Why my only New Year’s resolution is to wash the dishes every day
Alison Bert on January 1st, 2008 | Filed under Beginnings, Life Maintenance, Holidays
As a teenager, I used to make long lists of New Years Resolutions:
1. Do an hour of exercise every day, including yoga for stretching.
2. Eat only healthy foods, no sweets.
3. Listen to people when they talk to me, don’t interrupt them.
4. Think before talking.
5. Don’t give advice unless asked.
6. Practice guitar at least two hours a day.
7. Start studying for tests at least three days in advance. …
A week later, all would be lost as I downed a box of Oreo cookies while cramming for a history test.
One year, I got smart. I appended the following resolution:
If I break any of these resolutions, I will forgive myself and start over again the next day.
Now I’m even smarter. I make just one resolution. And I make it doable, like Do stretching exercises while watching Ugly Betty and 60 Minutes. It feels good to accomplish something positive no matter how modest. It makes me want to do more.
So yesterday, as I was begrudgingly washing a week’s worth of dishes, I chose this year’s resolution: Wash the dishes before going to bed at night.
I can think of few thing more frustrating than coming home from a hard day’s work to a sink full of dishes. Even if I bring home take-out, the dishes call out to me in their gritty voices: “You’re going to have to wash us sooner or later, you know, and the longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be … What? You want to fill a pitcher to water the plants? We’ll, we’re not moving for some stupid plants. Besides, you can find plenty of new vegetation right here. …”
They’re also a potent reminder of life’s obstacles — the mundane necessities that stop us from pursuing our passions. Why, I’d love to go dancing tonight, Charles, but I have to stay home and do my chores. One Saturday evening, I found myself weeping as I scraped spaghetti off a plate, feeling like Cinderella while her step sisters were at the ball.
So today when I woke up to find a empty sink, I knew I made the right resolution. I felt like all obstacles had been cleared out of my way. The future was mine. And with the time I saved not having to do dishes, I could do yoga, I could practice my rumba moves, I could practice guitar.
Or I could go back to sleep. Which I did. And I will tell you, there is nothing as sweet as dreaming with an empty sink.
January 2nd, 2008 at 7:30 am
Happy New Year, Alison.
I know the feeling. My first real girlfriend made it clear that nothing of interest was going to happen unless the sink was empty. That was an easy habit to ingrain.
Maybe it won’t be long before you have a dishwasher. A good one will do wonders on spaghetti plates.
January 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Happy New Year to you, Mr. K!
How did your girlfriend make it clear? This is valuable information.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Well, being a typical guy, it’s not difficult to keep the price/reward equation in sharp focus. And she understood it too.