Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Monday, January 1, 2018
New Year's Resolutions for 2018
I generally don't make New Year's Resolutions, so I've decided to share some of them at least, because I know y'all look up to me as a role model. (Stop laughing!) So, here goes:
#1 Be nicer to people. Yes, to all the liars, frauds, knaves, knuckleheads, disgusting demagogues, scoundrels, wastrels, ne'er-do-wells, frauds, mountebanks, liberal politicians, frauds, poseurs (did I mention frauds?), and other wastes of carbon on the planet, I will try to be more positive. Thankfully, I am writing this in 2017, so this resolution doesn't take effect yet.
#2 Stop and smell the Roses. I'm thinking...Rose McGowan, Rose Leslie, Rose...wait, what? Restraining orders? Again?? Okay, scratch that one!
#3 As much as possible, Never Watch Live TV Again. The DVR creates a digital copy virtually indistinguishable from the original. You can fast forward through about 15 minutes of commercials every hour, plus any particularly annoying liberal talking heads. Win -win!
#4 Modify my exercise program. I have been threatening to add free weights in addition to my cardio routine for some time now. It's time.
#5 Spend more time in the swimming pool. I took the total cash expended for chemicals, new equipment, etc, and divided by the number of hours actually spent swimming and came up with a sum that would retire the debt of several third world countries/ per swim. I will seriously change that ratio in 2018.
#6 Improve Time Management Now, this is one that the NFL has been helping me out on, since I'm not wasting 3-6 hours on any given Sunday, Monday or Thursday watching NFL football. (Also fits nicely with #3) Everyone is given the same amount of time in a day, and I ought to have more to show for it at the end of the day. Better time management should help get into a better routine with #4. A time and a place for everything.
#7 Read a chapter of Proverbs every day. I've done this in the past, not as a part of any resolution, but there are conveniently 31 chapters - one for every day of the month. Much wisdom there.
That's it! That's seven more than I usually do. If I can think of any others between now and the end of the year, I'll add them. 'Til then, have a happy and prosperous New Year!
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Friday, January 1, 2016
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Monday, December 29, 2014
Sunday, January 1, 2012
On New Years and Other Fictions
(originally published 1/1/2011)
Last year, I did a piece on New Year's Resolutions, so, if you're thinking of making some resolutions, you might want to peruse it.
This year, I'm looking at things a little bit differently. A lot of people view the New Year as a tabula rasa - a blank or erased slate, to be written or rewritten according to our will.
Only the slate is never completely erased, is it? The "tabula" is never completely "rasaed". The planet revolves on is axis and orbits the sun, oblivious to whatever marks the pages of our calendars.
The cartoon stereotype is the tiny infant in diaper and sash greeted by an old bearded man, representing the old and new years. But, in truth, the two are twins. Each nearly identical to the one before,changed only by the good and bad decisions made by those who mark the time in such a fashion.
We live with the consequences of those decisions as well as the decisions made by others, out of our control. If being "resolved" one day of the year helps you to make better decisions, then more power to you. Read last year's piece, it might help you.
But, honestly, other than remembering to put "11*" on your checks instead of "10", (and the promise of a new Congress) is this day any different than yesterday? Other than a great excuse to have a party, was yesterday any different than today?
The question I have, that maybe you can help me out with, is, After three score years on the planet, is this perspective wisdom, or cynicism, or both, or something else?
I used to post a poll once a week, and I'm not saying I resolve to start again, because, quite frankly, I can't remember why I stopped (unless it was to accommodate Ten Buck Fridays). But I am going to post that question as the first poll of the new year. Help me out here. Am I one step away from yelling at the kids to get off my lawn, am I morphing into a philosopher/elder statesman, or do I just need to finish my second cup of coffee?
*That would, of course, be a "12" now.
Last year, I did a piece on New Year's Resolutions, so, if you're thinking of making some resolutions, you might want to peruse it.
This year, I'm looking at things a little bit differently. A lot of people view the New Year as a tabula rasa - a blank or erased slate, to be written or rewritten according to our will.
