When the New
Year rolls around, as it just did, conversation often turns to the question of
New Year’s resolutions. What New Year’s resolutions are you making and how long
do you think you will stick to them? The
idea, in essence, makes a lot of sense; we just passed through a time of
introspection and reflection on the year that was, as Christmas and whatever
holiday you celebrate blew in through your front door and out the back. Then again maybe not, everyone celebrates the holidays in their own way and some folks are
just happy to see the previous year in the rear view mirror as we look to a
fresh start.
New Year’s resolutions
have been around since ancient times and are recorded as far back as the
Babylonians and the Romans. The Romans moved the practice from March back to
January, apparently as an offering to the God Janus, where we get the name for
the month of January. This god had two
heads looking in opposite directions, one looking at the year ahead, the other head
peering back at the year behind. No
doubt Saturday nights in the land of the gods must have been difficult; when
you have two heads wanting to go in opposite directions deciding which party
they were going to run off to probably ended in a tug of war. As you can see in
the pic above he has his party jug at hand. I bet he walked sideways a lot.
The beginning
of a new year is similar to the experience of driving a stretch through a winding
road only to finally come around a blind curve that opens into a long straightway.
That straight stretch of road appears to have no end as it touches the horizon
in the distance, though we know perception lies a lot and that straightaway may
contain a dip we don’t see and a turn or three as we keep on truckin’. Maybe
that’s where New Year’s resolutions come in to the picture; either way we get
to see where the road leads.
As we drive,
those resolutions can become navigational aids or convenient clubs left by the
side of the road to pick up and beat ourselves over the head with when we feel
the need. The old standby resolutions such as eating better, losing weight, getting more
exercise, quitting smoking or drinking have
the potential to lend themselves to frequent stops to grab a club. From this seat
I see those as year round sort of resolutions; whether it’s January, May or
October I can always start my year over. I kind of consider offering the old standbys as
my New Year’s resolutions as being kind of lazy on my part; most of those pop
up all year long for me anyway, so I know I am and will continue to be a work in progress.
My resolutions
tend to be a little outside the norm and I fully claim the right to make new
ones at any time of the year. Last year in March I had to make a late resolution to not wear my
shirt to work inside out. Apparently I threw on my polo shirt inside out one
morning and didn’t notice until someone asked me why I had a tag on the outside
of my shirt halfway through the day. I didn't bother switching it around at that point, why argue with success?
A brief side rant
here: Why do we call polo shirts polo shirts? I remember when these types of
shirts started showing up everywhere during the 80’s we called them golf
shirts, because golfers seemed to be the only ones wearing them. There is a lot more people that play golf
anyway. Who the hell knows anyone that plays polo? Seriously, full contact croquet on horseback with
a soccer goal and we name a shirt for that? No, nah, nah, nah no, false. Okay, end rant
now where was I? Ah, resolutions for a new year and the right to change them,
or not.
I’ve decided
to keep the not wearing my shirt inside out to work resolution, and will apply
that to all apparel with tags, though my wife and I disagree on one item. I say
underwear doesn’t count because no one sees it, she disagrees; the eternal
debate rolls on.
Another resolution I am going to stick with this
year is to try some type of food I have never eaten. A few months ago I ate guacamole
for the first time. To me it is the most disgusting looking stuff; I thought it
looked more like lizard puree than something edible. As far as I’m concerned it
still is horrible looking stuff, though now I can say it tastes good. Live and
learn I guess, though I do reserve the right to not eat cottage cheese again. Ever.
Another resolution
I’ve made for this year is a kind of two in one. I decided at least a couple
times a month to wear different colored socks to work. That idea will test my
creativity with a collection of socks that are either black, grey, or brown, which
leads to part two. I resolve to purge my sock drawer of all my Pete Maravich
socks. You know the ones I’m talking about; the ones with the elastic that is
shot so they just puddle around your ankles. Hmm, I guess there is a part
three here too. I suppose I’ll also have to rid my sock drawer of all the socks I’ve
sharpened my toenails on for so long I can read the newspaper through the toe.
I resolve to
make more lists this year to give myself a visual reminder to not forget to do
the stuff I keep forgetting to do. I think I will do them in pencil, because those
trusty old pencils need some love too. I think I have a sharpener stashed in my office supplies box, its probably hidden under the box of staples I bought 5 years ago. This list idea is done under the guise of
having my office be more organized. Now if I can keep the top of my desk a little
more clutter free I might be able to find said list.
My resolution
for this weekend is to put all the Christmas stuff back in the shed and fill
the recycle bin with the boxes left over from Christmas shipping. The cats will
lose their playhouse, though they have more than enough toys around here to
keep them amused; especially the hair ties from the two-legged in the house.
My wish for
your New Year is one of good health and much success. Hopefully you will all
find the time to find a good spot to watch the sun rise or set, take in the
glow of a full moon with someone you care about, find some flowers to get a
good whiff of and just basically be
happy. I say this to you and also to myself. We have a new year to mold, enjoy it and
fill with new memories. Here's to making it a good one.
