2012: Ready, Set... Where Am I Again?

Happy New Year, y'all! Hope everyone enjoyed their winter holidays. Here's a picture of me doing who knows what on the beach last week:

Seriously, what am I doing here?

Embarrassing beach dancing aside, I do feel very refreshed after spending some quality time with my family doing absolutely nothing. When the holiday break started, I had a to-do list four miles long, more stress than any one person should carry around (no matter how big or stylish her handbag might be), and lots of very specific ideas about what NEEDS to happen in my life. Work, family and writing-wise, I was feeling pressured, overwhelmed and a little bit resentful. I almost changed my mind about the beach vacation because I didn't think we had 'time' to do it. Thank G-d for non-refundable deposits!

This week I find my far more relaxed self plunged back into 'real life,' realizing that my lists are all either lost or look really stupid now. Like someone else wrote them in my handwriting. Anyway, I have no idea where things are headed next, and I'm loving it. Sometimes my well-intended but endless task list leaves no room for a natural flow of ideas, and no space for spontaneity. As hard as it can be for a dual-career Mom to leave gaps in the schedule for downtime and (gasp!) fun, I'm realizing it's an absolute necessity if I want to be a functioning human being the rest of the time. 

So that's my goal for 2012. I'm resolving not to be so... well, resolved all the time. Call it a New Year's Irresolution. Bring on the irresponsibility, irreverence and irrelevance. Maybe some iridescence while we're at it. But mostly I'll be trying to cast off the stuff that weighs me down and be the best version of myself. In all my roles.

In a related bit of news, please note that the URL of this blog has changed. I'm retiring the "Doll Hair Doesn't Grow Back" title and going with the simpler, shorter mjpullen.blogspot.com. Hopefully this doesn't impact direct subscriptions, but please update any bookmarks, readers, etc. You can also reach the blog at www.mjpullen.com.

Cheers!