Tuesday, January 10, 2012

So This is the New Year


How quickly the calendar pages fly off the wall....here we are in January again and it's not even the first, I'm sliding into the obligatory resolutions post on the tenth. Well, better late than never so don't mind me while I straighten my jacket and fix my shoelaces, at least I'm here ok?

Anyway, last year's resolution was to live life with fire and zeal or don't do it at all. Admirable, but a little ambitious, in retrospect. And if we're going to be perfectly honest, I chose the later. As in, don't do it at all. If you've been following for some months now, (or know me in real life), you know the Swiss adventure ended earlier than originally planned and I came back to the States in early April.
Well, I fell into a little bit of a black hole and have had some trouble coming out of it. If I had to put a label on it, I'd call 2011 the "Year of the Retreat". Like a bear going into a cave for winter hibernation. Except winter came and went and I kept pushing "snooze" on the alarm clock.

But it's the new year again so I should probably get out of bed, right? Rather than make dramatic pledges to "New Year, New Me" and all that jazz, I thought I'd rather take it slow. I mean, I'm not planning on hanging around in my pajamas until the middle of March or anything but I also don't feel the need to cram all of life's experiences into one list of resolutions.

I don't know how to explain myself, really. All I can think to say is, one day at a time. I'm rather tired of trying to figure everything out. And so if we're going to sum it up in a sweeping statement, I'm ready for 2012 to be the "Year of the Moment". I know what I'm doing today, and that's enough for me. As we all know, worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.

And that's enough cheesy quotes for today.

Just relax, ok? Let's all take up yoga, smiling for no reason, and doing anonymous good deeds for strangers, like in the adorable movie Amélie. 


And maybe work on my Internet shopping problem.

So if you need me, I'll be over here listening to this happy tune by a delightful hipster indie band from Iceland. Also eating a banana. In a totally, of the moment, not premeditated way.
  Little Talks by !Turnout!

Happy New Year, you merry little chipmunks.

4 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Ellie! You are appreciating the present moment which means you have learned one of life's most important lessons! Apparently kids are better at this than adults so your little brother and my little darlings can probably all help us out here.
    David likes the little tune and we are now listening to it for the 2nd time before we go and tackle that pile of homework ;-)

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  2. Quit making me miss you, Ellie Carolus!! You have an astonishing ability to convey your twist your thoughts into both words and speech so welel that every time I read your blog I can hear your voice, like I'm sitting across from you in some random Indiana McDonald's restaurant at an off-peak time.

    If you ever fancy to publish on paper, please tell me, as I'd love to shamelessly brag about you and said writing, as frequently as I inaccurately quote your blog to people while I laugh.

    Miss you.
    Janet

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  3. Hear, hear. Year of the Moment... and enjoying the moment and/or finding joy in the moment. I've had to think really hard about what is good about my teaching placement this week, but when I do it, it helps me have a fresh start the next morning. Miss you, I'll call you tomorrow. xoxo!

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  4. I don't know- New Year's resolutions are like diets- a major setup for a face plant and then- boom- there goes your self esteem and a whole bunch of other things.
    Once again- when I start catching up, I have a hard time not commenting on every post!
    And- I would like to say that I think you do live life with fire and zeal, actually. It's your attitude and approach, the way you embrace it. Maybe it didn't quite go how you thought but that doesn't seem to me to be an automatic 'not at all'... hmmm

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I love to hear what you're thinking! Thanks for the comment love. :)

 

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