My Resolutions for 2020 – Late as Usual (Part 1)

Hello fellow bloggers and lovely lurkers!

Today I come to you in the company of my chocolate milk and a very agitated dog, since the mailman has just paid us a visit and he’s a bad bad man, apparently.

I thought I might as well share my resolutions for 2020 because, in case they never happen, at least they’ve met the internet at some point, which makes them at least 10% real.

I should start by saying that I haven’t made any resolutions for the past couple of years for the obvious reason that there is no point in making them as I know myself too well by now. I’m not sure I should call these “resolutions” or simply a list of “shit I’ve been putting off for so long it’s becoming embarrassing”. Yup, that sounds more fitting. Honestly, I wish I could be the kind of person that could make it a goal to drink more water or eat better or whatever the cliche and keep it up forever but I’m just not. I have no discipline whatsoever when it comes to such goals. I think I’m getting better with age, but I’m not there yet. Also, I’m not that lousy when it comes to drinking water, actually. I manage to get 2-3 liters in the Summer (being a bit lazier on the weekends) and 1 to 1.5 liters in Winter. I could definitely eat better, though. (Anyone else thinking about spaghetti and meatballs right now?).

And that is why I do not make these “cliche goals” as long term. I prefer to focus on eating better tomorrow or eating more vegetables today. Then, if I fail, it doesn’t feel like I’m failing for the whole year. I hope this makes some sense. Anyway, I’m rambling.

There’s definitely 2 things that I hope will help with achieving my goals:

1. A deadline.
2. To start working on them ASAP.

And without further ado:

My 6 Resolutions for 2020: (Part 1)

 

1. Lose the weight

I’ve been carrying around this weight (literally) for too many years after being diagnosed and dealing with illness and SO much medication. Going from being more active and taking public transportation to sitting at a desk all day did not help either, if I’m being honest. But I’m tired of it, both physically and mentally. I’m tired of the fat jokes, and of loathing myself and what I see in the mirror. I don’t even like my wedding pictures that much, which is pretty sad. Also, I’d like to be pregnant some time in the next few years and I don’t want to add more weight to this body. I want to be the healthiest I can be for my future child. My actual goal is to lose 30 kg/60 pounds (you guys, I work with UK banking and almost wrote GBP and died laughing).

Deadline: December 2020, with a grace period of a couple of months because I want to do it in a healthy way.

Steps taken: Appointment with a nutritionist for January 29th.

 

2. Finish my Degree – History Minor. 

So I happen to have 3 credits/courses of my degree to finish, which happen to fall under my minor in History. I should have finished this in… what? 2015? Never mind. The thing is, I’ve never actually and practically needed it. I’ve worked for quite a few years in the field, I’ve taught, I’ve tutored HISTORY, I’ve prepared students for HISTORY exams and no one has ever questioned my abilities. Nevertheless, everyone who has ever known me, mostly my mother and husband, love to bust my balls about this. The funniest thing ever is that my baby sister has since started and finished uni. It’s not like I don’t care, it’s just.. I’m mostly over it. Would I have picked the same degree today at 28 years old, so many years later? No way. I know I want to go back to school at some point in my life and study something else. I’ve been back and forth with this for so long, having at some point having to quit because I was too sick. I’m ready for it to be over. And that is why I’m FINALLY going to finish it.

Deadline: June 2020 (End of school year)

Steps Taken: Applied back in November, got accepted, classes start on January 27th.

 

3. Get my Driver’s License

Oh my God, you guys! You have now idea the kind of bullying I’ve endured over the years because I do not have a license. My mother mentions it at every family dinner,  phone call, text message and my nightmares. My husband is always going on about how he’d love to be able to drink as much as he’d like to if I was able to drive him as I don’t drink at all (We DO NOT drink and drive and neither should you). My friends and my husband’s friends tease me equally. It comes up at every party, wedding and funeral. People assume they’d be able to take advantage of my driving just because I do not drink. The day I finally have my license will be a national holiday. In everyone’s defense and to my shame, most people in this country get their driver’s license by the time they’re 18 years old. Because I’m tired of being made fun of (for this anyway) this will finally be the year. I’ll help the drunks be drunks.

