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Some Practical Resolutions

When I was younger, I used to make all these lofty moral New Year's resolutions. Follow the Ten Commandments.* Be nicer to my brother. Smile at strangers. Don't swear...well, not as much.

 This year, I realized -- I'm supposed to do all of that stuff anyway. 

 Isn't it a cop-out to say, "This year I'm going to donate to charity, follow the Ten Commandments, be nice to my brother, and clean up my language" when I'm supposed to be doing that every year, all year, anyway? I mean, that's the kind of moral/philosophical/spiritual stuff that you're supposed to work on throughout your entire life as a Christian. Have I been letting myself get away with making vague, cop-out resolutions instead of resolving to do something definite, definable, and practical?

 OK, now I'm having a moral crisis. Deep breaths. I mean, what's a New Year's resolution really good for, anyway? Unless I write them down, I've usually forgotten mine by February or March.

 Maybe the reason for that is because they're usually so vague. Not challenging, difficult, or memorable in the slightest...

This year, I'm going to...

 Let my hair grow out. I have a blond, spiky pixie cut, my go-to hairstyle for whenever I get too bored or frustrated to care for longer hair. I'll grow it out during 2013. In December, if it's long enough, I'll donate it to Locks of Love.

 Pester my best friend about her smoking. She keeps saying she'll quit, and keeps urging me to help her quit, but I haven't been terribly helpful in that regard so far.

 Edit my book. Wait -- does that mean I finished it??? Yes. Actually, that means that I finally realized that I have two books inside of what I was trying to turn into one huge giant book. I should be overjoyed, right? Nope. I don't feel happy about this. Not. At. All. It messes up all my evil plans!!! But, as Kate Arms-Roberts says wonderfully, you have to learn to accept what is, even if you have to relinquish control.

 Not take cello lessons during spring semester. This, frankly, is terrifying. I mean, I'm a cellist. The cello has literally been half my life, ever since I was eleven. So I know it's serious when I take a semester off. I've been having some mysterious medical issues, time issues, more difficult classes, and a billion outside of class requirements. I don't have time to practice anymore. I don't have the energy to practice anymore. And without that time and energy to put into practicing, I feel like I'm wasting my teacher's time. Luckily, my teacher took a semester off from lessons in her junior year, so at least she has been understanding.

 Five is my lucky number, so lastly -- I resolve to re-read The Lord of the Rings. I normally do it at least once a year, as I have ever since I read them in sixth grade. I didn't re-read it this year. And 2012 sucked. It had its good moments but frankly, it was a horrible year for me. This probably has absolutely nothing to do with LOTR, but I don't want to risk losing the mojo.

*"Thou shalt not kill" is just soooooo hard to follow sometimes, you know?

Comments

  1. AnonymousTue Jan 01, 06:24:00 PM CST

    I hope that splitting the book works for you. I realized about 18 months ago that two books I had been working on were both part of the same book. It has been a huge struggle pulling them together, but it has been worthwhile.

    Kate

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LauraSat Jan 12, 01:55:00 PM CST

      Thanks, and best of luck on your editing. Making big changes like that is daunting.

      Delete
  2. Ty UnglebowerWed Jan 02, 12:15:00 AM CST

    1) I look forward to seeing how that works out, since I only know you with short hair. Which looks good on you of course. But I tend to like it when women have long hair. That's not a male dominance, misogyny kind of thing either. I just like it.

    2) Yes. By all means be relentless on that one...

    3)You know what they say...writing is really editing. So though you had to alter the master plan, hopefully you will fall in love with the process of the editing of the book. Wise of you to know it was really two books. Not everyone would have conceded that about their work.

    4)Again, as they say, if you love something, let it go for a while...it will come back to you even better than before. Or something...

    5)I read the Hobbit, and tried the trilogy. I'm not saying I will never try it again, but I found it too thick, even though I liked aspects of it. Like eating a whole excellent pie at once. Too much.

    I myself rarely make resolutions anymore. Like you said I almost always forget what they were by the end of February anyway. But I do set goals each year, particularly for my writing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LauraSat Jan 12, 01:59:00 PM CST

      1) It's all just hair. :)

      3) Well, you get to 200k words and you're like, *squint* *blinkblink* "Wait a second..."

      Yeah, that was tough. But writing as one book while in denial was harder. It needs a major overhaul but that's easier than forcing it to be one monsterbook.

      4) I have gotten a lot of mixed reactions from people on that one. I'm a little worried, not gonna lie. But is it bad that I feel...relieved? There's really no other word for it. Finally no one is expecting me to deliver a product I haven't had time to prepare.

      5) Yeah, Tolkien is pretty dense. But good. I WILL find time to read it again, I swear...

      Delete
  3. KirstenSun Jan 06, 08:08:00 PM CST

    I literally just donated to Locks of Love on Thursday! I'm actually about to put up pictures. That's great if you do that. I also can't picture you with long hair :P It'll be cool to see. New looks are fun. And congrats on your book/s! Hopefully editing goes well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LauraSat Jan 12, 02:02:00 PM CST

      I haven't had long hair since I was 12!! It looked awful because I was too young and lazy and pubescent to take care of it. But now I'm giving it another shot. Luckily, my hair grows pretty fast (if I don't cut it), so it shouldn't take too long.

      I saw your pictures, by the way. They looked great -- before and after! Did you read about that boy at a private school who was penalized for having long hair, when he wanted to donate it to Locks of Love? :P Unbelievable.

      Delete
  4. KirstenSat Jan 12, 08:54:00 PM CST

    Thanks! and that does sound somewhat familiar. That's just ridiculous. The fact that a guy would be that courageous and selfless and then be penalized for it is absurd.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LauraTue Jan 15, 05:39:00 PM CST

      Ironically, he started going to that private school because he felt like he didn't fit in and was bullied at his public school. :P

      Delete

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