Thursday, January 7, 2010

On No Discipline Whatsoever




Okay, maybe they weren't the best New Year's resolutions, nor the most ambitious, but I was sincere about them. Really, I was.

1. No eating after 9 p.m. at night. I was doing really well with that one until last night. I had one of those cinnamon sugar graham crackers. The good news was it immediately gave me a stomach ache. So after one small lapse, maybe I'll get back on track. Unless I'm watching television late at night. Then all bets are off.

2. No email until after I've already written five pages of my novel or the book proposal. I was actually doing pretty well with this one BEFORE New Years. But this week is my blog week, and the first thing I have to do in the morning is get up and post. For some reason, these leads to checking email. Plus I have a new computer AND a new email system. So what human could possibly resist the novelty factor?

3. Be green and use all cans of tennis balls at least twice before throwing them out. I tried this, but most people I play tennis with insist on opening their own fresh can of balls if you offer a used can. So it isn't any greener and it just seems cheap.

4. Stop telling my kids what to do. They are grown ups for goodness sakes. That was the idea behind the resolution. But this week I remembered that I'm still helping to finance them. And if I let my son shop for his clothes without me (on my credit card) he comes home with stupid stuff that is the wrong size. He hates shopping. I can't help myself. I have to go and save him from himself.

5. Buy less at the supermarket. Especially produce, which almost always goes bad because I buy too much. I've already had to throw out wilted parsley and a very funky looking lemon. And my first grocery bill has not yet gone down a penny. But then again, my son is still home from school and he eats a lot. Right?

Okay everyone, what new year's eve resolutions have you already broken???

And for those you who have resolved to watch less television, if you are in the Providence area today, January 7th , I'll be reading from Teaser and talking about mysteries with the talented Mark Arsenault at the Providence Main Library, Empire Street, Providence, RI at 7 p.m. We would love to see you there!

And Congratulations to Ruth McCarty, who won a copy of Brad Park's new book: FACES OF THE GONE.

And a reminder from Hank: WINNERS!! SECOND NOTICE!!

Margie B! You win Toni'sKelner's book! Email me and send your snail mail address.

And Plastic Santa! You win a copy of Quarry, the new and wonderful collection of short stoires from New England writers (okay, including my On The House.)
Send me your snail mail!

11 comments:

  1. Ruth--send me your address and I will get you Brads book! COngratualtions to all.

    JAn, I agree with you about he grocery thing. I really try to plan more now. How many green beans will we actually eat? How many brussels sprouts? Will I USE all those green onions? I'm so annoyed when I have to throw things away.

    I always say--why don't I just throw away the MONEY?

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  2. I didn't really make resolutions this year, though John and I talked about goals. Mine were about writing--two new books and at least one short story. (And commenting on blogs doesn't really help with that!) But anyway, I just came across a site called 43 things, which is all about goals. here are the top ten resolutions for the new year:
    1. lose weight 2690 people
    2. be happy 1754 people
    3. Fall in love 1348 people
    4. get a job 1330 people
    5. travel 946 people
    6. Quit Smoking 760 people
    7. get married 629 people
    8. love 597 people
    9. find love 570 people
    10. lose my virginity 540 people

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  3. Oh, Jan, please change that resolution to EAT MORE VEGGIES! Then they won't go bad. We belonged to a farm coop this year and I miss all the fresh greens and root vegetables that sent me to Google Images.

    I'll bet mine is the resolution of a lot of other writers out there:
    FINISH WRITING THE BOOK!

    Otherwise I have resolutions to exercise more, eat less and healthier, not keep trying to tell my HUSBAND what to do. I can be very busy -- stop laughing.

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  4. Ha, Ha! Talk about denial - I meant to say I can be VERY BOSSY!

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  5. *bwahahahaha* Yeah, my road to ruin is paved with resolutions. This is what? Jan. 7th? I leave for a two-week cruise the end of the month and I was going to have the new WIP finished, ready to edit? What alternate existence was I living in?

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  6. Silver, that still leaves a couple weeks--just get busy friend:).

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  7. You can do it Silver, we believe in you!!!

    Hallie, there's just so many vegetables you can eat. Even when you eat a good amount of vegetables.

    Roberta, you are smart not to make new years resolutions. Is there a point when they only last seven days???

    Although I did resolve to eat slower -- and that seems to be working.....and i actually need to resolve to do LESS exercise. (more writing).

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  8. My one and only resolution was to finish writing my book. Since it took me a year to write more than half (at pretty much just one day a week), I figure I have a good chance. At least the first draft!

    But another unofficial one, linking up to a discussion elsewhere (or was it here?) is to think, Would Hank eat this? ;^) (For example, all that tasty aromatic hi-cal Chinese takout that appeared at work yesterday right after I finished my humus-and-lettuce sandwich on sawdust bread...)

    Good luck, everybody, with your resolutions.

    Edith

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  9. I'm thrilled to have won a copy of Brad's book, "Faces of the Gone." Thanks so much.

    I vowed to write each day. Does working on writing related things count? Not Facebook, or e-mails, but planning a Quarry event...

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  10. It's as if those were my very own resolutions. Thanks for making them so I don't have to. I enjoy the blog so much; keep it coming! Bobbi

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  11. Yes Ruth, working on Quarry related things definitely counts.

    And Bobbi, we're glad to have you join us!

    ~jan

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