New Year New You You Knew
Or: Make Promises, Not Resolutions
Many, many moons ago, I sat on a New Year’s Eve and wrote an article for my college newspaper that I will post in it’s entirety below. I repost it now because I think that much of it still resonates with me. But I don’t make resolutions anymore. I make promises. I’m not the only person I make them to, but I am the the one who knows he’ll keep them when he makes them. Especially to myself.
Oddly enough, my life then and my life now bear much similarity. I’m single. I’m spending my evening (to my happiness) with my daughter, not out in my normal over-the-top debauchery. I’ve got no one to kiss this year, and while my stogie was a present and my champagne has given way to whiskey, (Because. Sorry. Fuck champagne. Gives me headaches.) not that much has changed. My college article first (Good old “Exponent.”), then my “now” below.
My Exponent Article: http://www3.northern.edu/exponent/archive/2001/0117/editorial/0117-tesnow.htm
This New Year, I am having an odd time. It’s not bad, per se, but it’s been better. Because of the crazy way life works sometimes, I am sitting almost alone (Isabella is sleeping.) in my apartment, listening to ol’Blue Eyes, (Young at Heart) drinking a low-range champagne, (Korbel) smoking a low-range cigar (Teamo). Why? Because I chose to do so. I could be out…I could have gone to parties, and I sure as hell don’t have to write my friggen Exponent article. So, sure, I’m a little bitter. But, bitter, drinking, smoking young men so often make good writers, I just had to take a crack at it. (Witchcraft) So I was thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. Truth be told, like praying, I seldom find myself making resolutions. I know for a fact I was too enthralled with my newborn daughter last year to care, too drunk the year before to make any statements, let alone resolutions, (I think I fell asleep before midnight, actually) and the year before that, I was too busy making out. So, I really haven’t ever made those resolutions. (Nice and Easy) Now, for those of you who know me, you know that when I say something, I mean it. A man of my word. So, this year, I am, at 12:22 CST, making my resolutions known.
1) Always be part of my daughter’s life, no matter what.
2) Make sure my daughter always hears I love her.
3) Be less confrontational when it just doesn’t matter.
4) Drink more often, but less when I do it.
5) Have a cigar more often.
6) Find someone to play chess with at least once a month.
7) Play pool more often.
8) Listen to Frank more often. (The Lady is a Tramp)
9) Go out with “The Guys” once in a while.
10) Read more books.
11) Buy more classical music.
12) Go to a musical/play/symphony/opera at least once a month.
13) Work out at least 4 times a week. (Classic, I know…)
14) Eat more protein, and less carbs.
15) Buy a cool car.
16) Get a dog. (Black lab, call him Oscar, after a dog I once had)
17) Go to grad school and begin my MFA in Acting.
18) Write, even when I don’t have to.
(Under My Skin)
19) Expand my horizons.
20) Never stop wanting to learn.
21) Watch more foreign films.
22) Save money.
23) Treat myself to something, at least once a month.
24) Next New Year’s, not sit around alone, and make the champagne and cigar more mid-range, than low-range. (Same Old Saturday Night)
25) Start wearing a good cologne.
26) Buy a pair of shoes that cost as much as my hiking boots.
27) Start rock-climbing again. (Don’t You Worry About Me)
28) Watch one sporting event a month.
That should do it. For now. I don’t know, it seems pretty lengthy, but then again, I haven’t made any resolutions for the last, well, ever. Now’s the time. (Chicago). Last song on the album. Anyway, I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday, and while mine was odd, it was good. Now, to finish off New Years, I am going to put out my cigar, (done) finish my glass of champagne, (done) and save the rest for later. I am going to print out a copy of this list for my wallet, start up the Sinatra again, and sit around pondering my list, and read the book I am reading right now….(High Fidelity)…maybe till dawn. Who knows? To all of you out there, have a great year. Auld Lang Syne, my friends.
- Always be part of my daughter’s life, no matter what. Done. (She just said “Yeah.”)
2) Make sure my daughter always hears I love her. Done. (She just said “Yeah.”)
3) Be less confrontational when it just doesn’t matter. Better, but not done.
4) Drink more often, but less when I do it. Ha! More and more.
5) Have a cigar more often. Done.
6) Find someone to play chess with at least once a month. Nope. Was good for a bit?
7) Play pool more often. Yep.
8) Listen to Frank more often. Yep.
9) Go out with “The Guys” once in a while. Yep.
10) Read more books. Yep.
11) Buy more classical music. Nope. Who cares and who buys music anymore?
12) Go to a musical/play/symphony/opera at least once a month. Nope. Stupid and affected. I go when I go.
13) Work out at least 4 times a week. (Classic, I know…) Ha! Nope. Stupid waste of time.
14) Eat more protein, and less carbs. Actually. Yes.
15) Buy a cool car. Subarus are cool cars, fuck you.
16) Get a dog. (Black lab, call him Oscar, after a dog I once had) His name was “Leo,” worst decision of my life.
17) Go to grad school and begin my MFA in Acting. Stupid. Actors are meat puppets.
18) Write, even when I don’t have to. Done.
19) Expand my horizons. Done. And how.
20) Never stop wanting to learn. Always done.
21) Watch more foreign films. Most of these are terrible.
22) Save money. Ha!
23) Treat myself to something, at least once a month. Holy shit, done.
24) Next New Year’s, not sit around alone, and make the champagne and cigar more mid-range, than low-range. Great cigar, ok whiskey. Fuck champagne.
25) Start wearing a good cologne. So dumb. I stopped years ago. Women respond to YOUR smell, gentlemen, not fucking Dolce.
26) Buy a pair of shoes that cost as much as my hiking boots. Done several times over. I love my Frye’s.
27) Start rock-climbing again. Yes, no, then some, then no…now no, but yes should.
28) Watch one sporting event a month. Holy fuck who cares.
And there we go. 2014 bears much good for me. Every year since 1979 has. I go into it all knowing I love the world and hate it. That I am amazing and flawed. That you are amazing and flawed. And that our flaws make us. And that I need nothing and want everything.
Happy New Year. To all. And to All…holy shit it’s only almost 9 and I’m half in the bag. Whatever. To the next, baby dolls, to the next.
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