After posing the question on my 1st post of 2020, many bloggers replied that they no longer make New Year's resolutions. Like most who commented last week, neither do I. That's not to say, I don't have some non-resolutions. Many were started this week, which is why blog posting and reading has lagged a bit.
Here's a few of my intentions, not resolutions.
Since posting and reading comments from some fellow bloggers, I've added a few more.
Continue to halt unsolicited junk/donation requests. Easier said than done, many of you are thinking, but it can be done, only if you're willing to invest some time, here's HOW I do it. Whenever we receive a mailing or catalog from a place we haven't donated to/bought from, I call the customer service number (or any other number in the mailing) and politely and directly request (no yelling/threatening) that my/our names and address not only be removed from their mail lists but never to be provided to any other organization, no matter HOW worthwhile its cause; we prefer to select our own organization to donate to and prefer local ones.
Does this work? Yes, it does, and it may take persistence with repeated follow-ups that come with a standard reply of: it will "take a few weeks until your name is removed. My just-as-polite response is: That's fine, unwanted materials will be recycled until they stop. And, trust me most of ours have stopped. We do not receive much junk mail, aside from ones addressed to Occupant/Residential Customer. (If anyone knows how to stop those, please share.)
Delete unused apps and podcasts from my phone/tablet. It may have seemed like a good idea when these were downloaded, but if I'm using/listening to certain ones now, delete works very well and gives me more time to focus on the ones that remain.
Read a magazine or paper within 2 days after it is brought into our home, then recycle it. No more letting them pile up until the next month's issue.
Call or write long-distance friends more often, and not wait until a month or so has gone by. It doesn't matter who was in contact the last time.
Keep photo albums current. Today, many rely on social media and don't order photo prints, or put them in photo albums. I still do both as online sharing
Backup photo and document files regularly, at a minimum of once a month. This week, all files on my desktop and laptop PCs were backed up to external drives. All photo files were then backed up to separate external drives.
Discard old statements, once a current one is received as file space is limited and we need to organize paperwork for 2019 tax filing.
Check out/download only 1 book at a time and read it instead of checking out several books at one time. If the single checkout isn't to my liking, I can return it and check out another. The local library is within walking distance and has a LOT of (free) choices.
Clean the oven on a monthly process. Yes, it's a self-cleaning model, which makes it so much easier than years ago. No self-cleaning ovens then and I used those foul-smelling chemical sprays.
Deodorize the dishwasher every couple of weeks. This appliance isn't used daily as we often hand wash and air dry dishes and utensils. Consequently, it can have a foul odor when opened. Vinegar and baking soda are easy "fixes" and no scrubbing is required, just run 2 separate cycles with an empty dishwasher.
Statistics have shown that many who make popular resolutions (loss weight, exercise, save money, spend less, etc.) have an expected failure rate of up to 80 percent within 6 weeks.
As for me, I'm not planning on becoming a statistic, since I don't have any resolutions.
And you?
Thanks for your comments on the view in the first 2020 post. We never tire of looking at the Nashua River from our apartment windows.
Here's a different view taken on a walk around the mill apts this week. The series of reflections intrigued me on a day filled with cloudy skies and snow flurries.
18 comments:
It's a good list of 'plans'.
Very logical list of intentions! Good Luck with carrying them out!
My main concern is decluttering, and I'm going to be serious about it during the next months.
what you have here is a To Do list, and you are resovling to do the list. I had to laugh.
I don't get papers or magazines, I do get one from TOPS and read it when it comes.
I don't do photo albums, all on line
I don't write or make phone calls. RARE to do phone calls
I do back up files, but need to be prodded to put new photos on external hardrives, I upload to Cloud ASAP but put off the drag and drop
all statements are e-statements, no paper since 2010
have no dishwaser
no need to clean oven, it has been used twice in one year
see why I laughed?
I like your To-Do list. The one thing I can't seem to tackle is the pile of mail I get asking for donations for all kinds of things that I'm interested in, but don't feel that it's necessary to ask me everyday. The recycling bin fills up with it. I need to call many good people and ask them to STOP.
Good idea havein todo list rather than a resolution, I stopped makeing them years ago as I never kept them. To Do sounds much better and you just tick them off when you have. Had to look up where the river was, the view looks very industrial differend fro the Thames I see when I walk to it but it is a little flooded at the moment
The river looks so serene.
Hi Dorothy :)) (I got your email and will respond soon!)
Oh the oven...mine is NOT self cleaning and that is probably why I only clean it once every few months, eegad...I also need to back up everything more often. I used to do it every few days, then once a week, and now it's when I remember. It's so important now that we have so much of our stuff digital. Every January I have a tradition. I go through my accordion folder and throw everything over 7 years old into the fireplace! Well, not everything but you know, old tax returns, receipts etc...otherwise I accumulate way too much! Decluttering is a great way to start a new decade!!!
Your photo is FABULOUS. Those reflections are amazing! I love the black and white!! :)
I really like the idea of having intentions rather than resolutions. It sounds more logical and doable. I never make new year resolutions because I usually forget about them within a day or two.
I do, however, have a lot of things that I intend to do mostly pertaining to my house and property. I also want to reignite my creative efforts in music and writing, which I've abandoned for a long time.
And it's a great idea to back up photo and document files - and keep in contact with long-distant friends and relatives (I started doing that during the holidays).
You are very organized with the list. :)
Intentions rather than resolutions sounds so much better. Love the view, the river looks amazing.
I need to back up files and photos more often. That's a very interesting photo. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
I loved reading your plans and I hope you are successful in getting it all done! I do not make resolutions.......I just try to get things done better and to keep on top of things as they come. I love your black and white photo!
I love your black and white photo! I loved reading your plans and I hope it all works out to where you have it all done!
A good list to follow.
I like your list of intentions. :)
I also have a list of goals.
I've read that most resolutions fail because they are too vague. For example, 'deposit $20/week into savings account every Friday' is more specific than 'saving money'.
looks like an ambitious list. good luck. i'm with you on backing up photos and document files. i'd like to find a way to stop the robo calls that never seem to stop.
Gone are the days when I had such a list of things to do. That's one of the beauties of getting old haha.
Great list of intentions. Good luck in making them happen.
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