Generally speaking, I'm not a New Year's Resolution type o'gal. When I make them, they tend to be things like light more candles or take more baths or remember to look at the sky more often. Because for the most part, I think New Year's Resolutions are simply good ways to set ourselves up to fail. However! Occasionally, I do make them. And I'm going to have to make one this year. So what is my 2009 New Year's Resolution?
Learn to trust that the man really can pull it off.
See, I'm a planner. On a random Tuesday or arbitrary Saturday, I have no problem with the whole getting-in-the-car-and-seeing-where-we-land thing. In fact, I enjoy it, thrive on it, look forward to it. Worst case scenario, we've had a nice evening drive and at least gotten out of the house. When it's just me, I can be as flexible and spontaneous as anyone you've ever met. More so, I'll wager. But when something is at stake ~ someone's good time, something that has been anticipated, whatever ~ I'm a planner. I know where we're going, what time it starts, when we need to leave, where we're going to park, how much it's going to cost and where we will spend the night once it's all done. I have checked and double-checked the directions. I know what's included and what isn't. If at all possible, I already have tickets. I'm a planner.
Lithus is not.
In the past, Lithus has taken Timber to Florida over New Year's with nothing but a clear credit card in his pocket and return plane tickets home a week later. No itinerary. No rental car reserved. No maps. No plan. No hotel rooms waiting for them. The very thought makes me a little queasy.
For the last several days, I've been asking Lithus if we need anything To Do with Timber over New Year's Eve. If we needed to arrange for something or plan something. His response has been "oh no; it's fine." Which said to me we will just hang out at the house and let it be whatever it is. Yesterday morning, he looks at me and says "I'm thinking we should go into town tonight."
What?
What's the plan? He doesn't have one. Where are the fireworks? He doesn't know. Are there fireworks? He's not sure. Is there anything all three of us can attend? He's sure there's something. What is he thinking about? Eh...driving into downtown, finding parking and ending up somewhere. Maybe there's a street party.
You have to be fucking kidding me.
At 10:45 last night, I went on the record as believing this was going to be a fiasco and a royally big mistake. We were going to end up driving around downtown, away from everything, with an unhappy, disappointed teenager in the backseat and two adults sniping at each other in the front. I was game. I was going. I was even laughing. And I was on the record.
By 11:15, we had found parking (at an incredibly good rate) right around the corner (seriously ~ less than a block, right.around.the corner) from a street party. On the waterfront. Coffees and cocoas were only a dollar. The karaoke and costume contests were free entertainment. It was under a huge tent, away from the rain and wind. At midnight, everyone cheered, a race started and the boats on the river sounded their horns. We decided a food run was in order so got back in the Pobble mobile and headed down the street.
Did he know where the donut shop was from where we are? No. Not really. How about the diner? Oh, definitely not. Was there anything else he knew was open? Honestly, not really. But there would be something.
And there was Denney's. Always open. We walked in and were seated in a booth along the wall immediately. By the time our orders had been taken, the line was out the door. On the way home, we all talked about what a really great evening it had been and what a nice way it was to start the new year.
The man pulls it off. Even when there's something at stake. Even when it's not just us being willing to be random and leave it to chance.
Thus, my 2009 New Year's Resolution. Even if I still need to plan when I'm in charge. Even if the thought of not planning still makes me a little queasy. When he says "Why don't we..." I'm going to swallow hard, smile and...trust.
Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.
7 comments:
Yay! Good for you my dear. Happy New Year.
that's the way sue & i got to england in '67......that's how i found my first apt. in brooklyn and my first real s.m. job and how we found the land where we now live and how we found rielly, balmer & miss b'heaven......planning is a pain.....and highly overrated in my life......grins all around
See I'm a planner too. At least to the point where if I do play it by ear, I have several contingency plans in my head in case one idea falls flat.
Which rarely happens. If you and I were to do like Lithus, we'd fail miserably and Lithus probably wouldn't fare well at planning things out.
Which is probably why that's the way he is because it works for him.
And that's also why he's got you there to balance him out (and vice versa). If something needs planning, he can turn to you.
And if he ever messes up, you can simply give him the biggest "I told you so" grin ever.
LOL.
;D
Me, I'm not a planner. Hopping on a plane to a foreign destination with no hotel room booked -- that's me. But every trip has been memorable & fun, and even when things go a bit sideways, it's all part of the adventure. Some of the best nights I've had were spent sleeping in a train station. :)
If you don't have a plan, then it's impossible for things to not go to plan.
Happy New Year to you, Pobble, and I hope 2009 is full of more spontaneous and surprising joys for you and Lithus and Timber!
A bit to chance is never a bad thing! That and saying thank you take one a long way!
Cheers Dear!
STB
I definitely lean towards the Pobble planning schedule, especially on trips. So, I'm really glad to hear that it came off so well & will have to remember that it can be done. Ha. We'll see if it sticks for me . . .
For you I realize how big a step this was and I am proud of you. I'm not sure I could do the no hotel reservations. Although one of my favorite memories of home was when we all piled in the car one summer with nothing but a few newspaper ads with phone numbers and addresses for a particular instrument that was hard to find that my father wanted. We wandered the New England area for a week with no reservations and managed to find places to stay every time.
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