Dear Unpackers,
Emily here. As one of my dear colleagues said to me the other day, “It IS the New Year.” We know we’re off to a challenging start, but we do have the benefit of a fresh page. Hope you are holding up okay as Omicron, climate change, and child-care, elder-care, self-care, all-the-care gymnastics rage on.
A few weeks ago, Carrie brought up the topic of New Year’s resolutions. I’ve spent some time thinking … and now present my official list (with Carrie’s live reactions).
Read more. I recently read and would recommend The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (s/o Sarah) and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Onto Crying in H Mart.
Carrie: Also, because who doesn’t love a top-10 list: Our Favorite Books of 2021 - Outside Online
Participate in Dry January: First time trying this! Anyone else?
Carrie: Time to get into kombucha!
Learn how to parallel park: It’s time.
Carrie: PAST time. Haha, kinda kidding.
Write more Yelp reviews: I’ve been freeloading for TOO LONG!
Carrie: This is an honorable acknowledgment.
Develop and employ better decision-making around which dishes need to “soak” and which can go straight into the dishwasher.
Carrie: I feel like there’s a story here.
Stop saying I like scary movies if I don’t actually watch scary movies that much anymore because now they give me anxiety. This one comes with thanks to my sister, Anne, for the astute observation.
Carrie: Also, maybe a broader lesson re: allowing ourselves to evolve and change? Reminds me of this new book that just came across my radar.
Inspire more people to fall in love with my dog, Hazel. She has a strong following so far, but I think we could set our sights higher.
Carrie: I envision paid posts within Unpacking, focusing on Hazel’s amazing fetching abilities.
Learn how to garden so I can be useful after the apocalypse.
Carrie: EMILY! My heart!
Rise up with fellow Unpackers to create and sustain a new, egalitarian, dog-friendly commune-style society within a climate-controlled dome.
Carrie: Have you been watching that movie “Don’t Look Up” maybe?
Floss more.
Carrie: HUGE proponent of flossing as a go-to procrastination technique; it creates almost the opposite effect of drinking coffee.
I look forward to you, readers, holding me accountable.
Friends, what are your resolutions? We want to hear, from the mundane to the zany, and everything in between!
See you next time,
Carrie & Emily
Hazel needs her own instagram account! :)