New Year’s resolutions: Franklin County style

Another year is upon us, and you know what that means – it’s time to set a few New Year’s resolutions.

Actually, it seems plenty of people eschew the whole idea of the New Year’s resolution, and for the life of mean I can’t understand why. After all, a resolution is just “a thing I want to accomplish” whether that’s some overarching habit or a one-and-done goal. Surely we all have things we want to accomplish in 2019, and how can we accomplish those goals without spending at least a little time thinking about what they are and what it will take to achieve them?

Like most folks, I have any number of personal goals – lose the weight, save the money, blah blah blah. But this year I am creating a special list of resolutions: goals to accomplish in Franklin County.

A popular podcaster and author Gretchen Rubin conducted an “18 for 2018” project, in which she accomplished 18 goals this year. In the same vein, I have selected 19 goals for my 2019 in Franklin County. In no particular order:

1. Have dinner at Doe’s Eat Place. I can’t believe I haven’t been there yet.
2. Watch a show performed by the Bay Tree Council. Every time we print a story about the BTCPA, I am reminded of my love for theatre. BTCPA shows are full of humor and remarkably affordable for the caliber of talent, so you’ll find me in at least one audience this year.
3. Go boating on the Bear Creek Lakes. I don’t own a boat or know anyone who does, so I don’t have the details on how this is going to happen. If you go boating on our local waterways, I would love an invitation.
4. Support one or more of Franklin County’s many non-profit efforts. Our communities are always planning a sale, a collection, a 5K or some other charitable benefit. I’m going to do my part.
5. Hike through Dismals Canyon and take the Dismalites tour. Hiking I’ve done, but I’ve yet to see the famous glowworms. I won’t let another year pass by without doing so.
6. Watch the fireworks over Sloss Lake. Russellville’s Fourth of July Jam never disappoints.
7. Visit our local libraries. I’m going to read more in 2019, and Russellville Public Library and the Weatherford library are going to help me do it.
8. Catch a monthly Rockin’ at the Roxy. You know, I’ve heard the Kerry Gilbert Band perform numerous times, but always as a community journalist – never as just a lover of good music. I’m about to change that.
9. Go walking at City Lake Park. This is always a pleasant activity.
10. Eat a picnic lunch at Sloss Lake. Sloss Lake is one of my favorite places to disappear to on a lunch break. Car parked under a tree, windows rolled down, the breeze rolls through and gentle waves lap against the shoreline – but for the nearby highway traffic, it’s perfectly peaceful.
11. Attend our community festivals. From Sprue Pine Day to the Hoedown, from Founders Fest to the Watermelon Festival – plus July Fest and the Spirit of Hodges Festival – there are community festivals to look forward to nearly all year long.
12. Wear a costume and attend the Chamber of Commerce’s Trunks of Treats in downtown Russellville. This is another event I’ve been privileged to cover but never just attend. Though I might still have a camera slung around my neck, this is the year I’m going to go in style.
13. Tour the Red Bay Museum. Oh, I’ve done this before, but it’s an experience worth repeating.
14. Have lunch at Fourth Street Grill. Do I need a reason?
15. Spend a night at Hotel Red Bay. My husband and I are tightening up our budget this year, so I can’t actually be confident this one will happen, but it’s certainly a goal. I haven’t set foot in the hotel since its grand reopening, and I’m dying to.
16. Attend a Chamber Easter egg. I don’t have a photo with the Easter bunny.
17. Shop local. I’m not going to set a number of stores or a number of dollars or any other sort of benchmark. I just want to intentionally choose our local businesses when it comes to gifts or other purchases.
18. Spend a quiet afternoon at Cypress Cove– maybe eating my lunch from Fourth Street Grill or reading one of those library books, or maybe just sitting in blissful silence. It’s a wonderful place to be alone with your thoughts.
19. Purchase some produce at our county farmers markets. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Well there you have it – my FC 19 for 2019. I know there are plenty more places I could plan to visit or events I could commit to attending, but this ought to do for a start.

Maybe you have some Franklin County resolutions, too. What will you accomplish in 2019? Send me your thoughts at alison.james@fct.wpengine.com.