Note – The Board of Directors Here at Spo-Reflections was against me posting this entry. They are uninterested in self-improvement and they doubt anyone would be interested in mine.
“Come celebrate with me that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed” – L. Clifton.
One normally looks back today to reflect on the year and its events, but this one is better seen as a furtive glance in the review-mirror as one accelerates away. It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good. 2020 sucked lemons and halted all my attempts to work on my bucket list. However having more time at home (and money not spent on travel and eating out) I did better on my resolutions. While the world was a wreck, Urs Truly did well.
First of all, I’m still here. I have the quiet satisfaction to sing along with Sondheim on this one.*
I did very well with my daily routines:
Dog walks; flossing; Spanish lessons; journaling; reading; blood pressure reads.
My goal to read 20 books? I read 45! That’s more than that past 3-4 years combined.
I did ‘fairly well’ with daily stretching and not eating after supper.
Monthly soup-making: I made 14 soups; some of them I would make again.
Monthly ‘Great Courses’ lecture: 10 of 12.
Let’s look at my shortcomings:
I will leave the first one blank lest my family is reading this.
“Make 4 shirts” – I made two. In my defense I made many masks, dozens of them, for my nearest and dearest. It felt good to do so.
“Go to the gym 4-5x a week” – I’m letting myself off the hook on this one as the gym was closed and then when it reopened it was too hazardous to go.
“Weigh 76 kilos” – another bust. Actually I’m not too off but I fear while my scale weight is not too bad my body composition went bad. I am what they call a ‘fat thin person’.
I haven’t yet made my resolutions for 2021 but I think it will be about regaining lost tone and fitness. I need to figure out how to do so sans gym.
Happy New Year 2021 to one and all; I am glad you are here with me.
*This is a discreet reference to Mr. Sondheim’s “I’m still here” from ‘Follies’. Go on YouTube and hear it, why don’t you. The version sung by Elaine Stritch (the one in a red hat) is my favorite.
52 comments
December 31, 2020 at 8:51 AM
Mistress Borghese
My retrospective of the year was a quick glance and Im ready to put this year’s events behind…but not forgotten. Ill have champagne and surf and turf….and tip toe into the New Year.. quietly and cautiously.
A most peaceful and healthy New Year to you Spo…may we share a christmas bowl of smoking bishop one day.
XOXO 🎇🍸🎇🍸🎇🍸🎇🍸🎇🍸🎇🎉
December 31, 2020 at 9:17 AM
Urspo
hugs and hope to you too dearie!
December 31, 2020 at 8:51 AM
anne marie in philly
2020 sucked MAJOR ass! every day we wake up on this side of the grass is a bonus. HNY to you and someone and harper!
December 31, 2020 at 9:17 AM
Urspo
and to you two!
December 31, 2020 at 8:56 AM
Steven
To be able to read one-fourth the amount of books you read would be so rewarding. I wish I could add the time. Congrats on this feat! Happy New Year and may the year bring a sense of togetherness once again.
December 31, 2020 at 9:18 AM
Urspo
And to you!
My success on the books I attribute to having a set time (just before bed) that I promised I would always read something, even just a few pages, for minimum 5 minutes – and keep going if desired.
December 31, 2020 at 9:12 AM
LORI
You did quite well on your goals, especially since 2020 was such a devastating year. Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year!!
December 31, 2020 at 9:18 AM
Urspo
thank you
And I honed my cooking skills!
December 31, 2020 at 9:33 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
You have shown great perseverance and dedication to your goals. I myself never make New Year’s resolutions, so I’m off the hook. Screw self-improvement, I’m retired now.
December 31, 2020 at 9:40 AM
Urspo
Good for you! at some point self improvement seems a bit silly.
Twain says when you reach 70 you get to sit on the front porch and tell the rest of the world how to get up there.
December 31, 2020 at 9:36 AM
Linda Practical Parsimony
I had no resolutions, just goals. I doubt I reached any. But, I managed not to expire during the pandemic of 2020.