Only the slate is never completely erased, is it? The "tabula" is never completely "rasaed". The planet revolves on is axis and orbits the sun, oblivious to whatever marks the pages of our calendars.
The cartoon stereotype is the tiny infant in diaper and sash greeted by an old bearded man, representing the old and new years. But, in truth, the two are twins. Each nearly identical to the one before,changed only by the good and bad decisions made by those who mark the time in such a fashion.
We live with the consequences of those decisions as well as the decisions made by others, out of our control. If being "resolved" one day of the year helps you to make better decisions, then more power to you. Read last year's piece, it might help you.
But, honestly, other than remembering to put "11*" on your checks instead of "10", (and the promise of a new Congress) is this day any different than yesterday? Other than a great excuse to have a party, was yesterday any different than today?
The question I have, that maybe you can help me out with, is, After three score years on the planet, is this perspective wisdom, or cynicism, or both, or something else?
I used to post a poll once a week, and I'm not saying I resolve to start again, because, quite frankly, I can't remember why I stopped (unless it was to accommodate Ten Buck Fridays). But I am going to post that question as the first poll of the new year. Help me out here. Am I one step away from yelling at the kids to get off my lawn, am I morphing into a philosopher/elder statesman, or do I just need to finish my second cup of coffee?
*That would, of course, be a "12" now.
On New Year's Resolutions
(originally published 1/1/2010)
You will often be asked, “Have you made any ‘New Year’s Resolutions’?” I’d rather ask you , if you’ve ever given any thought to what a “resolution” is?
Most dictionaries will give the first definition as something like this one:
“a formal expression of opinion or intention” Often time, after taking a vote, “We do hereby resolve to do thus and such…”
And in a sense, a New Year’s Resolution could be that. A formal declaration of what you intend to do during the coming year having taken a vote of me, myself and I or perhaps my ego, id and superego!
But, I want you to get a fuller sense of the word, and grasp some of its connotations. In music, you resolve a chord by adding a last or missing note. “The progression of a dissonant tone or chord to a consonant tone or chord.” This is not my area of expertise, but I have had it demonstrated to me, where there is something that almost borders on an aching or anxiety waiting for that last note to make the sound complete.
So, there is the sense of incompletion. Is there something that you need to do to make yourself whole and put you in harmony with yourself, or those around you? An aching or a longing unfulfilled? What would “complete“ you in 2010?
In the optical sense, to resolve an image is to put it in the sharpest focus. To see a thing as clearly as it can be seen. The “resolution” on your computer monitor is a measure of just how sharp and well defined you can make the images appear. What is there in your life that is not as clear as it should be? Is there an area that you have left vague for whatever reason. What part of living to you need to bring into sharper focus in 2010?
In fiction, you resolve the plotline by tying up all the loose ends: solving the mystery, reuniting the lovers, etc. What “loose ends” are there in your life that you could deal with in 2010?
In chemistry, it’s the “act or process of separating or reducing something into its constituent parts”. Making something simpler out of the complex. Have you overcomplicated your life? Do you need to break it down into simpler parts so that you can better understand them? So that you can recombine them in perfect balance or selectively remove any that don’t fit the sharp focus of who you want to be?
I think that most New Year’s resolutions fail, because the people who made them never truly resolved to do them. Yeah, it’s a good idea to stop smoking, lose weight, etc., etc., but we didn’t see it as an integral vision of who we were and who we wanted to be. And in a world of instant gratification (there’s no problem on earth that can’t be resolved in a sit-com in 22 minutes or 44 if it’s a drama!), we sometimes forget that the ten, or twenty or fifty pounds we want to lose, we didn’t gain in a week, or even a month, or maybe even a year, so it’s unrealistic to look for miracles. Our bodies built up a tolerance for nicotine over time and it may take time to undo that. But, if you are resolved to do something, or to quit doing something, that will put your life in greater harmony, make you more complete in yourself or deal with any loose ends you’ve been letting hang, then today might just be a good day to start!
And if you have any success in truly resolving what your life should be, drop me a note and let me know. I've resolved to stop spitting in the wind this year! Heh.
