‘New Year’s’ Resolutions

I’m putting pencil to paper, making plans to have a better me by this time next year. While Main Street America is slimming down and heading to the gym (at least they were two weeks ago) to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions, my thoughts are elsewhere. With calving just around the corner, our annual diet of “too busy to eat and too tired to care” will soon arrive. Plus, long handles and coveralls are in style in northeast Wyoming this time of year so we have until May to address that weight loss item on our “to do” list.
    As for my 2012 goals, now that it’s Jan. 19, 2012…..
    1. Stop procrastinating.
    2. Do things on time.
    3. Editor’s Note from Christy: Submit your column on time (Editors, they think they can change everything, even your New Year’s Resolutions!)
    4. Cow records, cow records! This step will first require that I work through my negative feelings about spreadsheets.
    5. Spend more quality time with Chris and the kids, experiencing the kind of family bonding one can only enjoy while cleaning the barn, plowing snow and working cows.
    6. Let the kids drive more, transitioning the conversation from, “Chris, I’m stuck again,” to “Dad, I got the pickup stuck.” Around here this winter, at least so far, you’d have to get pretty creative to get anything stuck.
    7. Organize the shop. This is Chris’ favorite item and he loves it when I join him in the shop and point out, “We need to clean this place up. Wait here while I go get my label maker.” His next move is always toward really busy or really hard to find.
    8. Ride my horse more and the office chair less!
    9. Get our kids more involved in 4-H and the many opportunities it provides young people. Joshua is still a year away from becoming a full-fledged 4-H member, but the older kids in their club decided he needed an office anyway. As chairman of the calling committee it’s his job to call the members and remind them about upcoming meetings. Chris and I will be adding minutes to our phone plan in preparation for the week our little talker will now be spending on the phone each month.
    January is the perfect month to review your goals, both personal and ranch-related. Without a clear map of where we’d like to be both personally and business wise, it’s hard to chart the steps that will take us there. As earlier sunsets and colder weather force us to spend a little more time indoors, it’s the perfect time to give some thought to where you’re heading, where your ranch is going and the goals you have in mind for your family in the year ahead.
    Jennifer Vineyard Womack is executive director of the Wyoming FFA Foundation and a freelance writer. She can be reached at Womack@Wyoming.com or at 307-351-0730.