December 31, 2020 at 9:40 AM
Urspo
That is a good goal; I am glad you got it.
December 31, 2020 at 9:41 AM
Bob Slatten
2020 was a challenge, but it was met head on, intelligently and passionately, and compassionately, and, like Miss Stritch, ‘We’re still here.’
I have hope for 2021.
HNY to you and yours for a fabulous 2021!
December 31, 2020 at 12:20 PM
Urspo
I hope the same to you and yours; may 2021 be a good one for all not just some.
December 31, 2020 at 10:40 AM
David Godfrey
I am so glad you are still here! In odd and unexpected ways, we made things happen, and will continue to do so. Setting aside specific reading time, committing to starting, and continuing if it is fun, sounds like following the advice you offer to others. We change, when we commit to ourselves to do so.
December 31, 2020 at 12:21 PM
Urspo
I am glad you are still here too. I look forward to see you/yours in person let us hope soon.
December 31, 2020 at 10:47 AM
Brian Dean Powers
This year was tumultuous. It seems appropriate that the year ends with a Twilight Zone marathon on TV.
December 31, 2020 at 12:22 PM
Urspo
Dear Mr. Serling sometimes he makes sense when no one else does
May your 2021 be not at all tumultuous.
December 31, 2020 at 11:01 AM
mcpersonalspace54
Happy New Year. We all can rest with a sigh that 2020 is over, and hope that 2021 brings us all a much better existence.
December 31, 2020 at 12:22 PM
Urspo
Let us hope so! not only for you/yours but all of us, none left behind.
December 31, 2020 at 11:49 AM
Moving with Mitchell
Happy new year!
December 31, 2020 at 12:23 PM
Urspo
Please give SG and those crazy cats (for I love them all so!) a hug.
December 31, 2020 at 12:09 PM
Parnassus
Many goals for the next year depend on the covid situation, so those are officially on hold. Many of the ones I can work on revolve around my apartment and computer, both of which got out of hand last year, despite all the time spent at home.
–Jim
December 31, 2020 at 12:23 PM
Urspo
I hope this new year is a good one for you Mr. Jim
It’s the year of the ox? right? Please tell what that means if you know.
December 31, 2020 at 12:12 PM
Sam
Well done-I love the masks for shirt trade off. I’m a fat fat person, but my husband is a thin at person, so I get it.
December 31, 2020 at 12:24 PM
Urspo
lol
may 2021 be good for you two and all of us.
December 31, 2020 at 1:44 PM
Mary
Love the Chifton epigraph. I make soup in the crockpot/instapot and mostly during the winter. I always add Rosemary because it’s the longevity herb. Last week I made a barley bean, this week, barley chicken. I’ll make a Lima bean or split pea sometime soon. Good job on completing your resolutions. Happy new year.
December 31, 2020 at 3:10 PM
Urspo
Thank you!
I love crockpot cooking and hope to do more/some in January
December 31, 2020 at 1:57 PM
Jennifer Yale
T’was a hell of a year. Congratulations on your successes and let’s not dwell on the shortcomings. I have enjoyed discovering your blog and thank you for taking a peek at mine. When we wake up tomorrow morning, we can close the book on 2020 and look forward to even remotely better times ahead. -Jenn
December 31, 2020 at 3:11 PM
Urspo
I feel similar to you/yours.
Let us hope 2021 is good for all of us, not just some as seemed the case in 2021
December 31, 2020 at 2:21 PM
Old Lurker
Maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions for next year should be to fire TBDHSR. They aren’t very effective at giving you good advice. Of course we want to hear about your self-improvement regime.
December 31, 2020 at 3:13 PM
Urspo
TBDHSR (the idiots!) are sort of like obnoxious uncles one rolls ones eyes at but at heart you kind of love them. True they regularly threaten to remove my innards but they are really big teddy bears albeit foul-smelling ones.
December 31, 2020 at 2:41 PM
Gigi Rambles
I haven’t taken the time to reflect – yet. But I’m very happy to have tripped over your blog this year. And I agree, I think you did very well with your goals. Happy New Year. Here’s hoping 2021 will be a kinder one.
