Column: Good thing I didn’t make resolutions

Talk about it

Just out of curiosity Monday, I pulled up a column I wrote the first week of 2011. In it, I decided I was already too far into the new year – it was published on Jan. 6 – to set any resolutions. I thought instead I’d make me some pledges.

And it’s a good thing I didn’t make those resolutions, because I’d have a heck of a lot to do in the next week.

First off, I had pledged to learn to play cribbage, because The Beau likes to play Cribbage. Whoops. Didn’t master that one yet. File under “To Do in 2012.”

I did master kicking “the habit” in January, though. I successfully quit smoking early in the year. So I’m pretty pleased I can put that one into my “Done” column.

The next two amused me: cleaning the clutter from my home, and spending more time at home. Looking at it all now, and given the fact I moved to St. Paul in April, I think I was trying to hint to the greater Farmington community that I was, in fact, making a major life change. In any event, I did clean the clutter from my home (and moved it to The Beau’s, where it’s now in boxes in storage) so file that under “Done.” Renovating the basement and putting up shelving units so I can organize my remaining clutter takes time at home, though … so file under “To Do in 2012.”

What’s with this pledge to shed 12 pounds? Umm. We’ll talk about that in 2012. And we’ll ignore the fact 12 pounds seems to be closer to 17 now.

I made a pledge to spend more time with my family and my friends, and, to that end, to spend more time playing. For that one I’ll make a separate category, “Ongoing.” I’ve spent a lot of good time with my family and friends, and I’ve had as much fun as possible with them, but do you ever have enough time for that? So that one? Well, it’s still a biggie.

Another “Ongoing”? My pledge to serve the men and women who have served our country in the U.S. Armed Forces, and to serve our community. We’ve had some pretty rough times out at the Farmington American Legion, and we don’t know what 2012 has in store. But I’m still proud to be president of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 189, and I know that so far this year – despite all of the negative stuff with the Legion’s bankruptcy – the American Legion family has continued to support Dew Days, Rambling River Center and Toys for Town. I’m pretty proud of that.

When I look back at my past year, I see that 2011 was really one great big year of change. I moved out of Farmington and in with The Beau. I quit my part-time job and became a landlord. I got a puppy. I lost two family members I loved, and I gained another five pounds. I made it through some of my pledges, but not all of them. Good thing I didn’t actually make any resolutions, because I had too much other stuff going on. Instead, I pretty much just lived life, and that’s probably the easiest pledge to achieve.

Tags: opinion, commentaries, farmington