Tickles and Twinges That Tantalize

By Mary E. Adair

Nope.

This is not an article about sexual prowess, nor a manual for the bedtime inept.

It is, in fact, a reminiscing of Resolutions Past. Some of those prior promises actually haunt me to this day, urging me to try again this year, and at least one, that I'll stop procrastinating, is at the top of this year's list.

It still gives me a twinge to think about the avid resolutions to rid myself of advoirpois excessiveness. I think that is twinge number eleven, right after the twinge number ten to exercise daily for at least an hour. Although we are reminded that every bit of exercise we get throughout the day still counts, and that parking at the back of the grocery store lot gives you the opportunity to raise your heartrate, as you pound the pavement to the entrance - not to mention the exhiliration of dodging the traffic to and from your car's isolated position, or the heigthened awareness one receives when listening for footsteps behind one if it turned dark while one was choosing between necessities and desires before ever reaching the checkout lane. No matter how long I wait to get to that register and financial-ruin area, 'someone' with eight baskets steps ahead of me at the last minute. Now that is where one can work in some isometrics...squeezing and releasing the fists, and buttocks, and in extreme instances, pressing ones knees tightly resulting in a painful stance while gazing wistfully toward the unisex restroom site. Talk about awareness.

And then there are the Tickles: having gained a skill or produced a desired result due to keeping certain resolutions. These certainly stand out in one's memory as they are fewer in number and farther apart chronologically than the Twinges. The year I was to start learning to type, I vowed to be the best typist in the class. (I only attained the honor of fifth best... and yes, there were more than five in the class.) However, with the freshness of New Year resolutions, as I began that semester, I discussed with the teacher in charge of schedules, what period the typing room would not be in use for teaching so that I could switch to there for my study period. That proved to be a boon, for I was able to type assignments, except math, and when homework was done, to practice my typing. What could give one better practice than typing up all one's favorite poems from the checked-out library book? I still have those pages - remember, I'm a Taurus - and though there are typo's here and there, that was a great way to build my speed and accuracy in the days of manual Royals instead of computer keyboards. It also gave me a better feel for meter in poetry, and was a valuable aid in getting my own compositions written, both stories and poems.

Another Tickle is the memory of promising to be more outgoing. Having been painfully shy inwardly, when I entered my second marriage, and started a second family, I worked on that resolution diligently. Through the years, what I learned then, has helped me into more leadership positions than I ever dreamed was possible. I have served in both volunteer and paid positions in the role of arbiter and guide, including one school year when I was president of the PTA. In western Texas where I reside, that in itself can be a battlezone, but our administration came out of the experience with accolades.

All in all, not only am I still benefitting from that resolution, but so are others. When I enter a room, I look around to see that everyone is participating pleasantly, and if there are those who seem isolated or shy, I make a point of trying to put them at ease. Remembering how scared and out of place I used to feel, makes me want eliminate the possibility of others feeling like that. The bonus is that I've made some wonderful friends that way. I find myself doing the same in online chat rooms, and though there are still some new people who just find it difficult to respond, in my own opinion, everyone should be invited to add to the comments. If me being outgoing, helps others to feel welcome, then that has been a worthwhile and productive resolution...a real 'tickle.'

Then my mind turns to another Twinge, and another, and another. There is even one that induces chills to run up and down my spine as the knee literally twinges when I reach a certain inclination point in movement - from the resolution to be the top bowler on the team our AMEA Publication (HOBBIE$, ETC.) sponsored. Not only did I overdo on bowling and practice, but an extravagant and innovative approach to the lane resulted one evening in the knee landing first, aproximately where my toe should have stopped sliding, in what was intended to have been an elegantly flashy style.

It is clear that Resolutions are hard to keep and make work out, but I still believe it is worth while to give ourselves a pep talk, make those plans, start something constructive, finish something that's been hanging fire, go to that far away place, do those special things one has been putting off because it seemed self-centered, clean out the closets, actually discard at least one thing this year!

Wow! Enough of that. I'm tired already just thinking about all I would accomplish if I kept my resolutions. I'll get them down on paper.

Tomorrow...