To Read More Books

It's the new year.  2012.  Ouch...just realized that exactly a decade ago I started counting the days until high school graduation.  I still remember the surprise on my AP English teacher's face the first day back after Christmas break when I announced that we only had 142 days until freedom.  Oh, those were the good old days.

Every year, about this time, we all look at the year ahead with the hope of a fresh start and go about making our new year's resolutions.  I don't think I've ever managed to keep one of mine and every year I think, 'This is the year I will succeed!'  But by the time March rolls around, they usually fall by the wayside.  Let's take, for instance, 2011.  I decided to keep track every day of something I learned, something for which I was thankful, and something beautiful I saw that day.  I think I made it until the 12th of January before I got too far behind to catch up.

Regardless, I'm not making resolutions this year.  I'm going to think of them more as guidelines.  I want to read more, worry less, drink more wine and less coke, try new recipes, do less laundry, waste less produce, volunteer more, keep my nails painted, sit on the porch and look at the stars, learn to like tomatoes, do jigsaw puzzles regularly, actually use the kayak I bought myself, visit more museums, do more people watching, finish writing the book I started two years ago, plant a garden (or at least some flowers out front!), laugh more, blog more, love more, and just try to keep it all together.

So far I'm doing pretty well on some: I'm in the middle of my third book of the year already and I just repainted my nails from dark brown to a bright fuschia-ish color with sparkles!  Unfortunately, I did have to throw away a zucchini and a yellow squash today because they had gone bad since Christmas.  That put me in a foul mood because I had planned on using them for dinner, but it was nothing a little stir fry couldn't save.  

But hey, if this is the year we're all gonna die anyway, I'm probably not going to try too hard.  Except on the book thing...so many to read before doomsday!

Guilty Pleasures

It's been a while since I last posted. And every time there is a lapse in my blogging, I make excuses for my absence and promise to write more. Not that it matters much; I can probably count the number of readers without taking off my shoes. Anyway, I was thinking on the way home today about the things I love, even though they're somehow wrong. And I compiled my Top 10 list of Guilty Pleasures....

#10: Foot Freedom
Speaking of taking off my shoes, barefoot is my favorite way to be. I especially love to take my shoes off while sitting at my desk at work, in church, and while driving. I am fairly confident that the last one is illegal in almost all 50 states. I don't even have a good reason as to why I'd rather not wear shoes. My feet just like to be free, okay?!

#9: Crime Drama

What IS it with all the crime dramas on TV these days being so good? And to be fair, it doesn't even have to be a current crime drama. In fact, I'm fascinated by crime in general, and just love how those television folks can make a crime happen and wrap it up in a nice little bow in 50 minutes or less. My favorites are the ones about serial killers. It's sick, right? But there's something about them...turn on an episode of Criminal Minds and I'm glued.

#8: Pickles

Basically any kind of dill pickle. But especially pickled okra. It's so good. But given my high blood pressure, I should probably lay off of them. It's tough, but when I go grocery shopping, I force myself to choose between a carton of ice cream or a jar of pickled okra. Let's just say I usually skip the freezer aisle.

#7: Office Supplies

When I first started working for my current employer, I just about lost my s-word when I learned that I was in charge of keeping the office supply closet stocked. It's kind of an obsession. So much so that once when I redeemed my $63 StaplesRewards check, the cashier looked at me, bewildered, and said, 'Oh, I guess you shop here a lot. My rewards checks aren't that big...and I work here.' What can I say? I love all things with the intention of getting you more organized. I also love pens, filing systems, date stamps, rolodexes, sharpies, notebooks, and bubble wrap. It's bad. I have no less than seven boxes upstairs in my spare room labeled 'office supplies' that are wasting away. I wonder if they're like the toys in Toy Story 3 who didn't want to go into storage because they were made to be played with. Are all my hanging files and paperclip dishes sad that they've spent the last two years in boxes?

#6: Recipes

I will collect recipes until the cows come home (which, on my farm, will be never, since there are only sheep that live here). I love feeding other people and I love experimenting in the kitchen. I buy cookbooks, scour the internet for new and exciting dishes to try, and collect the recipe cards from the swivel display in the Safeway and Walmart produce sections. The only problem is that I rarely actually get around to trying them. Something else gathering dust on the farm :(

#5: Nail Polish

I think we can all agree that I am the antithesis of a girly girl. But a few years ago I discovered that if I keep my nails painted, I chew on them a whole lot less. Which leads to healthier cuticles and less embarrassment on my part when other people see my hands. Except this has turned into an expensive habit. I can't remember the last time I bought a bottle of nail polish that cost less than $9. And I have to have something to match every outfit.....

#4: Long Showers

I swear there is a part of me that is a bleeding heart treehugger. One who believes that we are only guests on this earth and should treat it as such. I recycle when it isn't convenient, I buy new reusable shopping bags whenever I'm out and have forgotten mine, I dig recyclables out of trash cans, I spend the extra couple dollars on eggs from open-range farms, I sweat through the summer nights at my house to avoid using the A/C as much as possible. But for some reason, I take the longest showers known to man. I surprise myself when I think I've been quick and then come to find out that I've been over 20 minutes. And that's on a good day. I know that a 30-40 minute shower is a ridiculous waste of water. But there's this itty bitty part of me that says, "You know, Rebekah...water IS a renewable resource...."

#3: Split Infinitives

I am sure that every grammar teacher I have ever had would cringe to hear this. I know that they are wrong. And whenever I proofread for other people, I change them. But I love them so much that I make it a point to work them into a lot of my writing. It might also have something to do with my love affair with adverbs.

#2: Books
I try to justify my life-long obsession with books a million different ways, but the truth is simple. I love them. And I want as many of them in my life as possible. Last week, while on vacation in New York, we stopped by the local library, and it just happened that they were having a book sale. A full box of books and $11 later, I was out of there. And it really doesn't help that Borders is going out of business at the moment. Every time I drive by, that huge yellow and black "Going out of Business" banner might as well be a giant nerd magnet. I just can't help myself from going in and perusing for an hour or so and leaving each time with a full bag or two. So far my trips have ranged in damage from $24 to $65. And now I have more books than I have space for in the library or that I will ever have time to read. Guess I need to buy some more shelves...

#1: Circus Peanuts

100% disgusting. 100% delicious.

On my honor, I will try...

...to blog at least three times per week.

Kashmir and I made this pact with each other last night via Skype. Or maybe it was BBM. Regardless, we both agree that we enjoy writing and sharing it with the world (and by world we mean the collective dozen people who read our blogs).

Which brings me to another point that has been central in my life this week. My future. In a meeting with my boss this week he straight up asked me what I see in my future. And I didn't have a good answer because of two reasons:

A. There are SO MANY things I want to do that I don't really have a definitive life plan just yet.

and

2. I'm choosing to not make plans and just see where I end up.

But I have realized over the last two days that I for sure want to be a writer at some point in life. I want to write novels and memoirs and nonfiction and recipe books and how-tos. A little bit ofeverything, just to keep everyone guessing. But I suppose that for now, I'll see if I can manage the three posts per week!

Just Call me Voldemort

I started a new blog this weekend. It's all about my sister and how everything she touches turns to ridiculosity. For real. I did this despite the fact that I've just recently got into a groove of blogging here on a relatively regular basis. Although it's only been up and running for a little less than 24 hours, it's received pretty positive feedback so far. I know a lot of our friends have been waiting for it for years.

Anyway, since I've put a lot of time and thought into this blog and then went and started another one altogether, I'm beginning to understand how dear old Tom Riddle must have felt when he started splitting his soul and making horcruxes. Just not necessarily to such an extreme.