Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year's Resolutions for a Domestic (Un)Goddess

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had exactly the New Year's Eve they were hoping for. I spent the evening with my friend Michelle. We watched Julie and Julia. There were several drawbacks to the movie (Julie - Amy Adams' character - had a terrifying haircut) and I learned that Michelle did not know who Julia Child was (feel free to gasp in shock and make a horrified facial expression because you know that was my reaction). Despite those minor low points, I was mostly completely content to be welcoming 2010 in such a relaxed fashion.

What did you all do last night? Was anyone else feeling less than enthused at the thought of major New Year's celebrations?

I should make it clear that I detest New Year's resolutions. Although I am an incredibly responsible person, I never seem to live up to my own goals. 2009 was supposed to be the year that I put myself first, instead of taking care of/worrying about everyone else all the time. That lasted roughly... 2 hours into January 1st. Oops.

Nonetheless, I feel like it would be bad form to break tradition. So here are my 2010 goals to help me along the path to domestic goddess-hood.
  1. Learn how to make fondant successfully. I find it strange that I bake cakes for lots of birthdays, but still have not attempted this feat. I have to admit I generally prefer whipped icings, but fondant undoubtedly adds a certain polished look to cakes that mine are sorely missing (and I really like polished looks - thus my wardrobe).
  2. Make boeuf bourguignon. Successfully. From Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I find it appalling that I know how to make roughly zero French dishes. I love butter. French cooking and I should be made for each other.
  3. Since my closet is now color coded (I maybe should have added that particular organizing day to my list of 2009 low points), I must go through and donate old items. While I obviously would love to do this good deed, I am a huge pack rat and am pathetic enough to find sentimental value in a single sweater.
  4. Remove clutter throughout the house. Now that I am living with the parental units again, I feel it's time to go through our kitchen and ditch the stuff that's ancient or that we don't need. Otherwise, I end up cursing like a sailor every time I empty the dishwasher, which is often.
  5. Purchase a pair of sensible black heels. Notice the emphasis on "sensible." I tend to be really good at buying beautiful shoes that provide me with dozens of blisters and likely a lifetime of severe back pain. Suggestions are welcome.
  6. Learn how to make chicken marsala like my father does. There are few things on Earth as heavenly as Dad's chicken marsala.
  7. Send out birthday cards for friends and family. On time.
  8. Hang photos and a sensible bulletin board in my room. It's finally necessary to personalize it a bit. Also, I have these super cute pink and purple push-pins that I'm dying to use on a bulletin board.
  9. Attempt to control the impulse to purchase every adorable skirt I find. This is perhaps the biggest challenge yet.
  10. Be a better friend/family member/version of myself.
What are your resolutions?

1 comment:

  1. My closet's color coded because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to find anything if it wasn't! I'm a pack rat, too, though... oops.

    Also, I found the perfect pair of black heels at DSW the other day (I think they're sensible!) - but there were SO MANY other pretty ones. Gahhh.

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