Enough organization, enough lists and we think we can control the uncontrollable

So here goes, the new Bee for 2009. As a rule I hate New Year's Resolutions - and almost never stick to them - but what the hey, here are mine...

1. No alcohol for the whole of January. For me, it's a biggie. I was drinking an obscene amount last year - at five foot three, you can't really justify a whole bottle of wine every evening before your husband even gets home from work. And there's only so many times he will accept overcooked pasta for dinner, or accept that the reason you're slurring your words is that you're tired.

2. Stay in touch with old friends. I'm rubbish at it. Sometimes, I think that maybe I'm just a monster - I don't need other people like most people seem to, and I'm perfectly happy on my own. Other times, I just wish there was someone I could have a chat with. The odd thing is that even in the midst of that loneliness, I would still refuse to pick up the phone when friends rang. Or when my mum rang. Or when anyone rang, really, I just couldn't be bothered. Hardly anyone rings any more, but I am sure I can change. And one of the ways I'm going to do that is...

3. Be open to new things. Probably the cheesiest cliché on my list. But as well as ignoring old friends, I have been hiding from new ones. I used to be part of a huge gang - now I rarely go out. When colleagues suggest beers I make excuses, preferring to go home and drink wine in front of the television. When we're invited out for dinners, or away for weekends, I feign sickness to avoid going. I never used to be shy, and I want to do something about it before I become a total hermit, my husband leaves me and I end up in a smelly flat with six cats and a bottle of whisky for company. It can't be hard. I just have to start saying yes.

And finally...

4. Stop living in a pig sty. About six months ago, Luke (my husband) and I moved house. We moved from a tiny shoe box to an enormous palace that we can't really afford, but Lu was determined that it would improve our quality of life and make us happier. Unfortunately, until this weekend, it has only made me feel guilty. Boxes still waiting to be unpacked, washing up lying in the sink for weeks on end, newspapers, cds and clothes creating a new landscape everywhere you looked. It was so bad I couldn't face doing anything about it. But this weekend...I have turned a corner. The kitchen gleams. Almost all the clothes are washed, and the floors are hoovered. I am a veritable domestic goddess. I hope it lasts...