Checking In

December 15, 2010

I was sick last week, and though I'm just about recovered, I'm behind on my usual activities, including posting here. This week, the last before school gets out for winter break, must be devoted to holiday preparation and beating the house into submission (that is, cleaning it). Then comes the usual end-of-the-year flurry of activity interspersed with introspection in which I will decide that I must change everything about my life and make a new start.

Just kidding. I think.

Does that happen to you? You take a look at your perfectly servicable--even happy--life and decide you'd like it to be different, better somehow. As the year winds down, I think about how it's gone, turn my thoughts to my hopes and desires for next year and consider what I might do differently. I have to fight the urge to set a bunch of goals, commit to challenges (I wanted to sign up for this one because it sounds so fun and the badge is pretty...but I restrained myself) and so on. I guess I think of this season as one of contemplation and evaluation--a sort of natural turning point in my life.

Scout contemplates trimming the shrubs so she can see the squirrels better

On a less philosophical note, I'm choosing books for the Off the Shelf Challenge--my goal was 15, but I've already got 17 stacked up (and still more lurking on closet shelves). I've chosen the first book I'm going to read for the Vintage Mystery Challenge: The Crime at Black Dudley, by Margery Allingham. I've never read anything by her before. This book is the first Albert Campion mystery. According to the book's back cover, I'm likely to like this if I'm a fan of Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, and the Golden Age of British Mystery. That's me! Though I'm not officially doing the 50 States Challenge, I'm going to keep track of the settings of the books I read to see how many states--or countries--are represented.

The contenders

What does the end of the year bring for you? Do you do any sort of check-in with yourself? Are you making plans for next year?

P.S. I wrote a piece on visiting New Orleans on a budget--if you're interested, you can read it here.

6 comments

Cheryl GebhartDecember 15, 2010 at 6:41 PM
Sorry to hear you were sick - not a good time for that! (not that there is a good time to be sick!!) Glad you're doing better.
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Laure FerlitaDecember 15, 2010 at 10:13 PM
"...in which I will decide that I must change everything about my life and make a new start..." Why is it that we do this to ourselves? We act as if it's broken and must be fixed all at once!

Just short of a complete and total overhaul, there are certainly goals looming in the near future as well as some "course corrections."

LOVED the NOLA article!
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Kathy A. JohnsonDecember 16, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Cheryl--Thanks! I'm almost back to 100% now. I got sick around this time last year, too. I don't like this habit!
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Kathy A. JohnsonDecember 16, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Laure--My life is actually quite good, and basically what I want it to be, and I'm not such a terrible person...so, yeah, what's with the overhaul mentality?! Course corrections is a great term, and much more accurate.

Glad you liked the article!
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Oregon Gifts of Comfort and JoyDecember 18, 2010 at 4:53 PM
Hi Kathy,

I am glad that you are feeling better. It is no fun to be sick when there is stuff to be done.

I usually do my goal setting in September, around the time that school starts. Even at 52, I guess that I am still on school schedule!

I think that it is good practice to re-evaluate and reflect periodically.

Well, I just wanted to say hello and to wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Kathy
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Kathy A. JohnsonDecember 20, 2010 at 10:41 AM
Hi, Kathy--I don't do resolutions, but I usually set some goals for the year at the New Year, and last year I chose a "word of the year"--and might do so again this year.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas, too. Hope you're staying warm and dry!
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