Honestly, I know it’s not the thought that counts. It’s the time, attention, and action that count—making a sincere declaration with no follow-through is worse than avoiding the issue altogether. In my household, we are masters of good intentions; I’d like to believe that we’re genuinely decent and trustworthy folks who are just easily distracted (I mean, we are bottle-feeding six orphan kittens right now), but we really need to work on making and sticking to some long-term goals.

For those of us whose Januarys consist of darkness, cold, and snow, New Years is an awful time to make a significant, behavior-changing resolution. Just getting out of bed on a cold mid-January morning should be considered a major life achievement, and I shouldn’t have to worry about getting my butt to the gym or not having dessert when I deserve to be rewarded for stumbling into a dark and freezing kitchen to push the coffee pot’s “on” button while the rest of my household is still resting peacefully.

Anyway, we are a house full of teachers and students. Summer is our season of freedom and opportunity. So from now on, every June I will make a summer resolution (even if I’m no longer bound by a traditional high school teacher’s schedule). And I will follow-through with that resolution.

It has been pointed out to me that writing my resolution down in a very public way will help keep me focused on my commitment, so what better first resolution for a writer trying to conquer ADD (or is it ADHD now?) than a resolution focused on writing? So here it is: I’m going to update this blog every week through the end of summer. I might even write more than one per week, but my goal is at least one. And I fully expect my family members and friends who’ve been bugging me about sharing my thoughts about life and liberty in a more public forum to read what they have wrought. You know who you are.

So this has been the first installment. Next topic:  kittens.