Upon a Sunny Day

I decided to clean out my closet. New year, so why not, right? I am fortunate, in that despite my house being over 100 years old, due to renovations my bedroom closet is quite large. In case that didn’t make sense to you, it is my experience older homes have smaller closets. I am unfortunate in that its largeness offers the opportunity for it to become a cluttered, overrun mess.

I have rearranged things in the near past. I have sorted through clothes and lined my shoes up in a somewhat organized pattern. But there was more that needed to be done. Much more. There were boxes. A shelf piled with kids’ mementos……school certificates, tickets from events, paperwork regarding my daughter’s foreign exchange trip. Clutter, lots and lots of clutter.

Anyway, today, after what I believe to have been three days, I have emerged from my upstairs proud to have accomplished something. Old clothes and such have been taken to Goodwill.  I took a load of books to Half Price Books and was able to buy myself one book from the exchange.

I almost hate to bring it up, because I have tried so hard not to fall into the let me write about divorce subject matter, but there were boxes I needed to sort that until now I hadn’t afforded myself the chance. Soon after the divorce it was too much. Too hurtful. Then I put it off. Forgot. Reached the point where I wasn’t even sure what was in the closet. Do you know, dear reader of my blog, what’s in your closet? Now though, I can proclaim to the world I have placed everything pertaining to a marriage which lasted the majority of my so far, adult life, in one box. Wedding photos, a stuffed animal I once purchased my then boyfriend/eventual husband/now ex-husband at Disneyland, and a bunch of notes and letters.

I decided to not stop with the closet, but also conquered by bathroom. Drugs from 1988 have been discarded. Yes, that was a slight exaggeration. Unneeded towels have been sent away. Empty bottles of hair products and moisturizers are in the recycling bin.

The thing about a new year is it’s just that. New. And it’s suggested we come up with a bunch of new habits and goals. And let me suggest a clean closet as well. Back to the resolutions. I suppose they’re positive and I participate in this business. I think mine are more of the goal variety, not so much resolutions.

Last year of goal of mine was to surprise my son with my hip hop lyrical astuteness. A highlight of the year was sitting next to him at a university choir concert and softly saying, “One song, and one song only.” He gave me the priceless look only a son can give his middle aged, oft naive mother. And those are the moments I live for.

This year’s goal regarding my kids is to keep them guessing. I like to throw out the now so current, “I set up a Snapchat account this morning.” While they know there’s a 75% chance I’m joking, it’s the 25% that scares the bejeebers out of them. Apparently the absolute worst thing a mother of young adults can do is operate her own Snapchat. In case you’re wondering, I do have an Instagram, but I keep it sweet. Photos of my kids and I or my interpretation of “artsy” photography taken on my iPhone.

So, besides annoying my children, what are my 2016 goals? I suppose if you’ve hung in there and read to this point, I should tell you.

my son wants me to join him in running a half marathon in October [frankly that scares the h*&# out of me as I’m not certain God ever intended middle aged women to run over 7 miles at one time]

play my piano more

run the Frigid Fanny [4 miles] race in February, the Shamrock Shuffle [1.8 miles…easy smeezy] in March, and run the Bluegrass 10,000 [10K which equals a tad over 6 miles] in July

get my Etsy store in order and make some sales

blog more regularly

keep a reading journal [I always forget what I’ve read the past year]

keep my closet tidy

honestly, I’ve decided to curse more, because everyone around me [my children, my friends, etc] seems to be cursing up the wazoo, and well, why not?

I want to make myself do uncomfortable things like meet new people [my kids would say, “Mom, you’re finally joining Tinder?” To which I’d reply “No! Not that sort of meeting new people.”]  I have signed up for a free writing class at the Carnegie Center and have shown interest in a newly formed book club in which I know no one and my boss has given me the green light to get out there and network in regards to my job. So hopefully this time next year I’ll have met at least three new people….I am an introvert after all. Which reminds me it’s World Introvert Day.

Alright, so those are some of my 2016 goals. Others are more personal, or to be honest, are currently escaping me. I came across this list today, written by Kentucky author Silas House. I think it’s a pretty damn [see, I’m cussing more] good list and hope you find it helpful:

What I Know: A Prayer Essay

Tomorrow my daughter and I are going for a hike at Raven Run. My son and I hiked there last New Year’s Day. It’s kind of a good place to clear ones head before jumping back into work, school and regular life. I hope your 2016 is starting off great. If not, I truly suggest you try cleaning out your closet.