Deadline: June 2020 (6 months sounded like enough time)

Steps Taken: Enrolled in school and paid for the whole thing, lessons start in February.

Because I’m someone with soooo many goals *laughs maniacally*, stay tuned for part 2.

Love you to Spain and back.

Mrs. Martins.

** I don’t know why but this post took me 3 hours to write and edit. **

Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

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My 8 Reading Resolutions for 2020

Dear friends,

First of all, I wish you all a Happy New Year!

I know I’m late but I hope 2020 is wonderful for you and that we’re all entering our best decade yet.

I feel that I’ve never blogged that much about books which is rather strange since I spend a good portion of my time reading.

My goal for 2019 was 100 books. That was probably too ambitious as I was planning a whole church wedding and reception for 100 guests. I managed to read 71 books and I’m very proud of my literary accomplishments, even though I would have liked to meet my goal.

My second goal was to get out of my comfort zone of classics and historical novels. I wanted to explore different genres, and so I did. I read contemporary novels, fantasy and fell in love with thrillers, something I didn’t care for at all. I learned that a book doesn’t have to be the greatest piece of literature ever made for me to enjoy it. A silly romance is okay, and I can allow my literature major Cheila to like it.

All in all, it’s been my best reading year in a very long time. I was a former avid reader who didn’t read that much anymore and now I’m back to my bookworm ways. It feels like home.

I definitely want to keep it up in 2020 so I’ve come up with a list of reading goals:

1. I want to read some non-fiction. I find it mostly boring, to be honest, even if I’m interested in the subject. I understand that there are some great non-fiction books out there and I’d like to read a couple.

2. I’d like to finally finish the Grapes of Wrath. It’s my third attempt and I’m not loving it this time either. I don’t usually finish a book I don’t like (I don’t mind reading a few chapters and deciding it is not for me) but I’d like to finish this one for some reason. I think this is an old quarrel with a university professor I hated.

3. I wish I could finally stop being too lazy to write book reviews. I love following my reading on Goodreads but I never write any reviews, even when the book is perfect. I’m not sure I’ll ever become the kind of reader who writes reviews but I might as well put it out there.

4. Write a monthly reading list on the blog. I mean, I used to envy those bloggers who actually do this, simply because I was not reading enough to post a list myself. But now I am, so there’s nothing stopping me from posting my own monthly list. Maybe I can share great books with you guys and get great recommendations as well.

5. Highlight my favorite passages or quotes. It often happens that I read something that leaves me thinking “wow, this is beautifully written” or “this is definitely true”. Do I think to highlight this? No. Because I’m LAZY. I mean, it’s a Kindle. All I have to do is press and drag.

6. Read 5 classics. I absolutely love classics. There was a time it was all I would read. Then I decided I needed to be more adventurous and now I read just about anything. However, I seem to have forgotten how much I love a good classic. Which is a shame as there is so many I want to read. Sure, I do look at my copy of War and Peace and feel like crying because it is thicker than the Bible but I would like to devour the story at some point. I’d also like to eventually finish Vanity Fair and The Portrait of a Lady. I’ve recently taken them off my bookshelf and placed them on a side table, hoping I’ll look at them more often and remember I want to read them.

7. Read 5 paper books. Okay, please don’t murder me. If you’re one of those people who think a kindle is something from the devil and that I should be punished for using one, I used to be just like you. For a very long time I was personally offended by people who used this horrible devices to substitute a book. I’m pretty sure I rolled my eyes all the way back every time I encountered one of these “readers”. Then, I personally met Kindle. And Kindle unlimited. And I read about 100 more books than I had in many years. Now I’m now longer a book snob and I’m fine with whatever, as long as people are reading. On the other hand, if you’re one of those “people” who don’t like to read, you should choke on your coffee. Joking. Maybe. Still, I still love real books above all and want to keep reading them. I’m aiming for 5 this year.

8. Read 100 books. This was my goal for 2019 but I ended up at 71. I do want to try for 100 again, now that I’m no longer planning a wedding. I want to be able to say “I read 100 books this year”. It sounds like the perfect number. Besides, reading makes me very happy. Is there a better reason?

Do you have any reading goals for 2020? How many books did you manage in 2019?

Do share!

Love,

Chey