My resolutions for 2009

#1 INVITE INTERESTING PEOPLE FOR DINNER ONCE A MONTH

My husband loves to cook; we have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, we love to entertain…so why do we do it so infrequently? Partially responsible, I think, is the ingrained idea that it must be a “party”, therefore everything must be planned far in advance and the menu must be for “company.”

We’ve decided to mix it up for 2009: invite 10-12 folks: some we know well, some we’d like to know better, some that just intrigue us…then design an uncomplicated but tasty menu. It must be able to be prepared in advance; require little assembly or prep during dinner, and allow Bernard to enjoy the people he’s cooking for. We’ll keep the drinks simple: keep a couple of cases of our favorite red and white wines and sparkling water on the back porch, and open as needed. Voila! Our first event will be January 17. If you’d like to be included, just email me!

#2: LISTEN TO MORE LIVE MUSIC

Why do we make easy stuff so complicated? It’s a curious thing…we tend to deny ourselves some of the simplest activities that make us happy. I think that it’s related to the concept of over-planning and perceived complexity in #1. Seeing good live music shouldn’t require months of planning and arranging...if you like it, you should just do it. This point was brought home to me in LA last month: we checked out the Jazz Bakery, where The Clayton Brothers were playing: I’d never heard of them, but was game. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences: while the group boasts decades of experience with a who’s who of the jazz world, this was their first local gig. The audience was filled with family members and friends, and dozens of fellow musicians; it was like a private concert, and we were privileged to be among the few to hear it. And, we hadn’t planned this weeks in advance, we just took a chance.

#3: WRITE A MINIMUM OF ONE HOUR PER DAY

See #2. Again, I’ve got a tendency to stop doing the things I love. Don’t. I love writing. Just write. Make it a habit. And erase some of the bad habits that I’ve developed over the years writing for the business (those habits are actually considered strengths in business however). So write one hour per day, doesn’t matter about what, doesn’t matter where. It does matter that I turn off internet access though.