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I'm a work in progress

I have stopped making official New Year's resolutions because I've never made it past the second week.

I stopped giving 'things' up for Lent because I've rarely made halfway through the 40 days without succumbing. (That Jesus was sure amazing because I've given up things like chocolate or wine but He gave up the essentials, like food and water. And the only tempter I had was a commercial or a walk through the grocery store - with a full stomach and plenty of water to drink. Jesus had Satan, the greatest of tempters, and he certainly had to be hungry and thirsty).

I recently signed up for a 30 Day challenge to lose 12 pounds. Not a monumental task except for the fact that I signed up for it while transitioning to the wheelchair. In winter. With a wheelchair without snow tires that made it especially challenging to get out and about.  Yep, I set myself up for failure on that one! 

On one of the diet plans I tried a few years back, my goal was to lose 40 pounds. I got to 38, and called it good. (By the way, I've lost and gained the same 40 pounds at least four times in my adult life.)

My epic failures do not all relate to weight loss or food either. I have on numerous occasions, promised myself that I would:

     1) Write daily;
     2) Write weekly;
     3) Write.

Like the book I've been working on for the past two years - and I think it's good and might even have a chance to get published - I've promised myself to finish it. This year. Well it's March 17 (Happy St. Patrick's Day, by the way!), and I've worked on it twice. 

I have also made promises to myself to stop swearing. It took three children mimicking my words and about 10 years, but I've largely succeeded except for the occasional damn or hell.

And recently, I promised that I would not focus on politics since it raised my blood pressure and increased my frustration. I promised myself not to post on Facebook anything political. That lasted until the next debate or primary or funny/thought-provoking/amazingly stupid incident in this 'presidential -campaign- like- no- other- presidential- campaign'. #makedonalddrumpfagain
And can you believe that ...  See, I can't even write this paragraph about my pledge to NOT focus on politics without focusing on one of the frustrating aspects.

I am a work in progress. 

I'd like to write that I know my limitations, but clearly that's not true since I keep losing, then gaining the same 40 pounds. Work in progress, I am. Or that my political abstention can't last more than 10 minutes. Working. Progress. Or that while thinking about politics, in addition to raising my blood pressure and breaking that pledge, I'm breaking my 'no swearing' promise and mumbling mild expletives. So much work and so little progress!

So, instead of ending this on a note of defeat and because the glass is half full, I will end this blog post this way.

I wrote today!

Comments

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

I put my pride aside and got my ass off the grass and into the wheelchair. {I spent a couple minutes deciding whether to put an exclamation mark after that declaration or to put the period after that statement. I think the period better suits my mood about getting said ass into the wheelchair!} On July 4, Saugatuck has a wonderfully unique parade that includes quirky participants like the artsy-fartsy campers at OxBow art colony and the LGBT members of a local foundation along with the more traditional participants like Girl Scouts, fire trucks, and local politicians. It had been a couple years since I had been to the parade, this year, though, my Mom and sister were in town and I wanted to take them. So we loaded up in the van, including Kerri's wheelchair and my own. Once we parked, John asked if I wanted to use my chair and I initially balked but then remembered that it can be a long, hot parade and it might be better to have a place to sit. So, I acquiesced and took the cha...

Christmas cards

I sat down to reluctantly address Christmas cards. While our list has slowly dwindled through the years it's still a sizeable number, especially when it's viewed as a task approached reluctantly . Know what I mean? Some Christmas 'tasks' are a lot less taskier - like decorating or shopping or eating or opening presents. I mean, there's a whole different level of enthusiasm associated with 'tasks' that aren't viewed as tasks - I can't ever remember a time when I sat down to reluctantly open a present or eat a Christmas cookie! Anyway, I approached the Christmas card addressing with a less-than-positive, more bah-humbugish attitude. I poured a cup of coffee, grabbed the markers (I had to have a green, a red and a black one), the list and of course the envelopes (which John had already stuffed with the card). I turned on some Christmas music, but not too loud or it would distract me (and it really doesn't take much to distract me. Squirrel!),...

Don't cry for me ...

Song lyrics or titles run through my mind to often sum up a situation or add humor to one. Today, it's "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". Only today the title is "Don't cry for me anybody"! I mean, I get it, that people feel bad that I've got breast cancer and that I've been living with MS for nearly 27 years. And I've had other issues that I've blogged about related to #metoo. I get that it seems like a lot looking in from the outside. I hear your comments and appreciate your support. But here's the thing, it doesn't feel overwhelming to me, looking out from the inside. Know what I mean? I live the life that I've been dealt and do it with the personality and faith I've been given. Which means, I could do one of the following: A. Have a miserable, pity-me attitude that would lead to being  miserable; B. Lean into my troubles and seek answers constantly either through research or angrily with God, which would lea...