The Week in Between; The Week After

The Week in Between
Measured anticipation.

On Christmas, there's an air of excited expectation. Gifts galore. Family in town. Stuff to do. People to see.  On New Year's Eve, there's a decided plan for recreation.  A precise moment in time to take stock. A celebration of culmination.  The opportunity to start fresh.

The week in between is strange blend. The hustle bustle of Christmas gives way to a week of returns and penance for overindulgences.  Malls are jam packed, presents and cards still coming in, holiday guests are still lingering (special thanks to the "Great Blizzard of 2010")...  There's always plenty to do the week between Christmas and New Year's.  Somehow it feels both hectic and slow moving.  It's the eye of the storm.

The Week After
Resolved reflection.

A joyous celebration on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day is hangover.  We're reflecting on the previous year, planning for the new one.   Now, there's the optimism of a new beginning.  A renewed hope for tomorrow. Comfort that the past, 2010, is gone, done, finished, kaput.

Horay! Let's get started.  New diets.  New commitments.  Everything is new again.

Until next week.  When work will resettle.  The holiday will guests go home.  Things will return to normal.  What will make this year different?


For 2011 & Beyond
Measured resolve.

The trouble with traditional resolutions is that they tend to be huge, unachievable things, without a timeline or even an actionable plan.  Instead, this year, I resolve to change and grow on a different, more tangible timeline.   Instead of one big list of New Year's resolutions, I'm going for one single, realistic goal a week.  That's 52 smaller, bite-sized intentions.

This week?  
This is partially guided by the fact that I'm reading Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Body and partly because on the advice of gal pal Denise Costello of the Energized Body; this week, I'm going to really try to incorporate protein into every meal (and snack) that I eat.  If you know me, you know I have a love for all things carby and delicious, not necessarily nutritious, so this may be quite a feat.

What about you?  Are you looking at resolutions differently this year?  Share your ideas.

Holiday Rant

Every year, it's the same thing: PC holiday greetings and terms (it's Christmas break people, stop trying to pretend otherwise), mass consumerism as a display of affection, greeting cards, Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving (it started earlier than that this year) and it goes on...

Now before you think I'm the Grinch who stole Christmas (a day late mind you) or a cane-shaking 90 year-old kvetching about the younger generations (I'm 22 folks), let me explain why all these things are bothersome.

I like gifts.

I like having an excuse to give people gifts.

I like the winter season--holidays and weather and all.


BUT I don't like what happens in the name of all of this gift giving...

Giving meaningless gifts just cause you can or you feel obligated (this is not a gift card rant though I suppose some of that logic applies).

Credit card debt.

Political correctness in the name of inclusion. (People have different holidays because they have different beliefs; we don't need to make it out to be all the same to demonstrate mutual respect.)


What was the point anyway?
If it's a season dedicated to showing people in your life that you care, there are plenty of other ways if you're broke. Cook a big friend and family dinner. Write a long letter to someone near and dear. Buy gifts when they make sense--as an inside joke or because it's something the person wants or needs. There's no reason to put yourself into debt to prove you care (and if your friends don't get it, get new friends).

If it's a season underscored only by potlatch and consumerism, maybe I am the Grinch.