Everything and Nothing At All

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

You Say You Want a Resolution

As the New Year fast approaches, chances are that you’re thinking of ways that 2007 can be a winning year - personally, professionally, relationally, rationally, spectacularly…OK, so I started typing words ending in “ly” and got carried away - strike the last two from the record.

If asked about making resolutions, I’d likely immediately reply by condescendingly saying something to the effect of “resolutions are bullshit” (the term “bullshit” BTW is a secret favorite of mine…when I say it, I feel a little politically incorrect and oddly reconnected to my Southern Illinois roots). Despite this reaction, the truth is that I too have fallen victim to the “new year, new start” mentality in years past.

A few years ago I vowed to stop drinking soda - the cocaine of beverages. Surprisingly, I made it 11 months in…and then it happened. While visiting my parents, I relapsed (I‘d venture to guess that family time has resulted in many a relapse from many an addiction ). I thought I’d kicked the habit and had the will power to drink just one soda - but just like an ex chain-smoker bumming a Virginia Slim from a stranger during a drunken night on the town, thinking that the habit could be casual and controlled - I fell down the rabbit hole and have yet to get out of it. When I reflect on my almost-year of soda soberness, I do so with pride and slight disappointment for not having kicked the habit for good. I know I could do it again, but the place that I work has a soda fountain, and frankly I don’t want to quit drinking it…it’s free and delicious.

I tell this story for two reasons (A) to expose my weakness for carbonated beverages and (B) to prove that no matter how hard one tries, it is nearly impossible to keep a New Year’s resolution. Because of this, I no longer make resolutions, instead I safely set goals. You’re likely thinking “she’s just renaming resolution…a goal is the same thing.” Even if that is the case (which I will neither confirm nor deny), is it so wrong?

In the spirit of sharing, some of my *goals* for 2007 are:
  • Get my car detailed - a can of soda (note the irony) exploded all over my back seat and it must be cleaned before my lease ends
  • Run sometimes
  • Learn how to cook something other than pasta, vegetable soup and pretzel crusted chicken
  • Take a rock climbing class at least once
  • Build something (furniture, a house, a time machine…whatever)
  • Exercise regularly (or at least hold my abs in more throughout the day)
  • Read a book a month
  • Fly a kite

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