Join Diane, MotherOwl. Mimi, Merry Mae and me as we lay our souls bare (or not?) and expound on this topic. You can leave your poem in the comments here, or post on your own blog; if you do the latter, please let us know in a comment so we can
(If I seem chocolate-obsessed, it's because I had to give up chocolate about six months ago due to the caffeine in it -- caffeine of any kind plays havoc with my innards. Going without didn't bother me at all for the first five months, but it's been harder during the holiday season, when chocolate seems to be everywhere and I can SMELL it -- at the office and in all the stores that carry a lot of it for the holidays. Wahh!)
Anyway, on to the
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. . . Not That I Couldn't Improve, Mind You
As a child I wrote most earnestly
My yearly resolutions
They lasted three whole days, then died
From lack of execution
I'm really not much better now
I have such good intentions
But as the new year marches in
They die from inattention
New Year's Resolutions are
So hard for PD Jenny
The thing about resolve, you see
Is that I haven't any
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Option B is the kind of thing I could be successful doing |
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Have you made any resolutions this year?
Happy New Year, friends!
Dear Jenny, you are not alone in not keeping well intentioned resolutions past a few days. All the more reason not to make them. I think that the longest I have been able to follow thru is a week or two.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you have to give up chocolate, which is truly one of the best things in life. I had to give up caffeine also for a few health reasons but I can not do without chocolate. I have decided to give up ages 90 to 100 instead.
I wonder just how many people actually DO keep resolutions? I suspect the number is not high.
DeleteAges 90 to 100 are overrated anyway, Arleen :D
This is a poem that I, and I suspect many others, can strongly relate to.
ReplyDeleteNo resolutions for me. I refuse to set myself up for failure.
I feel for you on the chocolate front. A medication I was on (years ago fortunately) banned cheese and chocolate. Too of my favourite things. And yes, I could be strong - until I smelt either.
A very happy and healthy New Year to you and yours.
Setting ourselves up for failure - yes, that's how I see it now also! And why pick on the new year as the time to do it? Hah!
DeleteIt's definitely the smell of chocolate that gets to me. A friend years ago had to give up chocolate because it was a migraine trigger. She used to borrow her kids chocolate to smell it; she said that was almost as good as eating it. I wish it worked that way for me!
New Year's best wishes back to you, EC :)
Not bad. Buying a bigger basket is my solution.
ReplyDeleteYep :D
DeleteNot sure if you take suggestions, but 2020 is a leap year. I wonder what poem you could work out for that.
ReplyDeleteAll suggestions are welcome, and leap year is a great one! Diane has already posted the prompt for next week, but I'll use "leap year" for the following year - thanks, Andrew.
DeleteI meant for the following week, of course :D
DeleteAh yes, resolve. That thing we tell ourselves we could do the impossible if we just had some of. Must be neat stuff.
ReplyDeleteI have on occasion resolved, though not on new years, things that I was able to uphold for years at a time, but I doubt the resolution played too important a role in that, and sort of believe the overall quality of the decision factored more heavily in the perceived success.
These days I just have an aversion to lying to myself.
Set positive goals? You bet. Put them on a time schedule?
Not so much.
Last year I resolved to play my guitar more often, believing a move into a house with a music studio would facilitate that, but, as I knew at the time, there were other circumstances that got in the way, and it didn't really happen.
Perhaps it will this year? I have my Les Paul and some headphones here, so who knows?
Perhaps if I don't make any unrealistic claims about it, it will be more likely to occur...
Wishing all the best to you and yours in 2020.
-Doug in Sugar Pine
I agree, making a good decision outweighs any New Year's resolution. A person has to be motivated to make any real long-term change, and motivation comes from thinking through all the angles of a decision, and sometimes can come from just "doing" and enjoying and wanting to duplicate that enjoyment.
DeleteAnd just because we've tried something once and didn't get it done doesn't mean it won't get done THIS time. I hope it's that way with your guitar playing.
Happy New Year back atcha, Doug!
Hehe good poem ad that sounds exactly like the way it went with my resolutions as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's not just me! I'll be over to read your poem shortly, MotherOwl :)
DeleteI love your poem! Gets right to the point! Don't make any resolutions. But I do admire those who have stick-to-ity. But I don't like those people. lol They make me feel little and mean and jealous.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I admire them too. I remember seeing one video on YouTube of a young lady who filmed herself over a period of months losing weight by dancing, every day. Not fancy dance steps, just grooving to the music. It was amazing and I was so happy for her. It was inspiring!
Deletehttps://nothoughtsnoprayersnonothing.blogspot.com/2019/12/poetry-monday-resolutions.html
ReplyDeleteHere is my nonresolution resolution.
Will be over shortly to read, MM!
DeleteLove it.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Not the best poetry, but I was low on time :)
DeleteGreat poem. No resolutions, nor will there be.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Jenny.
Same to you, Marie!
DeleteHello Jenny, I'm afraid I don't have a poem this week. The only time I can remember making New Year Resolutions wasn't successful, so never bothered again.