December 31, 2020 at 3:13 PM
Urspo
You too deario! See you in 2021 !
December 31, 2020 at 4:07 PM
Pipistrello
I’m always so impressed by the Resolutions of others, and your achievements rank very well, but I have no imagination for such things. For so many adult years I would take the crisp opening page of my appointments diary and declare to “Learn French; Learn Bridge; Get Fit”, and produced nought in the way of results at year’s end, so I eventually gave up and just roll with the times now. I, too, can be grateful, however, for 2020 introducing me to your fine company, so it wasn’t all so bad this year! Happy New Year to you and Someone!
January 1, 2021 at 7:50 AM
Urspo
Happy New Year to you!
Here is a tip I found useful. Rather than ‘Learn Spanish” my goal was ‘everyday at 830PM I will do five minutes of Spanish lessons” – that was over a year ago; I am a good beginner now.
December 31, 2020 at 4:52 PM
johnmichael42003
Happy New Year!! My resolutions never go through. So I stopped making them. And I end up just getting frustrated. I’m just going to strive to be happy.
January 1, 2021 at 7:50 AM
Urspo
I good goal indeed.
December 31, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Robzilla, Native of Slam Diego
Happy New Year!!!
January 1, 2021 at 7:51 AM
Urspo
Same to you my dear !
December 31, 2020 at 7:50 PM
Ron
A “fat thin person”? Hey, the older we get the more the skin loosens. I am mortified how I have morphed into “shifting glaciers”. Where I used to have a passable chest it has sunk into a pot belly. And there is no rectifying it. The “shifting sands of time”. The face is starting to slide now. Oh well, I had a good run. Your turn is coming. You’ve been warned.
January 1, 2021 at 7:51 AM
Urspo
Let’s see how good I do this year.
December 31, 2020 at 8:03 PM
Catrina56
Along with a rotten 2020, on the last day of the year we learned that the two couples we’ve been hanging out with (after each of us quarantined, then basically only saw each other the last three months) were exposed to COVID via two overly-friendly neighbors who just arrived from Michigan. Anti-maskers the two of them, they hugged all the neighbors then had a huge party at their house two days ago. Today the both tested positive, and four of their ‘hug-ees’ were the two couples we’d made New Year’s Eve plans with. So, with an abundance of bacon wrapped lil smokies, sausage balls, a cheese ball and homemade caramel corn, we wish everyone a Happy HEALTHY 2021 (and bullocks to the two Cheeto Cultists for starting this!)!
January 1, 2021 at 7:52 AM
Urspo
Sausage balls? My soul swoons !
Happy new year !
December 31, 2020 at 8:15 PM
Robert
In my opinion you failed at nowt. I just read an article suggesting open goals may be more motivational. Let’s see how I do at ….
‘I’m still here’ is one of my favourites too. I was fortunate to see Follies in London, in my youth. The song was sung by Eartha Kitt. I was so enamoured with Miss Kitt, I sent a single red rose to the theatre the very next day.
Happy 2021 💋
January 1, 2021 at 7:52 AM
Urspo
What a great story; thank you for sharing this with me !’
Happy 2021 !
December 31, 2020 at 10:44 PM
wcs
Everybody gets a pass this year, unless they’re orange. Happy New Year to you both, and Harper, too!
January 1, 2021 at 7:53 AM
Urspo
I hope the orange gets his comeuppance. It is not a charitable thought but there it is.
Happy 2021 to you all !
January 1, 2021 at 12:00 AM
Freckles
White rabbit White rabbit White rabbit
January 1, 2021 at 7:53 AM
Urspo
I always start the new year with saying rabbit
January 1, 2021 at 7:50 AM
fearsomebeard
My dearest Spo-Darling, Fearsome and I wish you a happy happy new year. May 2021 bring you many blessings.
January 1, 2021 at 7:54 AM
Urspo
Blessings to you your whiskers and all else !