Resolutions, Projects and Plans for 2014

During the lovely time of year after the holidays are over and before work starts back up again (Ireland, you have got the right idea on this one!), I’ve found myself mulling over what I hope the new year will bring. I know some people are very anti-New Year’s resolutions, but because I don’t worry if I don’t accomplish each one one hundred percent, I do really enjoy them. I usually manage to get about half of them accomplished, although it did take me two years of swearing off swearing before that really stuck. Well, mostly.

Last week, I cracked open my notebook and started jotting lots of ideas and plans, and I’ve been trying to narrow down a solid handful of resolutions. I have a pretty good list going, so in the spirit of accountability, here they are for all to see!

Resolutions 

1. Less screen time. This year, there were at least a few times where I could actually feel myself not listening because I was checking something on my phone. It’s a horrible feeling when you realize it’s happening. Less time on the screen – phone, computer or television – and more time engaged and listening. I want to be a really great listener, and those screens can get in the way. We’re re-instituting a no-technology night in our house and I can’t wait.

2. More paper. As in reading more books and more scripture, writing more letters and cards, and even reading more newspapers.

3. Take painting lessons. I have so many paints and pastels and brushes and pencils in my studio and they are currently not living up to their potential. I’m going to start by going to the Art for Everyone drop in classes at Trinity College in January as a jump start.

4.  Take piano lessons. I was never going to be Mozart, but I used to be quite good at playing the piano and I think I would enjoy it even more now. I just need a refresher course!

5. Weed out, back up and make family yearbooks from my 10,000 photographs on my computer. Or hire someone to do this. Is that possible? I have been avoiding doing this properly for years and it’s making my brain hurt to think about it even now. But it has to happen – I would be devastated if I ever lost some of those photographs.

Of course, there are many more ideas and plans and projects on the list. I have lots and lots of plans for finalizing our house makeover, so I thought I’d share a few of those as well.

House Makeover Plans 

1. Finish the front room, which I like to call our runway – where shoes and coats and bags and papers all get dropped. It’s a somewhat useless walk through entryway room that we’re making more useful! We’re about 85% finished, just need to iron out a few more storage issues.

2. Finish the living room. I’m hoping we’re about 60% there, and I’m hoping to have it finished by February. We still have to switch out the rug and the table and chairs, and add one big piece of artwork and some light fixtures. Aaaaaand maybe, possibly, paint the horrible fake wood trim white. Maybe I’ll try to sneak that in on a day Michael’s in work. But over all, we’re nearly there!

3. Landscape the back garden and paint the rest of the darn cement walls! As it turns out, painting cement is brutal. Michael warned me but I didn’t believe him until I tried it. It’s so messy and takes so much time and paint and arm strength. I haven’t come up with a bribe for Michael that will get me out of the icky job, but once the rest of the walls are painted, I want to cover them with mirrors and trellis’ and climbing plants.

4. Install a doorbell and a motion-sensored light at our front door. Yeah, some of the basics we haven’t bothered with in almost four years of living here!

5. Fix the darn floors. I thought I could let this one go with the help of some strategically placed rugs, but it’s getting much worse by the day. The fake wood laminate floors in our house are disintegrating into sawdust in a lot of places. It will be a giant and annoying job to move all our furniture out and replace the floors, but I think it might just have to be done. The upside? A different color than orange! Woohoo!

And just because I’m clearly a list person and this is the season for lists, here’s one last quick one. A few miscellaneous plans in place that are going to happen this year, by golly! 

1. Finish writing my Delightful Dublin e-guidebook. Oh, we are getting there, just slowly.

2. Start hosting advertisements on the sidebar.

3. Host two or three more lifestyle blogger meetups. We have some fabulous locations already sorted!

4. Learn Photoshop better, so things on the blog can get a little more pretty.

5. Add more videos to From China Village.