. I haven’t even picked up a paintbrush (other then to paint my walls) and even come close to touching the canvas. And then there was the Shutterfly kick…. I went to Carlsbad Caverns 3 years ago, started the photo book and have yet to finish it. It really is almost done, I just have to do all the final proofing and somehow I have managed to put it off for the last 3 years. I could go on with more examples, but I think you get the picture. I start projects and never finish them.

So this year, again, I vow not to be that person who sets an unattainable New Year’s resolution that I will start and never finish. I decided to make my “New Year’s Ambitions.” I thought this sounded “fancier” so we will go with that for now (but it could change later).

Kitchen– After sitting with an unfinished bathroom for 6 months, one of which I started and then stopped, my husband made the rule that I cannot start another room in the house until the first room is completed. Not having my kitchen finished is torture! I love to cook, and it is really hard to cook with limited counter space and the floor covered in plastic drop cloth. Priority #1 this year will be to complete this project. Not only for my New Year’s ambition, but also my sanity.

Shutterfly– Finish the photo books I have started. I have two actually that I need to print that are so close to being finished I can taste it. Really, it’s all about taking 2 hours and proofreading my work.

China Pics– This task comes in steps. First, compile all my friends China pictures into one file. That means getting together, with their sd card, my flash drive, and some sort of computer all at the same time. This sounds easy, but usually one out of the three is missing. Once I have all the pictures together in one file, I need to edit all the photos. That means: red eyes, slants, blurs, and the occasional crazy hair on someone’s head. I mean EVERYTHING! It’s time consuming, but if I work on it during my downtime at work I figure I could really get it done in a month if I tried really hard. Then the final step, upload them to my ftp and send it out! That will be a glorious day!

Painting– The dreaded painting…really it’s not that bad. I cheat when painting. I couldn’t draw to save my life, so I printed the outline of Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh on some canvas (5 years ago) and all I need to do is fill in the lines. It’s just like a large coloring book page. So why have I been putting it off?? I don’t know, maybe washing out the brushes, or not being in the right mood, or maybe that I am secretly still afraid of the basement so it is hard for me to be down there for extended amounts of time. Whatever the reason, I just need to get in gear, turn on some chic singers, have a glass of wine in hand and get that painting finished.

That is it! Four little ambitions for this year! Will this be another idea that goes so casually by the wayside? If 50 percent of the 50 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions fail, the outcome is not looking the best for me. I will make the effort to write an updated blog at the end of the year, so I guess time will tell and in the words of Arnold Palmer, “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.”


~Beth