My newest (RIDICULOUS) goal

I hate cheese! I always have. It seems like an unnatural food. It stretches. It's greasy. It bounces when you drop it. It's dairy, yet sometimes it comes in a can. Ick. I.just.don't.like.it. But, people (almost ALL people) think that my distaste for cheese is weird. And, sadly, almost every single time a guy makes me dinner, it's lasagna... try faking love for lasagna when you hate cheese. It's tough. So, most of the time when I have to tell people that I hate cheese, I always follow it up with, I know I am weird. I have come to realize, that if I say it first, no one else has to say it. Somehow, I like that better.

Similarly, with my new goal, prior to anyone else saying it first, I will say it - I know, I am ridiculous.

Before I reveal my newest (RIDICULOUS) goal, let me explain what created my desire for said new goal.

We have rats. Well, actually we HAD rats. Moises (the pest control guy, and the guy who has been getting more of my attention than most lately) assures me that they are gone. I don't know that I believe him. But, I am trying to. The rats were sequestered to the attic(s) which are in the back of my closets (yep, I have 2). So, in order to get in and out I have to take out all my clothes and shoes... which was quite a chore. All of the contents of my closet remained on my floor for over two (2) months, because I had to check the attic every single bloody day and call the pest control guy to come take the rats out. I think we caught seven (7). Gross!!!

I remember reading Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place when I was younger. In the book, there is a part where she and her sister are in the basement at the concentration camp filled with rats and fleas. And, every night they got on their knees and thanked the Lord for the rats and the fleas. Because of them, no one ever went down into the basement and so she and her sister got to read the Bible, whereas everyone else was forbidden from doing so. Try as I might, I could never learn to love those rats! My room REALLY looked like a hoarder's room. There were clothes and shoes EVERYWHERE. I tripped all the time. And, I don't like clutter! But, it did make me realize that I have SO SO SO SO many clothes. I mean a completely obscene amount. And, I guess I should be grateful for that?!?

Last night I counted, I have 14 bathing suits. The oldest of which is three (3) years old. That's normal, right? I live at the beach! Still, a bit excessive, I presume. But, the sad part is that I have probably actually gone to the beach a handful of times this year, add pools into the mix and maybe, just maybe, you'd get a dozen times. That means, in a year, I can't even don all of the bathing suits I own. Embarrassing. And, I won't even start on the clothes and shoes. I have an entire dresser full of accessories... none of which I ever bother to put on (with the exception of an occasional headband). It's truly ridiculous. Jackie teases me ALL THE TIME, as do others, 'you really should try wearing something twice'. I really have to put an end to the madness.

And it's crazy that I have that many outfits anyway. I mean for what? I spend more and more time in my pajamas or my running clothes than anything. And, the people I work with are NOT impressed with my wardrobe or sense of style. Just the other day one of my co-workers asked me if I made my sweater. I am pretty sure that wasn't a compliment.

And, so my goal is this. Starting 8-8-10, I am going to actually wear the clothes and shoes I own and not purchase even one (1) additional item (no clothes, shoes, or accessories) for A WHOLE YEAR. Impressive, right?!? Well...

Let's review how good I am at keeping goals. I had two (2) New Year's Resolutions. One was to return a movie to Blockbuster that I kept for four (4) months. I did end up doing that, sometime in January (February, at the latest). The other was to register my car, which was slated to be re-registered in November (2009). It's August. And, technically, I haven't done that. I mean I DID actual register the car in January, but then there was that matter of the smog check. I was just TOO LAZY to get it done, plus, I was concerned my car might not pass, which is silly, I know. But, in April I got an $88 ticket from the city of Newport. So, in May I got a smog check. It passed with flying colors. After which, I was supposed to go to the DMV and pick up my tags. Well... I went to the DMV, but the line was so bloody long. I told myself I would just go back later (that was in June). Last weekend I got a ticket for expired tags ($25). You think I would just do it! What the...

So, in order to keep myself accountable, I am recording my progress on a separate blog (just for the year).

Wish me luck! We all know, I need it.