Happy New Year!
You will often be asked, “Have you made any ‘New Year’s Resolutions’?” I’d rather ask you , if you’ve ever given any thought to what a “resolution” is?
Most dictionaries will give the first definition as something like this one:
“a formal expression of opinion or intention” Often time, after taking a vote, “We do hereby resolve to do thus and such…”
And in a sense, a New Year’s Resolution could be that. A formal declaration of what you intend to do during the coming year having taken a vote of me, myself and I or perhaps my ego, id and superego!
But, I want you to get a fuller sense of the word, and grasp some of its connotations. In music, you resolve a chord by adding a last or missing note. “The progression of a dissonant tone or chord to a consonant tone or chord.” This is not my area of expertise, but I have had it demonstrated to me, where there is something that almost borders on an aching or anxiety waiting for that last note to make the sound complete.
So, there is the sense of incompletion. Is there something that you need to do to make yourself whole and put you in harmony with yourself, or those around you? An aching or a longing unfulfilled? What would “complete“ you in 2010?
In the optical sense, to resolve an image is to put it in the sharpest focus. To see a thing as clearly as it can be seen. The “resolution” on your computer monitor is a measure of just how sharp and well defined you can make the images appear. What is there in your life that is not as clear as it should be? Is there an area that you have left vague for whatever reason. What part of living to you need to bring into sharper focus in 2010?
In fiction, you resolve the plotline by tying up all the loose ends: solving the mystery, reuniting the lovers, etc. What “loose ends” are there in your life that you could deal with in 2010?
In chemistry, it’s the “act or process of separating or reducing something into its constituent parts”. Making something simpler out of the complex. Have you overcomplicated your life? Do you need to break it down into simpler parts so that you can better understand them? So that you can recombine them in perfect balance or selectively remove any that don’t fit the sharp focus of who you want to be?
I think that most New Year’s resolutions fail, because the people who made them never truly resolved to do them. Yeah, it’s a good idea to stop smoking, lose weight, etc., etc., but we didn’t see it as an integral vision of who we were and who we wanted to be. And in a world of instant gratification (there’s no problem on earth that can’t be resolved in a sit-com in 22 minutes or 44 if it’s a drama!), we sometimes forget that the ten, or twenty or fifty pounds we want to lose, we didn’t gain in a week, or even a month, or maybe even a year, so it’s unrealistic to look for miracles. Our bodies built up a tolerance for nicotine over time and it may take time to undo that. But, if you are resolved to do something, or to quit doing something, that will put your life in greater harmony, make you more complete in yourself or deal with any loose ends you’ve been letting hang, then today might just be a good day to start!
And if you have any success in truly resolving what your life should be, drop me a note and let me know. I've resolved to stop spitting in the wind this year! Heh.
And All That Auld Lang Syne
Talk softly but carry a big scythe!
This is the part where I usually say, "I'm not in the habit of reprinting older posts", but it seems that, at least on a couple of occasions a year, I do. So sue me!
I've lined up two posts from the last couple of firsts of January, to take the pressure off coming up with something profound to say this year (two days from now, as I'm writing this).
So, curl up with your morning coffee, or leftover egg nog, and see what passed for musing here in recent years.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Spam Foils Russian Black Widow Terrorist New Year's Eve Bombing
"Press One for English"
A wannabee terrorist bomber became a true suicide bomber last New Year's Eve.
A "Black Widow" suicide bomber planned a terrorist attack in central Moscow on New Year's Eve but was killed when an unexpected text message set off her bomb too early, according to Russian security sources.
When I first heard this story, it was just described as a "Happy New Year" message. Now, it appears that this was a spam message from her cell phone carrier, much like the very sincere birthday wishes you get from your insurance agent.
The unnamed woman, who is thought to be part of the same group that struck Moscow's Domodedovo airport on Monday, intended to detonate a suicide belt on a busy square near Red Square on New Year's Eve in an attack that could have killed hundreds.
Security sources believe a spam message from her mobile phone operator wishing her a happy new year received just hours before the planned attack triggered her suicide belt, killing her but nobody else.
