New Year, new leaf
Welcome 2009. Welcome, me, to 2009. I remember an early maths class, maybe I was 8 or so, in which we had to work out how old we’d be when the year 2000 arrived. From the perspective of an infant it was quite impossible to imagine being such an age – my parents weren’t that old. Blimey, I’m so old now. But alive I still am and, thanks to an extraordinary bit of common sense that hit us 3 months ago, my life expectancy has improved. Now, if I could just lose a bit of weight to complement my (on their way to being) tar free lungs…
This preamble is, of course, by way of introducing the subject of new year resolutions. Not that I really hold with the concept. It’s all a bit arbitrary really and I’m quite capable of putting myself under unnecessary pressure at any time of year, thank you very much. If pushed I will, likely as not, claim to have resolved to be even more lazy, greedy, naughty &c.
This year, however, may be different. No, really. Hear me out.
It’s likely to be an odd year for many of us, thanks to the bad behaviour of all those greedy bankers and stupid politicians (nothing to do with our own greed and consumption). Many jobs will be lost, companies will close or take the opportunity for some serious pruning, and governments will have to cut back in all sorts of areas as well as raising billions to keep essential services running. We know this, it’s not news.
Perhaps this change of circumstances is an opportunity to reflect on our lives and lifestyles. A time when we may as well bite the bullet, take control, try to be masters of our own destiny. OK, that last bit sounds ridiculous – I’m in danger of drifting into some kind of meaningless, clichéd, buzzword-laden oration, like so many in business and politics over the last few years. Forgive me.
What I mean to say is that 2009 will probably be different in many ways from the previous several years, which makes me feel that I should at least try to change myself for the better. We’re only 5 days into the new year so it’s possible I could be subconsciously surfing the wave of euphoria so often generated on January 1. I may feel quite different next week.
Nevertheless, it is my intention this year to focus on two principles: less reading, more writing; less thinking, more doing. I will have my list of specific goals, but these are mainly just things that have to be done at some point anyway. The (intended) difference this year is that I will achieve more. I will. Really. I will vanquish (or at least damage) the inner cynic. And why not? If I can stop smoking after more than 3 decades of weed-worship, a few other changes shouldn’t be too difficult.
There we are. The single step that starts my new journey. Thank you for humouring me, and watch this space!
