Resolute
Irradiated by LabRat
I don’t do the New Year’s resolution thing. I think in essence, it’s a generally good idea; view the new year as a clean slate, view yourself as something that can change for the better, then make changes for the better.
However, I don’t generally view the best time to undertake this process whilst in the middle of a national hungover spasm of guilt with the massive grey wall of the previous night’s debauchery combined with finally facing up to the new year’s load of credit card bills looming over you. There’s just something about that maudlin state of self-loathing as a motivator that doesn’t quite jibe with me as the best motivator for self-improvement. If you have reasonable self-respect, the resolution doesn’t take because most of the time, you don’t hate yourself, and therefore the motivator disappears. If you don’t, then a cheerful little cycle of shame and self-flagellation can arise regardless of whether you succeed (grim perfectionism that can never be satisfied) or fail and retreat into whatever nasty habit gives you comfort.
My blueprint for self-improvement goes roughly as follows: identify the problem. Assess to what degree it is, in fact, a problem. Assess to what lengths you’re willing to go to remedy it, and what would be an acceptable timetable. (For example, if you really don’t want to live on steamed vegetables and prudent portions of fish and chicken whilst working out six days a week indefinitely, “toned beach body by June” is neither a reasonable goal nor a reasonable timetable.) Then, proceed with the plan. If you fail on a small scale, continue to proceed with the plan. (Minor periodic indulgences are not failure. Everyone needs a bit of vice.) If you fail on a large scale, reassess the plan and analyze why it fell apart. Develop a new plan. Continue as needed.
Every day of the year. However, if you enjoy the traditionalism of New Year’s and would like to start tomorrow, it’s as good as any- but I recommend waiting until the hangover wears off first.
January 1st, 2009 at 10:15 am
Sensible. My resolutions are simple and sensible:
1) Quit smoking ’cause my chest hurts.
2) Quit drinking because I’ve got an assload to do and I can’t drink and derive. And because I’m a smidge tired of trying to remember who I have to apologise to for the previous day’s brainfart.
3) 2560×1600.
The rest is ops plan, not resolution. But resolution is involved with those three, because I really like beer and cigarettes. And I have a big monitor ‘cos I do graphics.
January 1st, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I’m just trying to lose weight; hopefully I can do a better job than in the past.
At least I don’t have a hangover; drank nothing but tequila with malt liquor chasers.
January 1st, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I don’t make resolutions; I plan for the future. Better chance for success, you see, when you give yourself a larger window of opportunity. The world is my oyster! I will smash it with a sledgehammer and deposit the residue in the cat’s dish.
I resolve to exit faculty meetings as soon as I’m sufficiently alienated to realize that I need a drink more than I need the additional nonsense. Trust me. It’s better for all concerned.
I will finally bolt the gun safe to the wall, oil my weapons, and secure a supply of ammo enough to re-fight the Battle of Stalingrad. The last point is the only investment I can see for the near term that might actually produce a profit. BTW, I know the Mosin-Nagant is a wee bit antiquated (and the safety sucks), but it launches a superb 7.62 x 54 rimmed round. Buy the gun now at $90 bucks a throw.
I solemnly pledge not to blog while drunk. Oops, too late. Let me amend that. I will attempt to provide insight with my blogging despite my sodden brain. I feel better already. You see how easy this is when you rely on the probable over the purely theoretical? Damn, I’m on a roll. Consider this shit: I have no hope whatsoever for positive change. This is just too damn easy. Expect nothing, get nothing. Who could be disappointed with that recipe?
Dammit. I’m all of a sudden completely dry and the stores are closed. I resolve in the future to prepare better for the holidays.
~Paules OUT