I’m really impressed by people who use January 1 to dive headfirst into “New Year, New You” lifestyle improvements, because I’m more of a “whoops, there goes the starting pistol and here’s me without my bathing cap” kind of girl. It’s not that I don’t have good intentions; it’s just that there’s a weird phenomenon that occurs where every calendar I’ve ever owned flips from December 31 to February 1 faster than I can say, “Time to put together a vision board and dust off my favorite legwarmers.” Therefore, I’d like to put out a request to the universe (or the state government) for a few additional holidays in January in order to slow things down a bit:
January 3: You Did It, Now Take a Break Day
I don’t know about you, but I crammed a lot of happiness into November and December. It took so much effort (super-awesome fun effort, don’t get me wrong) to get through the holidays that Kyle had to wake me up on the couch to watch the ball drop at midnight. On January 1, we drove to Devils Lake for a hockey game, watched said hockey game, and quickly packed up and drove home so we could get the kids showered and into bed with enough time to prepare for their return to school (and our return to work) the next day. Then January 2 was all about getting back into the swing of things – clearing out emails, setting up meetings, wearing real pants, and other important things.
However, I noticed that once the initial adrenaline of “back-at-it-ness” wore off, many of my fellow humans seemed to struggle, like me, to rev up the ol’ engines on January 3. This is because our poor brains spent 30+ days working overtime to answer questions such as, “How many cookies have I eaten?” and “Did I get a gift for the mailman?” and “If the radar says that a winter storm will start to build in Colorado and move East at roughly 30mph, will Kyle need to snowblow before we leave to Devils Lake?” So, I propose a day where we give our noodles the chance to once again process compound sentences. We would celebrate this holiday with a nap.
The Second Thursday in January: Take Down The (Inside – Outside Twinkle Lights Should Be Left Up Forever, So Sayeth I) Holiday Decorations Day
Something happens right after the New Year in which everything inside your house goes from magical and wonderful to exhausting and a mess. At our house, our six-year-old woke up one morning in early January and demanded that we take down the decorations THAT NIGHT. Then, when I wasn’t packing things up fast enough later THAT NIGHT, he systematically went around pulling everything together and dumping it in the living room.
Now, I could have just picked up that pile of glitter and ribbon bows and stuck it in a plastic bin (garbage or otherwise), but I felt Marie Kondo pressure to package it up neatly and then put out some other decorations after the house felt cold and boring when everything was away. Anyways, it took me a full day to get that done, so I think that it should be a holiday.
The Third Wednesday in January: As a Reminder, You’re Good at Stuff
Kyle took our ten-year-old to the UND hockey game on Saturday, and so Six and I decided to have a date and were brainstorming things to do.
“We could go bowling?” I suggested.
“Do you know how to bowl?” Ten asked, VERY incredulously.
His incredulity came from the fact that I do not look like the type of person who knows how to bowl. I actually look like someone who could be used in a comedic video about granny tosses and slippery shoes and gutterballs.
However – I do, in fact, know how to bowl. I learned how to bowl in gym class. Somehow, someway, someone convinced another person to allow Grand Forks Central High School students to trek over to the Uptown Lanes (and Bar) for a half-semester’s worth of classes. The Uptown, located in the historic Opera House, was a bowling alley (inside a bar) that was so well-loved that the lanes had permanent grooves down their centers. Not only did I learn to keep score, I also bowled a 250 thanks to those grooves.
Anyways, there’s a zero-percent chance that I can bowl even close to a 150 anymore (or ever, without those grooves); but the fact is that I have a skill that I had completely forgotten about and never developed, and so I would suggest a holiday to help us all remember and utilize all of our skills.
January 31: Tomorrow is February Day
By the end of January, I’m starting to feel guilty about not moving forward any of my resolutions and goals. I need one day to work out and send all of those thank you letters I’ve told myself I’d write and mail “soon.” We could actually call it “Tomorrow is February, Do Something and Congratulate Yourself About It Day,” because I personally like to exercise/write thank you notes for 30 minutes and then spend an hour applauding my efforts and another hour shopping for athleisure outfits and stationery. It’s a lot of work.
Turns out I never took a photo at the Uptown (shame) so instead the picture above is of me on a walk – which has nothing to do with anything but I wanted you all to think I’m outdoorsy.
This week’s news has teddy bears, macarons, and children’s stories. Read on.
The Grand Forks KnightRiders girls hockey team took to the ice to raise $21,000 for Altru’s cancer patients and their families. (Grand Forks Herald)
Minot Minotauros fans tossed nearly 1,000 bears to be used to comfort children through the Minot Police Department. (KFYR TV)
The Richland-Wilkin Christmas cantata donated $7,000 to the R-W Food Backpack program. (Wahpeton Daily News)
When Minot’s Molly Haffner got into her first car accident, a stranger named Cameon Eisenzimmer hung out with her until emergency services arrived. (KX Net)
Watford City’s Jessie Veeder has written a children’s book entitled, “Prairie Princess,” and is traveling the state to bring music and reading to area libraries. (KX Net)
While East Grand Forks’ Aspen Moreland doesn’t technically live in North Dakota, this 17-year-old provides baked goods to Grand Forks restaurants in order to (in part) raise money for children with cancer. (Grand Forks Herald)
Two North Dakotans are getting married. (KX Net)
Prairie Public is holding a storytelling contest for kids in Kindergarten through third grade. (Devils Lake Journal)
Larry Schumacker of Bismarck has taken to growing lettuce year-round in order to supply grocery stores and the food bank with fresh produce. (KFYR TV)
North Dakota Nice 