Happy New Year....Happy Resolutions?

I'm not normally one for New Years' Resolutions. I find that when I resolve to do something at the new year, I will invariably work on it for a couple of months and then it fizzles away and I don't remember anything about it until, say, October...and then I work on it like a fiend until the end of the year. That's hardly what I call a proper New Years' Resolution (NYR). I've tried so many different things for NYRs over the years that I've often wondered if I jinx myself by making them in the first place. I've made the following NYRs over the years (before I stopped about 5 years ago):
1. Loose weight properly (diet & exercise) --> this one did work for awhile...but it was such a pain in the butt to constantly be dieting and having to watch every little morsel that went into my mouth. Seriously, I like to be able to go to Taco Bell once in awhile and not feel totally guilty about it.
2. Eat better --> I don't know what I was thinking when I made this resolution. I know how to eat properly...and it's not that I eat horribly. I like fruits and veggies and all the good things I'm supposed to eat. But, I found it increasingly difficult to eat properly when I wasn't sure when I was going to be able to buy groceries again...made buying fresh items more difficult.
3. Clean one room per month --> Yeah, this did not go well, ever. I was trying to force myself to go through my mother's and my stuff after she died...I wasn't ready for that. I avoided it like the plague. I would open up a drawer, take everything out, sort it into stuff that was mine that I was keeping, stuff that was mom's, and stuff that was mine that could be thrown away. I never seemed to get rid of any of my mom's stuff.
4. Spend more time with my friends --> I did quite well with this one until the sh*t hit the fan...and then I spent a lot of the next couple of years by myself. Guess I learned who my friends really were.
5. Answer e-mails --> This went over like a lead balloon. Oh, wait, Mythbusters proved that a lead balloon will float...you know what I mean. I don't know why it's so difficult for me to reply to e-mails. It's not like it's difficult for me to type a quick, "Hi, how's it going, here's what's going on" e-mail, is it?
6. Clip coupons --> It was wrought with good intent...but I never seemed to get around to buying the items that I clipped the coupons for. Oh well.
7. Have a garage sale --> I just find garage sales to be a huge pain in the butt and, as much as I needed to have one, I just never got around to it. The stuff eventually made it's way to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and to the Buy & Sell shop...

In other words, I have made NYRs over the years and have failed miserably. I tried making some of the same NYRs from year to year, with the same dismal results.

So, this begs the question: why am I going to make NYRs again? I'm not. Well, not exactly...I'm going to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish this year.....and not beat myself up if I don't accomplish them. Does that make sense?

Anyway, onward to my List of Things I'd Like to Accomplish in 2011
1. Stashbusting --> I have a lot of yarn. No, really, it's kind of sickening how much yarn I have. So, I'm hoping to avoid buying yarn (things like the Madison Knitters' Guild Knit-In in March and Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival in September don't count) and making things using yarn already in my stash. This shouldn't prove to be too difficult. I will make the exception on yarn buying if I need more to complete a project...but that's the exception.
2. Clean the house --> This sounds like a normal task for most people but, at my house, it means going through every single thing in every single room and throwing things out, selling things, having St. Vinny's come and take things off my hands, and having the Buy & Sell shops come and take things off my hands. I have a lot of stuff. Unfortunately, this task is going to be made more difficult by the presence of Little Man. But, we're going to try it...
3. Get organized --> I am terrible at getting organized. I have good intentions and I try things out...I have yet to find something that works for both Husband and I. Someday...but we're going to keep trying!
4. Spend quality time with my Little Man --> I spend a lot of time with him now but he's so young that we're just feeding, changing, and crying. As he gets older, I hope to spend time with him outside playing, inside playing, etc.
5. Spend time knitting every day --> ...even if it's only one row.
6. Organize my yarn stash --> I also want to put it on Ravelry.
7. Organize my needles --> I also want to put it on Ravelry.

I think that's plenty to get through in a year. Granted, some of it would not take more than a day to complete...if I were to have all the time in the world and didn't have to worry about anyone else. But, that's not likely to happen. So, thing by thing, day at a time.

On that note, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Years' and I hope to see you all again. Oh, and if I'm feeling sassy...and if I gather enough followers...I may have a little yarn giveaway (that counts as stashbusting, right?) :)