ReplyDeleteYour poem about chocolate reminds me of a time when my daughter was about ten years old and during the long summer holidays I booked for us to go on a coach trip to Cadbury World near Birmingham. It was a really hot day, not ideal to go on a coach on a motorway miles from home in Devon, but we couldn't do anything about the weather. Anyway it was cool in the chocolate factory and the shop where they sold the chocolate and we bought more than we would normally (we both love chocolate). Going outside after buying our purchases we were hit by the heat, which I think had intensified whilst we were inside. So, we had to wait outside until everyone including the driver were ready to go. Then there was an accident on the motorway, so had to wait for a while until that was sorted out and we eventually got home about an hour and a half later than scheduled. I had tried to keep the chocolate as cool as I possibly could, but it had all melted and was a mess! Nothing edible, sadly.
For 2020 I am choosing a word to hopefully help me with getting some old, not so old and new projects finished and that is FOCUS. To help me I will have to use one of my precious, pristine notebooks, (sad face). (You know how I'm feeling, don't you Jenny?)
Anyway, Happy New Year to you and yours. Have a good week and take care.
Oh, I know EXACTLY how you're feeling, Joan! In fact, having to use one of my notebooks would probably make me fail :( I hope it inspires you, though, and if you find yourself hesitating, maybe try using an old scribbler instead! hah
DeleteWhat a shame about your chocolate - that would be such a disappointment. Did you eat any of it as it was melting? Melted chocolate - mmmmm...
Happy New Year, Joan :)
Sadly not Jenny, the foil wrapping was embedded into it, so it would have been a case of picking bits of foil out and all the chocolate would have been on our fingers. Still, it was a lesson learned! Chocolate and heat are not good together, lol.
DeleteThe thought of getting a bit of foil on one of my fillings would keep me from trying that chocolate to begin with! Well, lessons learned are never a waste :)
DeleteAccurate comment on New Year's resolutions.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one in this frame of mind, Red :)
DeleteHahahahaha! Brilliant! I don't have any resolve either!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the picture. I'm going with option B.
Our topic for next week? Something that goes fast!
Option B seems obvious, doesn't it? :)
Delete"Something that goes fast" - great topic!!
I just want to enjoy myself.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot to be said for that, John; you hear of so many people who never get a chance to do that because they're over-focused on work and self-improvement :)
DeleteNo resolve here, either, except the resolve not to make a resolution!
ReplyDeleteWell, now, when you put it like that . . . I can resolve that much, too!
DeleteI haven't made any resolutions for several years now, a couple of decades actually.
ReplyDeleteSmart!
DeleteI gave up on resolutions years ago. I suppose my resolution is to continue not having any!
ReplyDeleteAnd you've succeeded in keeping it - lol
DeleteNo resolutions from me! I'll just take it one day at a time and see where I end up :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2020!
Makes sense, Martha!
DeleteHappy New Year to you and your family, too :)
I agree with Martha! And I also agree with your comment on my blog, yes every moment is a chance to start again.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Thank you, Joey - all the best to you and your family in the new year :)
DeleteOff topic, but I have just read the news on YPs blog. Congratulations! Well done! A good start to a new year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up, Joan - I might not have noticed for another day or two had you not commented :)
DeleteOops!
DeleteNot oops - thanks!
DeleteDear Jenny Wishing you a Blessed Happy New year,may your all dream come true and may it fulfill all your wishes my friend!!!!,amen!
ReplyDeleteI never made any resolution for new year .i never believed in claims but "Trying" is my thing yes :)
hope your daughter who had to move another country is perfectly fine and hope you will be able to see her soon!!!
again happy new year to you and your precious family!
hugs!
Baili, indeed our daughter and her family have moved back to our province and we are seeing them quite regularly. I did not post about this (yet) but we were so happy to have all our family under our roof at Christmas time!
DeleteThank you for your kind wishes and I hope the same for you. And may the time pass quickly so you can see your oldest son again, even though I know you are close in thought :)
Happy New Year Jenny. I hope 2020 is a wonderful year for you. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Cherie, and the same to you :)
DeleteYour poem made me chuckle... ruefully. I solve the problem of broken resolutions by not making any in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm still "dealing with" (read: "gobbling") the last of the holiday goodies. I don't buy chocolate for myself, but when it arrives as a gift it has no calories, right? I wonder why my pants don't fit anymore...
Happy New Year! (And my sincere condolences on your chocolate restriction. That's just SAD!)
Confession, Diane - I made another half a batch of shortbread cookies AFTER Christmas because the first half batch was mostly eaten by other folks. Yeah, not the best idea I've ever had, but they sure are good :D I seem determined to make up for the chocolate loss - ha ha
DeleteHappy New Year to you and hubby!
I'm here for a glimpse of a star ⭐ 😊
ReplyDeleteI don't have new years resolutions, I just tackle things as I feel ready
I hope 2020 holds good things for you, shortbread is an excellent start
LOL - if it's a star you want, you'll have to look at the sky tonight :)
DeleteTackling issues when you're ready is an excellent approach, in my opinion. All the best in the new year, kylie, and thanks for your vote of confidence re the cookies :D
Eek, resolutions seem like hard work and darn it I actually made some this year. Time to rethink and fortunately there was a useful word in your poem-intention. A much less threatening word than resolution which sounds like it will bite you if you don't shape up. I'm looking forward to the outcome of my intentions which I think might be the key to a good outcome-I'm not saying success because the flip side is failure which is just miserable and not a thing to inflict on oneself at any time. Happy New Year to you and all of beautiful Nova Scotia.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan - Happy New Year to you too!
DeleteYes, it's surprising how the right choice of words can make a difference to our attitude. There is less pressure and more grace given when you think in terms of intention, isn't there? Looking forward to the outcome is a great motivator.