Tuesday

I would have made New Year's Resolutions yesterday, were I planning to make any. The last few years I've adopted a strategy of choosing compelling resolutions that I've had fun meeting. For example: one year I had to buy a certain number of DVDs. No vice-denying or heavy lifting for me. Last year I was a little more ambitious. I resolved to write one letter per day I was abroad--among other things. While I managed to stick with this letter-a-day scheme, I faltered on some of the more difficult writing-related addenda to the resolution. Did this failure make me wary of future resolutions? Currently, Sunshine has begun a four- or five-month, lent-esque period of self-denial to celebrate the New Year. She has adopted this task in the form of a dare among a number of friends and family members. Winners will receive prized bottles of Kentucky bourbon in May. Even with that compelling pay-off I find the reward incommensurate with the cost. I'm not interested in self-denial while celebrating returning home; or indeed, so soon before leaving home again. An excuse? Possibly so, but I was unwilling to participate. Certainly I could do with pursuing health-related goals; but my resistance to setting personal rules was resolute, and I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions at all, even the silly type I've become accustomed to. Along with not quitting drinking or doing sit-ups, I've not set weekly movie goals or plans for acquiring higher percentages of the Criterion Collection. At least I'm not requiring myself to: I resolve to have a less-resolute year. Things good for me may come about under their own steam, though, and I hope they do. All I'm reducing is the act of proclamation, not the desire to become healthier with healthier DVD collection. [Cavin]