My life. . . streamlined

I pretty much balk at the idea of New Year's Resolutions, always have. This year, however, I just had too many things bugging me (I know, me, bugged, who would have guessed) to NOT make some changes. I'm not saying I got all official and laminated a list or anything. It's all floating around in my noggin, and there it will stay. One thing I will say is that I'm trying to simplify in many ways. In that spirit of thrift I thought of the Strunk and White mantra "omit needless words". Taking those words totally out of context I wandered very stream-of-consciousness-like to thinking about how much time I waste in the copious amounts of text floating around the web. Then, for a fraction of a second I considered checking out of the blog-o-sphere altogether and imagined HOW much time I would have to do. . . well, anything else. Good thing I didn't entertain that idea for long; because if there's one thing I learned from the very first journal I ever kept, it's that writing is cleansing. Doesn't matter if I'm babbling (kind of like now) to myself and breaking every language usage rule there is. It clears my head, period. So, with THAT explanation out of the way I thought I'd share with you a few of the other streamlining ideas I rejected.
I was thinking. . .

• hairless cat? (and shave the dogs, and the kids for that matter)
• make the kids' socks out of swiffer sheets? (if only I could really sew)
• throw kids' dirty clothes in the tub with them?
• read kids whatever book I'm reading to myself?
• don't sleep?
• stop wearing makeup?
• use paper plates?
• maid? (was sure that one was a keeper. . .)
• feed the kids cereal for every meal?
• move the chickens to the basement? (saving in SO many ways there)
• leave hay barn open so horses can help themselves?
• stop answering the phone?
• don't exercise. . .or work. . .or shop?
• toilet train cat and leave dogs outside?
• boarding school?

I could go on all night, but that would be wasting valuable time.