In one hour I will be one year older. Because my birthday is one month after Jan 1, I typically use it as the start date for any resolutions for the New Year. In Miami, the month between thanksgiving and New Year is swamped and there’s no time to think, much less script a manifesto for the coming year. So here I sit, 11:00pm, thinking about the year ahead and reflecting on the year that’s past. There were challenges – helping my kid adjust to a new city proved to be more difficult than I could’ve imagined, to the point where I had to really consider if my 46 year old body could handle giving her a sibling just to take the edge off (it can’t). Speaking of said 46-year-old body, it’s really ramping up for perimenopause and it’s not cute. On the plus side, we had amazing travel adventures – Argentina, Brazil, Jamaica, Martha’s Vineyard, and the regulars, New York and DC. And Hamilton! We saw Hamilton!! And went backstage!! A big shout out to our Hamilton angel for that, she knows who she is.

Give Peace a Chance

Of all the important things to strive for in 2017, the tops are kindness, gratitude and giving. The Orange Monster has Fucked. Us. Up. For real for real. We are all angry and anxious. We all have fuses short as Verne and expect everyone is looking for a fight. I have seen the way being unkind affects people up close and personal. I’ve seen my kid miserable because of mean girls in first grade. First! I watched a woman rip into an old man at the airport for accidentally bumping into her (full disclosure I then ripped into her but that was out of kindness for the old guy). I’ve watched so many people unfriend and be unfriended because of opposing views that led to nasty battles. Every day there are examples of the world being an unkind place, but we really have to search to see kindness. So it’s important for us to create it, no matter how small the action.

I’m hoping a daily meditation will help quell much of the simmering rage I feel inside, and while I’m working on that I’ll follow the advice of Aaron Burr – Talk less, smile more.

I am also planning to start a monthly day of service for my kid and other families, for two reasons: First, the kid is spoiled. Straight up. And she needs to learn we don’t get without giving and the world is bigger than her. Secondly, she needs to interact with other families of color. And by color I mean black (or brown). She goes to a private school in this majority Latino city, and interaction with our people ain’t always easy. I thought about joining the big black organization which I shall not name but just don’t think I can do it, so I’ll get my own posse together.

“I wanna see some Asses jiggling…”

Yeah, I really don’t think Morris Day was referring to this kind of jiggle in Purple Rain. And while I wouldn’t turn down Appolonia’s body right now, I do unfortunately live in the real world – well sort of, this is Miami after all.

So on that front, I’ll settle for this: Take my vitamins daily, wash and properly moisturize morning and night; exercise 5 days a week, meditate daily (important for everything!), eat an apple every day and have more veg than meat or carbs on every plate. Considering I already exercise close to that, remember my vitamins most days and meditate at least 3 times a week these seemed like hell yeah, I can do this!

“Can I get one rib?”

Or one goal. I do not feel it so difficult to set one fulfilling goal, ONE, that I can accomplish this year. The problem is one I’m sure somebody is familiar with: I have had more goals than Renaldo and Messi combined, but accomplishment is something I’m still seeking. So, to not make that one goal so daunting, I’ll try to break it into mini goals. Now since I don’t know what this one goal is yet, one mini goal is to think of 5 to explore this month and narrow it down by March 1.

I think the number one thing I’d like to say when I look back on 2017 is “what a great year. My heart is full my soul is satisfied. My kid and my husband are happy. My dog is still alive.” And maybe, just maybe, Morris Day will be singing to me after all.