New Year

Time to turn the page to a new calendar year. As usual, a new year means aggressive advertisements for fitness clubs, fitness gear, fitness machines, weight loss potions and all things healthy. January screams, "Do something. Now." Many heed the call and others, myself included, plod along with less lofty aspirations. This year, I have the following goals.

1) Bake bread. I dabble in the world of yeast, water and flour, but I do so infrequently. Bread is the universal language of sustenance and the ingredients are quite simple. However, the process can be a speed bump for me. I own a hefty mixer with a dough hook so I have no excuses there. Time is the  primary challenge as bread needs several hours to complete the kneading, proofing and baking steps. Experience is another hurdle. My mother baked loaves and loaves of bread each week and I never saw her use a recipe. I am tethered to a recipe when I tackle bread. Bread dough also senses insecurity so my plan is to march onward with determination. The fragrance of a well baked loaf of bread is a sweet perfume, indeed.

2) Read. I love to read but I confess that I often participate in mindless activities rather than read. It is all too easy to flip my way through seemingly endless choices of TV shows and Netflix picks and never really settle on anything that is worth my time. It takes no effort to scroll through pages of social media posts and not be any the wiser as the minutes or hours ebb away. Whenever I finish a book, I feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. My mind has been soothed, challenged or tickled in some way. And I earn another trip to the library, one of my favorite places to be.

3) Starve the guilt gibbon. Those who know me, know that I like to feed the guilt gibbon who rests upon my shoulder. I never write enough thank-you cards. I adore potato chips. I throw away cheese because it gets away from me. I allow vegetables to languish in my crisper drawers. I make bad purchases for clothing because I hate to shop. I don't make jam. I fail to check my cellphone in a timely manner. Years of stuffing my guilt gibbon's face means this is one goal that will most likely remain dormant. Again.

4) Laugh. I am blessed with colleagues who love a good chortle or two or more. Sometimes, we get a good laugh from a video clip about the humorous side of teaching. Sometimes, a dog or cat meme tickles our funny bone. Sometimes, it is an old-fashioned Ole and Lena joke that gives us joy. But, our best laughs come from the foibles of daily life. Everything from student quips to failed science experiments to compression hose is fair game. Bellyachers are a dime a dozen but a good belly laugh is priceless.

Happy New Year, my dear friends! And may your Cheeto bags always be full.