2010: Moving on?

Happy New Year and all, y'all. Hope it's been a good one for you. Since we've past into a new year, I thought I'd talk about a topic we'll be hearing about for a next couple of weeks: resolutions.

I have always felt sad for people who did not view making a New Year's resolution as a positive thing, or mocked those who did it. I'd like to think of myself of as a defender of the resolution and an observer of the tradition. My most successful resolution was the year that I said I wouldn't eat any red meat. And I did that very thing for nearly three years. The only exception having bacon; I couldn't turn my back on bacon. Still can't. Which probably explains my very large back. Anywho, I think my point is that making a resolution isn't always an exercise in futility.

The only time I find resolutions irritating is when it comes to the gym. In my experience, from now until the end of the month, the gym will be filled with fatties sweating it out, clogging up machines. It will peter out in the following months until British Summer Time (daylight savings time) comes, and then people get a clue and quit. It's actually led me to go for a run outsinde today. Heaven help me until the spring.

Despite my appreciation of the resolution, I had not made one this year. Why? I don't even really know. I have this feeling of contentment, I reckon. I definitely believe its never too late to change. And I would say that's a very American belief. When challenged, British people - children not excluded - give a shrug and say, "I've always been that way." And despite their attempt at matter-of-factness, really, they say these words with pride. I find it terribly irksome.

Forgive my aside, I shall get back to my point: I think I have no resolution because I don't see the need to change anything. I'm not perfect, mind. I could be much tidier: I still have wrapping paper from Christmas on the bedroom floor. I could be healthier: I will probably have a Papa John's pizza for dinner. I could be better with my work: there's lot of planning to be done. But I guess I'm learning to accept myself - I'm learning that there's a time to change things and a time to just accept who you are. The Eagles, via Ecclesiastes, said such a thing, no?

Or, maybe I'm just a lazy git who hasn't bothered with a resolution.