Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Welcome 2019

Happy New Year! 

Welcome 2019

Some years I make New Year's resolutions and some years I don't. This year the work was done for me when I remembered the list of  Woodie Guthries' New Year's Resolutions for 1942. He covers every topic from "Take bath" to "Stay glad" and even though he was only 30 when he wrote them, I think they apply to the young, the old, and the in-between. I've adapted some of them to fit me specifically, however 33 things are going to be a lot to concentrate on. So I'm going to start simple and work up to the whole list. Today I am starting with #11. Change my socks.



Woodie's list and my personalizations:

1. WORK MORE AND BETTER Stay focused. Use a timer more.
2. WORK BY A SCHEDULE Keep a running list of To Do things, short term and long term
3. WASH TEETH IF ANY 
4. SHAVE
5. TAKE BATH Yes, but don't stay too long under the hot shower
6. EAT GOOD--FRUIT-VEGETABLES--MILK Don't fill up on sweets so I have room for the good stuff.
7. DRINK VERY SCANT IF ANY Drink more water.
8. WRITE A SONG A DAY  Write 2 blog posts a week.
9. WEAR CLEAN CLOTHES--LOOK GOOD Get rid of worn out, ill-fitting clothes
10. SHINE SHOES Buy another pair of comfortable shoes
11. CHANGE SOCKS Replace holey, no-elastic socks
12. CHANGE BED CLOTHES OFTEN
13. READ LOTS OF GOOD BOOKS Turn off the computer and read library books more
14. LISTEN TO RADIO A LOT Try out some new stations
15. LEARN PEOPLE BETTER Try to better understand others perspectives and don't judge
16. KEEP RANCHO CLEAN Clean the less obvious places (under beds, behind doors) more often
17. DON'T GET LONESOME Use time alone to do creative projects
18. STAY GLAD Remind myself each morning to have a positive attitude.
19. KEEP HOPING MACHINE RUNNING
20. DREAM GOOD Go to bed on time
21. BANK ALL EXTRA MONEY Update financial statement
22. SAVE DOUGH
23. HAVE COMPANY BUT DON'T WASTE TIME Have more people over, but don't sweat the details
24. SEND MARY AND KIDS MONEY Evaluate again charities to support 
25. PLAY AND SING GOOD Sing more, at least a song a day from Mary Ellen's song book
25. DANCE BETTER Start n dance exercise program
26. HELP WIN WAR--BEAT FASCISM Choose my political battles both locally and nationally and don't get caught up in the drama of it all.
27. LOVE MAMA 
28. LOVE PAPA
29. LOVE PETE
30. LOVE EVERYBODY Find value in everyone.
31. MAKE UP YOUR MIND Remember that any decision makes forward progress. No decision paralyzes.
32. WAKE UP AND FIGHT Treat each day with gusto. Don't get bogged down in morning inertia.

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But Wait, There's More!
What song is Woodie Guthrie best know for?
This Land is Your Land

The Pete in #29 is Pete Seeger