So one vibrant morning round 9, daylight streaming by way of her mini-blinds, your ol’ pal Jean rolled away from bed (actually!), slurped a mug of piping sizzling cocoa, and chowed down on the final of the two-day-old day-old cinnamon rolls, took a pleasant sizzling bathe, and logged on to her sorta trusty PC. The monitor learn Tuesday, June 17, 2025. At first, I believed nothing of it. However solely as a result of it took a second to sink in. June 17, 2025?!!? My coronary heart almost sprang up my throat and plopped onto the keyboard! Was my laptop telling me that MORE THAN FIVE WHOLE YEARS had handed since I formally declared the 2020s the Decade of Jean? Holy frijoles, the place did the time go?
Granted, the last decade didn’t begin out nicely, with that entire Covid factor. However even when we cancel out the primary couple years, that also leaves us with three years I can barely account for. Don’t ask me what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks I used to be doing for many of it! I largely recollect a blur of working at ¡Basura Fabuloso! (my pal Fulgencio’s sales space on the indoor flea market), driving to the indoor flea market, driving away from the flea market, Hallmark Channel films, getting little items of fur on my lips from kissing my kitties, the style of chocolate (natch!), and small glimpses of Hubby Rick when he wasn’t away working or getting bombed at Cheesy’s Tavern. And people cabbage-like vegetation that beautify the median islands within the car parking zone of the Hy-Vee. Don’t ask me why they’re caught in my reminiscence banks, they only are!
Three virtually unaccountable years whooshing by can actually get one in a panic for those who had stuff you hoped to perform. So to keep away from fixating on that, I’m going to make use of that soiled phrase—modifying!—on my listing of targets I needed to realize in the course of the Teasdale Twenties. (By the best way, for brevity’s sake, I’m not going to go over why I used to be impressed to call the whole 2020s after myself. I detailed all of it in my January 2020 column, and I’m certain you Jeanketeers can simply recollect it—if not, you’ll be able to at all times seek the advice of your Jean scrapbooks!)
Okay, in order I’m going by way of my handwritten listing (which took me perpetually to dig up), I feel it might be clever to simply reduce out the aim to get my first automobile that wasn’t used. Vehicles are waaaaay costly now, and I feel I’d need to work greater than half a century promoting largely empty classic Avon lip-gloss pins to cowl the down cost alone. Plus, I don’t get these electrical automobiles. I simply don’t. I might in all probability electrocute myself attempting to gasoline it up with electrical energy. Or absent-mindedly depart the cost socket open and spill electrical energy on the bottom and electrocute another person and get sued to smithereens.
No sir, it’s nonetheless me and my limping ol’ Dodge Neon, till it lastly conks out, or I do!
And getting a tattoo will be safely crossed off the listing. I do know, I do know, you in all probability suppose I’m being a stick-in-the-mud. Individuals have been getting tattoos for years now, it’s no biggie, it’s not such as you make investments all this deep thought into it anymore—in reality, it’s in all probability greatest that you just don’t! However there are such a lot of I need to get that I weary myself even occupied with it. A pair of disembodied crossed cartoon eyes? Angel Patrick Swayze gesturing at a pottery wheel with a come-hither look on his face? And certain, teddy bear, goes with out saying. However what number of? And the place? You see the place that is going. Nope, I would like extra time to determine.
And as I’m going by way of my listing, I notice a few of my targets merely aren’t what I need anymore, or they replicate the occasions during which they had been written relatively than at this time’s wants and priorities. Carrying garments that button once more? Nah, accomplished with these. Getting my eyebrows professionally widened? Greatest depart that one in 2020, Jean. Making extra buddies? Sheesh, who even does that anymore?
As for my aim to jazz up our condominium’s partitions, let’s simply say these landlord-mandated, nail-substitute adhesive strips don’t work. Forty bucks down the drain! ’Nuff stated! Depend that one lifeless on arrival! Cross it off with a super-thick Sharpie!
Plus—to not shock you, however you’d higher maintain on to your fannies!—I’ve already achieved considered one of my greatest targets! Getting a promotion? BIG FAT CHECKAROO! Yep, you’re none apart from the assistant supervisor of ¡Basura Fabuloso! It’s been just a few weeks since I simply requested Fulgencio if I may name myself that, and earlier than I may clarify why, he stated, “Positive, lady, name your self no matter you need.” I used to be tremendous touched that Fulgencio put a lot belief in me! I even had enterprise playing cards made. The promotion didn’t include a increase, so far as I can inform, however who cares? It’s an enormous burden off my thoughts to have this aim scored and within the report books!
With these targets out of the best way, that leaves each day meditation with out falling asleep and at last mending that pile of leggings and sweatpants with blown crotches. Yipes. Okay, perhaps I used to be overambitious with the Decade of Jean factor. (If I had merely made considered one of my targets “Reject ambition,” my listing would have been a lot, a lot simpler to perform!) Moreover, there’s nothing that claims I can’t make the 2030s the “Decade of the Nice Comeback of Jean”! In spite of everything, I’ve over 4 entire years to relaxation up for it!
