Why, Hello 2018. You're Looking Good.

Happy New Year, friends!  Considering that I always enjoy turning over a new page on the calendar (so much fresh space! no days scratched out with diagonal hashes yet!), I really love starting an entirely new calendar once we reach the new year.

All of the gluttony from December will be rectified in January, at least theoretically, but if we're being real, I did notice that the drive-thru lane at McDonald's was packed the morning of January 1.  Oddly enough, I admired these people's honesty.  "Resolutions?  Nah.  I'm not even pretending to try."

As for me, I haven't made any resolutions yet.  I haven't picked a "word" to focus on in 2018, either.  Instead, to celebrate an extended winter break, I took my daughters on a 1,300-mile road trip to visit my parents in Florida right after Christmas.  If you think you'd have time for serious reflection about the new year while driving for 23 hours, you obviously haven't traveled with children.  But we arrived safely, even if a bit weary, and my husband flew in a few days later to join us.

On our first day reunited as a family, we hit the beach.  The towel wrapped around my shoulders billowed the exact moment this photo was taken, which obviously solidifies my superhero status.


Since then, the sunny 70-degree Florida temperature has dropped, which means that we wear sweatshirts outside, and the actual Florida residents wonder if the apocalypse is near.  Regardless, the time with my parents and the change of scenery is welcome, and soon enough, we'll make the northern trek back home in time for the school year to resume for the girls and the spring semester to start for us.

Perhaps I'll use some of those 23 hours in the van for reflection and goal setting for 2018.  Or not.  I might just be that arm reaching backwards the entire time to plug in devices and dole out snacks and drinks.  Either will be fine.

In the spirit of the contemplation, though, I'd be remiss if I didn't wrap up 2017 at Robin Kramer Writes in the same fashion that I have each year since I started blogging in 2010: the annual dusting off of favorite posts -- ones that were extra funny, honest, encouraging, or fun to write.

So, without further ado, here are seven really good ones.  Go on, click on them all and enjoy.  Happy New Year!


An Unfortunate Story About a Substitute Teacher, a Third Grade Classroom, and a Hamster

Question? How Do You It All Well?  Answer: I Don't.

Convinced that You're Only Succeeding at Failing? Here's How to Break Free

The Five Stages of Essay-Grading Grief

Making a Mess of This Parenting Thing

A Story of True Love, in 100 or Fewer Words

To the Next Crop of Young Mothers

4 comments

  1. Happy New Year! With temps what they have been the last few days in PA, consider me completely and totally jealous of your Florida trip, even if the temp down there isn't quite as pleasant as normal. I do not envy the drive, however. Lol. Safe travels, and here's to a productive 2018!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I could ship up some of the warmth to you! I'm tickled by how relative temperature is depending on where you're from. Sixty degrees is either "shorts weather" (for a northerner in the middle of winter) or "parka weather" (for a Floridian, pretty much at any time.)

      Happy 2018 to you, as well!

      Delete
  2. Happy New Year friend!

    Look at you living the beach life! Fun!

    It was so cold here over Christmas break- I won't bore you with the stats but brrrrr! The temperatures in Florida are t-shirt and shorts weather here. Oh Canadians... LOL

    Your round-up of posts reminded me that recently I was cleaning up my blog and I saw a comment from you when your blog was Pink Dryer Lint. Wow hey?!

    Wishing you all the best in the coming year.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jennifer, Happy New Year to you, as well! I'm putting on an extra jacket, scarf, and gloves in your honor, my cold-weather neighbor to the north!

      I love that you found a relic comment from PDL -- how fun!

      Delete

Back to Top