It’s about that time! Time to make all kinds of promises to
yourself that you’ll be breaking by the time January’s rent check clears, which
will have you drowning your self-induced heart break in Ben & Jerry’s by
MLK day. That’s right…it’s time to make useless New Year’s resolutions.
Well, I’m boycotting it this year. I’ve been pretty
successful in carb-loading since Thanksgiving, but I really don’t wanna make
any more empty promises to myself. I don’t like lying to me.
So this year, instead of resolutions, why not try an “(Ain’t
Got A) Bucket List.” Instead of telling yourself what constraints you’re going
to place on yourself and how you’re going to be miserably better for it, why
not plan a list of things you’d like to do this year? I’m up for it!
The list of years past would look something like this…
- Lose 20-30 pounds
- Eat vegetarian one day a week
- Walk or exercise every day
- Stop eating fast food (yes, this means Hardee’s biscuits!)
- Save $4 billion by couponing
Well, guess what? This New Years will find me fat and sassy,
but it’ll find me happy in so many ways.
My 2014 “(Ain’t Got A) Bucket List” is going to be a fun
list…things I WANT to do, not things I'm gonna kick my own Irish and German arse for not doing.
- Start a fire without matches or a lighter (Yep, we watched Castaway this weekend.)
- Go fishing with the kids.
- Visit my friends in Navarre
- Not go to Wal-Mart for one month
- Find a huge hill, and roll down it like my hair is on fire.
- Participate in some sort of redneck outdoors event, whether it be hunting, performing stupid tasks involving ropes and tires, or anything else fun like that. (NO wheelbarrow races. I once broke my butt in a most unfortunate accident involving a wheel barrow and an attempt to break the sound barrier.)
- Volunteer somewhere.
- Go hiking. (And by hiking, I mean casually stroll through some place with pretty hills that has plenty of places to sit down along the way.)
- Do at least 5 stupid things that I'm dared to do.
- Develop an invisible spit shield for Lou Holtz on ESPN. That guy drivesh me nutsh.
I made mine a few years ago after my best friend was killed,
and I can’t even believe how many things I’ve marked off! It’s not necessarily
earth shattering stuff, but stuff that has made me genuinely happy for a little
while! I put 100 things on my first list, and I’ve crossed off about 25 of them
in four years. So do I go ahead with the next 75? Nope, I add 25 more and keep
going!
No, I haven’t been to Europe or Italy yet, and that’s okay.
I’ve always wanted to see them, but I’d much rather see my kids faces light up
in Disney World than see the Louvre light up at dusk. If they happen one day,
that’s great, but I’m okay if they don’t.
I guess if I had to make one resolution for this year, it
would be to be happier with what I have, with who I am, and with the
opportunities that God has given me. And
if our next family reunion should turn into a virtual redneck edition of
non-lethal Hunger Games, then it might just be the best year ever!
Make 2014 the year of truth. Don’t pretend to be a vanilla
cupcake with freshly whipped butter-cream if you’re really a fruity-pebbles-and-french-onion-dip
kind of girl. Men, don’t pretend to be what you think women want. Be who you
are, and even if you don’t find the soul mate you’re looking for, you’ll be
happier. The real magic happens when you live as the person you really are.
On December 31, 2014, I want to look back and say I’ve
earned my certificate of authenticity. No faking and no camouflaging: all me, all the time.
If you're looking for somebody to have good, clean, stupid fun with in 2014, give us a call! I'm in no way committing my betrothed to such acts of tomfoolery, but I can guarantee that he'll laugh at whatever I try.
I'll leave you with a few memorable quotes from our joyous Christmas
season.
“Momma, your face is as big as daddy’s belly…bigger than the
universe.” –Emzilla
“Daddy, I love you more than mommy because you’re my
favorite.”
“Mommy, you’re just so big and squishy!”
“Mommy, Chwis Wock died. He was my boyfriend, and he died
and now we have to put him in a hole. He died yesterday, too.”
“MOM! I’m supposed to get mawwied today! I’m gonna mawwy
daddy because I love him and he’s not yours anymore so you’re gonna have to
leave.”
“You and dad are, like, the best parents I’ve ever had.”-
Bubby (Wow! Considering those couple of years when we secretly rented him to the Vanderbilt's, this is uh-mazing.)
“It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever had, but you’ve done a
lot better. It’s okay…you can try again tomorrow.” –Rae-Rae
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