Thursday Thirteen Resolutions

According to Willowcreek's Network, my highest score is in Wisdom, and second highest are Administration and Giving (tied). These are not popular, fun "gifts." These traits are sensible, insightful, practical, fair, commonsense, thorough, objective, responsible, resourceful, disciplined, organized, efficient and conscientious. See what I mean?

Because I write on a variety of topics, and so many blogs, I have to be cautious about criticism. You just have no idea how much is excluded (I keep a written journal), so I make an effort to redirect some energy. Not always successfully. First, I drafted this 13 list and then went through and deleted the word "try." Try is a really wimpy verb, and I criticize others who use weak verbs and sloppy sentences. It's unlikely I'll be able to keep these--I think I've already broken number one and number four, but here goes.

1. When I see an outrageously dressed person, brown cotton eyelet full circle skirt, gray pumps and pink bandana I will turn my head or close my eyes instead of drawing a sketch.

2. When I see someone who has problem at the sample table of the coffee shop, I won't speculate what losing or gaining 20 lbs could do for his/her health and knees.

3. When I see a smoker, I will resist cataloging wrinkles, coughs, and yellowed fingers using my strongest traits.

4. I will resist going to church so I won't be tempted to comment on things that upset me or theology that doesn't make sense.

5. When I see a loose dog or cat, I will pray for the critter's safety instead of criticizing the careless, bad mannered owner even my neighbor with the Vizsla that wants to join us on our deck during dinner.

6. When I see an ugly, unreadable, squirrely webpage or blog, I will not scan through it looking for the webmaster or comment section.

7. When I accidentally come across Katie Couric or another gloomy news reader, I'll just change channels.

8. When I hear or read about what the idiots in Congress are doing, I'll refrain from calling them names--or the people like me, who elected them.

9. I will blog less at my regular site and work on my hobby bloggy and illegal immigration blog. I stopped blogging for a week and dropped 300 points on TTLB.

10. Since I'm such a good problem solver, I'll satisfy this need by finding and fixing problems in my house, car, garage, closets and bookshelves or experimenting with new recipes. By 2010, I can probably have these under control.

11. I will try to keep track of only 2 or 3 Republican 2008 candidates and not poke fun at or make rude comments about the other moral midgets others.

12. I will ignore family problems. Mine and yours. No one wants to be someone else's fixer-upper or project.

13. I will refocus on my art. A critical eye is needed in perspective, value, hue, tone, and quality. I think it's been a year since I did this one.