Top Five: New Year, New Life!

Well, sort of. I should say I'm not much for New Year's resolutions. (Immediate sidebar: One year, I resolved to give up refined sugar. Not altogether--gosh, no. I could never. But I was so addicted to sugar that I'd get crazy cranky when I didn't have my sugar fix. I did give it up for several months-- and then I visited Mom in Tacoma and had a total sugar relapse, which she completely enabled. Rude. Anyway, I'm a sugar fanatic again and will probably attempt to go cold turkey this year, but that's not my NYR.) Like Liz Lemon (a great way to start a sentence), I plan on taking charge of my life. Minus that pesky obstacle, please...

1. Streamline and organize
Coming from a family of practically clinical hoarders (though, we might think of ourselves as more akin to sentimental savers), this is ambitious. I've been looking around for tips on organization, de-cluttering, smart storage, knick-knack separation anxiety, etc. Between organizing tips via Pinterest and a catalog from the Container Store (Just kidding. I mean, who am I, Liz Lemon for real?), I'm going to organize the dream life! Or at least get rid of extra boxes, books I read and hated, and clothes I'll never, ever, even-on-the-threat-of-death wear again.

2. Write
A story, a journal entry, a blog post, a letter, a post-it reminder. I'd be content to do any combination of the five on a regular basis. Get to work, brain!

3. Read
I read, but I need to do it more. Much more. Reading has a direct correlation to writing, and I need to improve on both. Also, I need to watch less Netflix. Maybe that should be a separate resolution.

4. Have more adventures.
Not only should I have more adventures, I should want to have more adventures.

4 1/2. Leave the house, dummy. 
Self-explanatory.

5. Think seriously about what I plan to do with my life.
Wow, that one is an entire sentence. Yeesh, I really don't want to touch this resolution, which is why it's at the bottom of the list. I'm horrible at making plans. There's no potential to fail if you don't try. That sounds so awful and negative now that I've said it, but I fear it's the truth. You know those nicely-designed inspirational quotes overlaid on a picture of a mountain or misty forest? Well, I am the anti-inspirational quote. I will pull you down into the abyssal zone and make you live there with me and all the lumpy, sharp-toothed angler fish. Hope you like tubeworms and geothermal vents. And lots of Johnny Cash, cause that's what's at the bottom of the ocean.

That isn't too overwhelming depressing, is it? It'll be fine, I think. I just need to discover my dream and follow it to the end of the wilderness road of dreams. Easy peasy.

What are you all working on in 2014? I hope it's something wonderful, like painting or learning a new language or dancing in the kitchen.