Sunday, December 31, 2017

Life: It Goes On - December 31

Well, this has been quite a year, filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I'm tired of getting angry every time I turn on the television or open the internet. I'm tired of reading slumps and I miss blogging but I can't make myself focus on it. In 2018, I want to take my life back. I want to make time for things that are important, I want to find a way to fight that doesn't overwhelm everything else in my life, I want to have time to count my blessings. Christmas time is always a good time to remind myself about all of the blessings in my life. I have enjoyed having a lot of time off work lately to recharge and relax. Now I'm ready to say goodbye to 2017 and look forward to a new year!

This Week I'm:

Listening To: I've been listening to a lot of NPR lately. Even though it means hearing the news, it also means I'm learning a lot and hearing a lot of interesting stories. I think, though, it's time to start a new audiobook. Not sure which one yet, though.

Watching: Football, "Elf," "You've Got Mail," "Kate and Leopold." Why, yes, The Big Guy humored me and watched not one but two "girlie" movies with me this week!

Reading: Guys! I am loving the writing in Far From The Madding Crowd! I'm not going to get it finished by the end of the year but I'm so glad the Classics Club gave me the push I needed to get back  to the classics.

Making: We have seriously been eating a lot of leftovers this week. We made a ham for Christmas and had several meals off of that, including cooking the bone into ham and bean soup.

Planning: Forty Bags In Forty Days starts again February 14 and I am already formulating a plan of attack for this year. BG has agreed that he is really going to work on getting rid of things this year so I may be able to tackle some areas that I haven't been able to do much about in the past.

Thinking About: What I'm going to do in the coming year politically. I need to become more active in a more productive way.

Enjoying: Another long weekend.

Feeling: Like I need to schedule a few days off in the next few months to help me make it through the winter.

Looking forward to: The Fourth of July. Yes, you read that right. I've got another great-niece or great-nephew due that day and I already can hardly wait to meet this new little person!

Question of the week: Are you choosing a word of the year for 2018? Have you given any thought to what your first book of the year will be?



7 comments:

  1. We have pretty similar thoughts about 2017... I'm ready to welcome a new year, too. Far From the Madding Crowd was a favorite a couple of years ago. The newest movie adaptation is wonderful, too. Happy 2018, Lisa!

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  2. I've had to take a break from all things news this month. I'm also thinking of ways to engage more politically. Good luck to you and look forward to what you come up with. Congrats on a new great-niece or nephew! Always something to look forward to. Enjoy your New Year's Eve and day and here's to a new year with new beginnings!

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  3. Your opening paragraph expresses so eloquently how I feel, Lisa. I have felt so out of sorts this year. Thank you for putting into words how I'm feeling. I really hope 2018 will be better for all of us. I am glad you are enjoying Far From The Madding Crowd. I really want to focus more on classics this next year--at least more than I did this year. I think my daughter is looking forward to the 4th of July too. She keeps talking about it. LOL I think she's confusing it with New Year's to be honest, but it's funny how she keeps bringing it up. She wants to see the fireworks again at the baseball game. :-)

    I am not choosing one word this coming year. I did terrible with my word for this year. I thought about a lot of words around the idea of what you talked about in your opening of this post, but couldn't settle on just one. How about you? Do you have a word for 2018?

    I hope you have a Happy New Year, Lisa. I am so glad to know you.

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  4. Lisa, I LOVED your first paragraph and can so related. Everything in my life was off this year ever since the Inauguration. My reading suffered, blog suffered and I even ended a friendship. I need to find new highs and joy in simple pleasures again in 2018. Hope you do as well. (I don't have a word of the year but, if I did "patience and tolerance" would be contenders. Happy New Year

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  5. Happy New Year to you and your family, Lisa! I am back to blogging and invite you to stop by and visit now and then. Not doing a new 'one word' this year - continuing with my word for last year - 'breathe'. It has been a good choice. :-)

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  6. I hope you have a very Happy New Year Lisa! I did decide to choose a word for 2018 but I kind of decided last minute so I didn't have time to do a post on it. My word for the year is Act. My husband and I are both big planners but we tend to hesitate on the actual doing. I want to act on all the things I want to do or talk about doing. Have a great week!

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  7. I am not choosing a word of the year but am choosing goals with a theme word in mind. I guess you could say that I am choosing a word after all, but I don't necessarily want the pressure that I feel comes with selecting a word each year.

    I never get into the last book or first book of the year either. To me, reading is reading. As long as I am reading, I am happy. What I am reading at the beginning of the year holds no omens for me. I can understand why people enjoy focusing on it, but it is not for me.

    I think I might take to my husband about the 40 bags in 40 days thing. I think a major purge of STUFF would do wonders for my restlessness these days.

    Happy New Year!

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