Considering the serious issues most of us have dealt with over the last couple of years, I need to take a deep breath and find something a little lighthearted as I move into January. I am planning to begin the New Year, 2023, with a couple not so serious resolutions.

New Year Resolutions have not held much interest for me. My goal-setting times seem to be around my birthday, or in the autumn which probably has a default to that time of year when the notebook is still new and unsmudged.

This month I have been thinking about joining the new year resolutions folks. No, I won’t be beginning an exercise regime, that is something that is already an important part of my life. I won’t quit smoking as I thankfully gave that one up many years back. And, the only diet I will be contemplating is to increase the nutritional food that is already a part of my life.

So, I thought of a few things that I have considered learning and making a part of my life. I won’t be taking these seriously enough to add any stress or anxiety, just a change of pace – or habit to give me a bit of a mental challenge.

Here we go.

Using Table Utensils in the Continental Style

Yes, I could have set my mind to accomplishing this years ago. But, as a Midwestern American, it seems a bit stuffy. 

I’m talking about the difference between those of us who cut food on our plate, right hand with the knife, left hand with the fork, then placing our knife on the plate, moving the fork from the left hand to the right (assuming you are right-handed), and proceeding to pluck those bits of food from our plate to our mouth.

I will be following the advice of Julia Esteve in her article “Styles of Eating.” The upside of this is that I expect it will make my brain work to retool my fork/knife pattern. The downside is that I may have difficulty finishing a meal in a reasonable amount of time.

I love to luxuriate in my food and enjoy each bite. The result is that when I’m dining with friends, I am almost always the last of the party to finish any course. Until I become accustomed to the European style, my stays at the dinner table will be even longer.

Okay, so the downside may be greater than the upside, but I’m intent to learn how those eating in the continental style actually keep their peas on the backside of those fork tines.

Find Something Humorous in the Mundane

I resolve to find something to laugh about every day. Not the subtle sort of laugh, but a big belly laugh. If nothing else, I will find a rerun of a television series or an old movie that has always made me laugh. Maybe a video of grandchildren or friends that brought me to tears laughing. 

I could rewatch on old movie. They are still funny the second, or third time around. One of my favorites is Goldi Hawn in Private Benjamin. I still double over laughing. Or Lucy and Ethel shoving chocolates in their mouth as their assembly line speeds up. 

If nothing else succeeds, I have several friends I can call who help me see the humor in the mundane.

Here is to a wonderful, peaceful 2023 to us all.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you made resolutions for 2023? Are they serious of lighthearted? Have you ever resolved to do something in January and were successful in continuing or achieving it through December?