Aah, new year’s resolutions. I don’t make them. Well, except for now, and not just to give me something to write about (though that’s one of them).
So many times I’ve said to Doc (or to my girlfriends, children or whoever), “we really should ….”. There are so many things “we really should” that I’d only ever get around to doing them if I had plenty of money and never had to work again (if only!).
That said, there are some things either I, or we, REALLY should do, that don’t take too much effort and help to turn life into living.
Sleep in the swag
Doc and I could easily do this when we go to the farm, yet we always sleep inside in the bed. There are a million stars in the sky to look at and no light around to distract from them, and the swag allows us unfettered access to all those stars while we go to sleep, and protects us from insects at the same time. So I resolve that I’m going to take the swag to the farm to sleep in at least a few times through the year. And perhaps even get out on a camping trip somewhere.
- Watch the sunrise with champagne
I’ve done this a few times on special occasions like my birthday, but not for a few years. I’ve had champagne breakfasts or got up to watch the sunrise, but not both together. Well, it’s time I did again. Sunrise is an extremely beautiful time of day – it’s crisp & cool and the sun warms you as it rises, there are few people around (if any), and it gives you time to just sit, think and enjoy. I’m usually awake at that time anyway, so I might as well get out of bed and enjoy it once in a while. And everything goes better with champagne. I don’t care how many people (read my children) say “Champagne already? It’s only breakfast time.”
- Watch the sunset with champagne
It’s harder to watch the sunset when you live on the east coast as there are always things (buildings/suburbs) in the way. Yet living in the Illawarra I only have to wander down to the lake to watch the sunset over the escarpment reflect amazing colours in the sky and across the water. I have never done it. That’s not just a resolution for this year, but for this week – tonight even. And everything goes better with champagne.
- Write more
I’ve been a bit slack in writing this blog lately, but it’s hard to write a travel blog when you’re not travelling, so I guess this also means not just “travel more”, but also “get more out of it”. Though I have so many stories floating around that it might in fact be time to write that book. But I’m not going to promise that one.
- Improve my photography
This one should be easy – every time I do something I like to think I learn something. But specifically I’d like to learn to take landscape photos that leap that boundary from very good to AMAZING!
There’s five resolutions that should be easy to keep, and enjoyable at the same time. Of course that still leaves the big one
6.Travel more
Day trips, weekends or a few days I should be able to manage, and there are a few places that I’d like to see that fit into those parameters.
Doc is hoping for a trip back to Cape York this year. Now I just have to talk him up from 3 weeks, which really isn’t even enough time to drive up there and back, let alone stop and enjoy anything along the way.
And that’s the main thing about these resolutions, they’re all about stopping and smelling the roses. Enjoying the journey.
So six resolutions that aren’t about being bigger, better, faster, stronger. And none of them involve losing weight or exercising more, though now that I mention it ….
