2015 Resolutions

Each year since 1989 my family has made New Year's Resolutions. In the beginning, I kept them written on whatever paper I wrote them on and they always hung on my bulletin board in my bedroom in Indiana. When I moved I brought them with me in a file folder. When I met Tom I computerized them where they now are kept for safe keeping. Every year my maternal family is together we go back over the resolutions and laugh at things said and remember those people we have lost. It is neat to see when spouses joined our family and when children joined in the fun. I hope we never lose this tradition and that it is one the children continue for years to come.

Here are some interesting tidbits regarding our resolutions from the past 25 years:

Funniest resolution: 1989 - My father's - "To eliminate all this chaos." He wasn't really into making these resolutions, but I insisted and when this one is read after the ones before him that are so "I need to do this" and "I want to do this" it is just really funny.

Second funniest resolution - 2003 - Susan - To get myself mentally fit because I feel that would make me a better mother...I'm already a better wife.

LMost honest resolution - 2008 - Jay - To be more patient with Maya and love her more. No. Scratch the love Maya more part. I love her enough.

Year of fewest participation - 1995

Longest (and most ridiculous) resolution: 1999 - Rusty's (which he later amended, but I didn't remove) 10) Start a barnacle collection (collecting a sample from all known oceans and not to be confused with a Barney collection), 9) Become very, very close friends with Microsoft Mogul Bill Gates 8) Take a class on Presidential Relationships and their affect on a nation 7) Switch from Fruit of the Loom underwear to Hanes 6) See that my Zoysia yard finally grows shut (making wife happy...very happy) 5) Grow as much hair on my head as I do on other parts of my body 4) Hit 71 homeruns 3) Play Russian roulette with Saddam Hussein (he goes first) 2) Grow a money tree in the backyard (Austin believe we really have one anyway) 1) Accumulate as much debt as possible through November and pay it all off with one check (which is where #2 will come in handy).

Second most ridiculous resolution - 2003 - Tom - I resolve not to get cloned. But I want to check into this market of cloning.

Truest resolution: 1989 - My cousin Jason's (who made this resolution in the summer when he was visiting and saw the list on my bulletin board) - "To become a Mingo Head" He later went on to form a band called Mingo Head that recorded a couple of CD's and opened for Hootie and the Blowfish at a concert.

Most modest resolution - 2007 - Cara - I resolve to not remind people how right I was.

Best quote in a resolution - 1994 - Tom - To make music more a part of my life; "I am haunted by the absence of music."

Second best quote - 2001 - Rusty - To sift through the ashes of what's left of my golf game in search of a burning ember.

Number of resolutions regarding exercising and losing weight: 80 resolutions

Resolution made from a learning experience: 1999 - Marilyn - I resolve to always drain my pipes before leaving for a winter vacation and to never boogie board when the waves are over waist high.

Same resolution yearly - 1990, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 - Aunt Helen - To not be so judgmental - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - Darcy - To stop sucking my thumb.

Funniest comment on whether the past resolution was kept - 2004 - Connie - I also have pursued the spirit of playing golf for fun and not glory. Along the way, I sort of stumbled into being the 2004 Club Champion. Oh, well.

Year we recycled resolutions - 2006 - Connie - "Obviously, I have not done any of those things from last year, and so I resolve to quit resolving things I can't resolve and try to stay alive for the next year." Maya - "Well, I have to get those frick'in pictures done!" Cara - "I resolve to work on my last two previous resolutions." Marilyn - "I'm upset because people don't like my previous resolutions and so now I don't want to make one. I will try to take the criticism of my family with good humor and to not really hate them." Kelly - "Hmmmm...well, I guess I had better lower my resolutions since I didn't keep last years!"