Sunday 3 January 2010

New Year Resolutions

These should probably be private, but they seem more set in stone if I write them here.
1. Write every day. Not just blogging or replying to emails, but the WIP. Even if what I write is dreadful. Especially if what I write is dreadful.
2. Write to my death row prisoner strictly every fortnight. I more or less do this anyway, but it sometimes gets left for three weeks. It's surprisingly difficult to think of things to write about, as I want to cheer him up, but not sound too jolly. Christmas is difficult. He lives on reclaimed turkey meat all the time, so turkey is a no-no, as are merry family gatherings (his family rarely visit him). So I try to write about interesting things but nothing which underlines the fact that I'm free and he isn't. He in his turn writes very funny letters, though they're a bit short on information.
3. Do one horrible job a week. These are mounting up as they are always being put off, and include things like mucking out the room which would be a garden shed if we had room for one, or a utility room if we had room for one of those. There is a washing machine, but other things get dumped in it as well, spiders live there, old bicycles, a duvet (not sure why), cardboard boxes which might come in useful (but never do), plastic flower pots etc. etc. Oh - and lots of spanners (we never ever use spanners).
4. Stop wasting time on the internet.
5. Cut down on alcohol.
6. Keep a notebook for good ideas. I had a brilliant idea yesterday - the kind you know you can't possibly forget, because it's so brilliant - and I've forgotten it. It's a bit like those times when you forget what you were going to say; the more I can't remember it, the more wonderful I know it must have been. And now I'm sure the WIP will shrivel and die without it.

There were other resolutions, but I can't remember what they were, which is not a good start. Maybe they'll come back to me...

5 comments:

  1. Those are excellent resolutions Frances - if you can keep them (they could so easily be mine) you're a better woman than I am!

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  2. Thanks, Alis. I've already spent too much time messing about on the internet today, but I have written 1000 words of the WIP. It's a start...

    By the way, I loved the snowdrops on your last post. Snowdrops are hugely important to me. My first husband sent me snowdrops - real ones - as a valentine just after we first met, and when he died, I buried some with him. It's that time of year again. (Sorry. Too much information, probably because I've had too much wine this evening - another resolution broken. Bugger).

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  3. The only New Year's resolution I ever kept was the year I determined "no more resolutions".

    Yours a very commendable, Frances. I don't think I would have the fortitude to keep them!

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  4. Not too much information, Frances - thank you. I just love snowdrops without having your lovely reasons for my preference.

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  5. Thanks Tim. But not so commendable as I've already broken most of them and it's only Jan 4th. The alcohol one especially isn't working too well as we keep telling ourselves it's still the holidays, which don't count.

    Thanks, Alis. They are still my favourite flowers (well, snowdrops and sweet peas).

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