You say you want a resolution

I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions.

At least I don’t think I have.

There’s always the possibility that I may have, somewhere along the line, made some list of resolutions of the lose weight, find a better job, save more money, write a novel, and start cooking healthy dinners more than one a month year sort.

So, if Someone-Somewhere-Somehow has been recording my every thought, word, or deed over the last six decades, that Someone-Somewhere-Somehow being may be able to prove that this claim is bogus. (By the way, Someone-Somewhere-Somehow, if you do have this recording, please send along the URL or zipfile or whatever. I think I’d like to take a look. Selectively, at least.)

Anyway, there’s always this year,  And this year, I am making a few resolutions.

1. Stop reading comments in online news articles.  Heck, I’ve already violated this one during 2011.  But, now that I’ve made this resolution. – and written it down, even -  I bet I can save 2-4 hours of week, not to mention untold agita, by not reading flame-comments in which it’s all let’s name call and blame the Dumb-ocrats or Re-thug-licans. (Maybe I’ll make an exception for comments where people use their real name, even if it’s a real fake name. Maybe.)
2. Use those 2-4 hours a week to write fiction, which is something I really enjoy, but really haven’t done much of since I started Pink Slip. But I have all kinds of ideas roiling around in my brain, and I lull myself to sleep telling myself stories, so…Even if they go nowhere (and I can almost guarantee that they won’t), I’m going to get back to some fiction writing.
3. Don’t make lists of things to do.  Put the things to do on individual file cards, with details on the small steps involved in each one, and put them in a file.  This is a suggestion from my sister Kath, and it’s an excellent one.  I have the file cards and the file, so what am I waiting for? Now all i need to do is just transpose the endless yellow pad lists – paint downstairs, fix upstairs bathroom door, new light fixtures in the halls, revise will – onto cards and start working my way through them that way.
4. Use the public library.  In some way shape or form (paper or digital) I will always buy and read books. But enough is enough.  I have no place to accumulate books and, as fast as I can pass them off to my sister Kath, she’s on my doorstep with a sack full of new ones. Most of the books I buy and borrow are worth the read. But they’re not worth a re-read, and, even if I had the room to store them, they’d just sit on the shelf, turning yellow and paper-buggish. I know that Kath’s doing more library borrowing these days. I need to follow suit. (Note to self: make a separate file for the books recommended by sisters, cousins, friends, and reviews, and get thee to the BPL.)
5. Do not work with anyone who drive me nuts.  Fortunately, this rarely happens.  Unfortunately, it does happen on occasion. And I know from experience that someone who starts out driving me nuts by providing unclear and perpetually changing directives, offering  contradictory feedback, and over-reacting to the nittiest of nitpicks (just wait’ll I fully write about that one…),  is not likely to improve over time. So, if it happens and when it happens, if the nuts-driving behavior can’t be nipped at first bud, I am out of there.
6. At some point, early in the year, make sure to tell my wonderful clients – and, hey, 99.99% of them absolutely are – how much I enjoy working with them. They provide interesting work, like and trust what I do for them, are fun to work with, and pay on time. Thanks! (Note to self: don’t tell Pink Slip, tell the clients.)
7. Oh, yeah, lose those five pounds already, why don’t you.

Happy New Year!

May 2011 be better than 2010 (won’t take much), but not quite as good as 2012.