New Year's... lists... and Soundtrack #26

Every year I make New Year's Resolutions. And every year I break them.

One of my problems is that I make way too many. I remember one year in high school or middle school I wrote them all down on an 8 ½ by 11 and stuck the list to my bathroom mirror. Remember gel pens? Each line alternated between neon orange, lime green, and psychedelic purple. There were so many that I had to write in my smallest print. So many that I didn't notice for several days that my brother, Greg, had written at the very bottom of the list, "Give Greg $20." I think I felt violated. Because someone poking fun at your New Year's resolutions is the kind of thing that feels violating when you're fourteen.

This year I made 7 resolutions. Narrowing it down took some effort. In fact, the only way I could keep the list to a minimum was to then write an additional list titled, "themes for the year." I usually make yet another list with the title, "other things I want to do/change if I have time." You know, in case my 7 official resolutions and themes are total snaps.

This year I considered making super easy resolutions so I could just mark them off: tick tick tick. Instead of "learn Arabic," I could resolve to "eat blueberry pancakes for breakfast tomorrow." I'll keep my 7, but I'll add this one: tomorrow I resolve to go for a walk. Tick.

In another vein...

Let's just take a moment and soak in the sound of Ella Fitzgerald. When I came across this song it made me wish I sounded just like her and could sit on a baby grand in sequins and belt out something jazzy.

I don't drink coffee or smoke, but I love diet coke (almost the same, eh?), so I'll pretend I can relate to this song. But really it's about heartache, and we all know how that feels.

BLACK COFFEE - Ella Fitzgerald

*Also check out the cover by Peggy Lee. Sultry and smooth.