It's that odd, grey time between the tinsel, carols and twinkly fairy lights of Christmas and the grey, austere days when the 9 to 5-ers return to work and children are packed off to school. Many have started their dry January, resisting the last of the Christmas wine or that last splash of Baileys. Many more are dreading the postman turning up with the credit card bill or struggling to do up that button on their jeans or buckle up a belt.
It's time to think of New Year resolutions. Let's be honest, it's time to recycle last year's resolutions.
This time last year I was resolving to lose a stone, to become a successful writer, to establish my own craft business. Those resolutions seem to come out as regularly as the artificial Christmas tree that usually skulks in the bottom of the wardrobe. Time to make some different resolutions perhaps? So, what's on the list?
1 - don't bother reading the comments sections in the online editions of The Independent or Telegraph. They're full of bile, spite, blatant racism and endless references to how it's all the fault of feminists. (Yup, those pesky wimmin and their endless clammering for equality. What're they like!!!) Well over a year ago I successfully weaned myself off the Daily Mail online because of its endless trolling of women (too fat, too thin, too old, too Botoxed ...) It's time to stop bothering with the Indie and Torygraph too.
2 - start using hand cream on a regular basis, instead of gazing at my hands and thinking they look as rough as sandpaper.
3 - stop kidding myself that I can buy a tube of Pringles and only eat a small handful, saving the rest to gradually consume over the next few days. Be realistic. I'll eat as many in as few minutes as I can possibly cram in. Then feel horribly guilty and sleep badly because of all that salt. So - stop buying Pringles. Ever.
4 - listen to more Radio 4 and Radio 4extra. My usual fare of Radio 5 seems to deliver a constant stream of bad news into my ears - fire, famine and warfare. While I know I can't ignore the horrors of the world, I'm not convinced this drip drip drip of bad news is good for our mental health. More books, plays and comedy shows are called for. I'll still get my fix of news programmes but they'll punctuate my day instead of being a constant in the background.
Okay, that's 4 resolutions. I'm starting off modestly. No silly ideas about climbing Kilimanjaro or running 10 marathons in 10 days. Right, time to shower and get some household stuff done. Any resolutions you've come up with, however offbeat?
It's time to think of New Year resolutions. Let's be honest, it's time to recycle last year's resolutions.
This time last year I was resolving to lose a stone, to become a successful writer, to establish my own craft business. Those resolutions seem to come out as regularly as the artificial Christmas tree that usually skulks in the bottom of the wardrobe. Time to make some different resolutions perhaps? So, what's on the list?
1 - don't bother reading the comments sections in the online editions of The Independent or Telegraph. They're full of bile, spite, blatant racism and endless references to how it's all the fault of feminists. (Yup, those pesky wimmin and their endless clammering for equality. What're they like!!!) Well over a year ago I successfully weaned myself off the Daily Mail online because of its endless trolling of women (too fat, too thin, too old, too Botoxed ...) It's time to stop bothering with the Indie and Torygraph too.
2 - start using hand cream on a regular basis, instead of gazing at my hands and thinking they look as rough as sandpaper.
3 - stop kidding myself that I can buy a tube of Pringles and only eat a small handful, saving the rest to gradually consume over the next few days. Be realistic. I'll eat as many in as few minutes as I can possibly cram in. Then feel horribly guilty and sleep badly because of all that salt. So - stop buying Pringles. Ever.
4 - listen to more Radio 4 and Radio 4extra. My usual fare of Radio 5 seems to deliver a constant stream of bad news into my ears - fire, famine and warfare. While I know I can't ignore the horrors of the world, I'm not convinced this drip drip drip of bad news is good for our mental health. More books, plays and comedy shows are called for. I'll still get my fix of news programmes but they'll punctuate my day instead of being a constant in the background.
Okay, that's 4 resolutions. I'm starting off modestly. No silly ideas about climbing Kilimanjaro or running 10 marathons in 10 days. Right, time to shower and get some household stuff done. Any resolutions you've come up with, however offbeat?