New Year's Resolutions

I used to make all the big New Year resolutions like...

1. Exercise more
2. Lose weight
3. Save the world
4. Save the whales
5. Learn brain surgery

And then when I realized I couldn't stick to them for more than a couple of days or it wasn't working, I knocked the pressure down a notch and went to...

1. Floss every day
2. Wash makeup off before going to bed
3. Regular car maintenance*
4. Curse at other drivers, just a little bit less.** 

This year, I have resolved to do the following and since I'm putting it out here, I will now have to do them***:

1. Take a Math class****
2. Learn Spanish - really more of a brushing up on my skills since I am fluent. In hello.
3. Brush Albert daily.  Even writing this, I am bored already. Will just leave brush lying around with manual and see if he does it himself.  Technically cats should do their own grooming. Feel he might be a little spoiled.
4. Stop scraping hub caps against curb when parallel parking.  Hardly ever happens...
5. Buy self more gifts.  You should always have a selfless resolution where you give to others.  
   

2013 Successes of Note

1. Albert has finally started using his cat bed. While I wanted him to do this for some time, I have now realized, I have to clean his fur from it. Thinking it's time he went back to cold, hard, wooden floor. Any other parents out there experiencing thoughts like this with their babies and cots?
2. That is all.  It was a lean year.

*This is actually not possible.
**Work in progress - it's ok to start this one over every day
***Actually not true.  I am fickle and I don't care what you think of me for failing.  Also, I will lie about it. 
****Not actually necessary because I am brilliant at math but lately I have started to wonder if there is some new stuff that was discovered that I don't yet know how to do.  Like  addition and percentages.

Ugly Stuff I Have Made and Then Gifted. Sorry.

• Beer can wreath

Who am I kidding - I didn't give this to anyone, this is pure genius.  As was the Pabst beer one I made and gave to the UPS guy.  Tis the season for giving. Also, it was broken.

Hi - don't look at the stain on the floor.  It's your imagination.

• Knitted hats - I basically just knit rows and rows of straight lines and then safety pin the ends together and tuck the top over.  And call it a hat.  That comes untucked. Frequently.  It's not a very good hat. Or knitting.  I hope you never receive one of these. 

There's some gaps...

I wanted to knit one of these for Albert but I'm not that good.  Also he said no.

But only because wool makes him itchy

• A hand-drawn picture.  This is actually the perfect gift.  It's very cheap and people have to appreciate it. Even if it's a bit shit.  Which mine is not. 

Those are hands, not pom poms. My drawing skills have really improved from last week.

• Anyone from NZ that's around my age (which is 25) made a wooden spatula at woodwork class. You did it at Intermediate (middle school) and then again at high school so if there are multiple kids in your family, you will not run out for years.  These make lovely gifts.  Year after year.

Actually I bought this one. I ran out of home made ones.  The end had an accident.

• One year I had the bright idea of buying a really nice glass for my Uncle Bob.  Mum took me to a store and I picked out a lovely little sherry glass.  Not a set. Just the one.  I was on a budget.  I was 8.  In hindsight, it wasn't the most useful gift.  Especially if you had company over.

These are not the only gifts I have bestowed on people. There are others that are much worse. Sadly, I did not take pictures so I will slowly be recreating them in order to share with you.

The best gift idea ever was the scratchies and lottery tickets that Dad gave all of us.  "To SpecialK and her father".  Smart man - covered his bases...