Which begs the question, when a female suicide bomber blows herself up, does she get 72 virgin (inexperienced) guys? Ladies, is that the dream for you?
H/T Wizbang
Saturday, January 1, 2011
On New Years and Other Fictions
Last year, I did a piece on New Year's Resolutions, so, if you're thinking of making some resolutions, you might want to peruse it.
This year, I'm looking at things a little bit differently. A lot of people view the New Year as a tabula rasa - a blank or erased slate, to be written or rewritten according to our will.
Only the slate is never completely erased, is it? The "tabula" is never completely "rasaed". The planet revolves on is axis and orbits the sun, oblivious to whatever marks the pages of our calendars.
The cartoon stereotype is the tiny infant in diaper and sash greeted by an old bearded man, representing the old and new years. But, in truth, the two are twins. Each nearly identical to the one before,changed only by the good and bad decisions made by those who mark the time in such a fashion.
We live with the consequences of those decisions as well as the decisions made by others, out of our control. If being "resolved" one day of the year helps you to make better decisions, then more power to you. Read last year's piece, it might help you.
But, honestly, other than remembering to put "11" on your checks instead of "10", (and the promise of a new Congress) is this day any different than yesterday? Other than a great excuse to have a party, was yesterday any different than today?
The question I have, that maybe you can help me out with, is, After three score years on the planet, is this perspective wisdom, or cynicism, or both, or something else?
I used to post a poll once a week, and I'm not saying I resolve to start again, because, quite frankly, I can't remember why I stopped (unless it was to accommodate Ten Buck Fridays). But I am going to post that question as the first poll of the new year. Help me out here. Am I one step away from yelling at the kids to get off my lawn, am I morphing into a philosopher/elder statesman, or do I just need to finish my second cup of coffee?
Friday, January 1, 2010
On New Year’s Resolutions
You will often be asked, “Have you made any ‘New Year’s Resolutions’?” I’d rather ask you , if you’ve ever given any thought to what a “resolution” is?
Most dictionaries will give the first definition as something like this one:
“a formal expression of opinion or intention” Often time, after taking a vote, “We do hereby resolve to do thus and such…”
And in a sense, a New Year’s Resolution could be that. A formal declaration of what you intend to do during the coming year having taken a vote of me, myself and I or perhaps my ego, id and superego!
But, I want you to get a fuller sense of the word, and grasp some of its connotations. In music, you resolve a chord by adding a last or missing note. “The progression of a dissonant tone or chord to a consonant tone or chord.” This is not my area of expertise, but I have had it demonstrated to me, where there is something that almost borders on an aching or anxiety waiting for that last note to make the sound complete.
So, there is the sense of incompletion. Is there something that you need to do to make yourself whole and put you in harmony with yourself, or those around you? An aching or a longing unfulfilled? What would “complete“ you in 2010?
In the optical sense, to resolve an image is to put it in the sharpest focus. To see a thing as clearly as it can be seen. The “resolution” on your computer monitor is a measure of just how sharp and well defined you can make the images appear. What is there in your life that is not as clear as it should be? Is there an area that you have left vague for whatever reason. What part of living to you need to bring into sharper focus in 2010?
In fiction, you resolve the plotline by tying up all the loose ends: solving the mystery, reuniting the lovers, etc. What “loose ends” are there in your life that you could deal with in 2010?
In chemistry, it’s the “act or process of separating or reducing something into its constituent parts”. Making something simpler out of the complex. Have you overcomplicated your life? Do you need to break it down into simpler parts so that you can better understand them? So that you can recombine them in perfect balance or selectively remove any that don’t fit the sharp focus of who you want to be?
I think that most New Year’s resolutions fail, because the people who made them never truly resolved to do them. Yeah, it’s a good idea to stop smoking, lose weight, etc., etc., but we didn’t see it as an integral vision of who we were and who we wanted to be. And in a world of instant gratification (there’s no problem on earth that can’t be resolved in a sit-com in 22 minutes or 44 if it’s a drama!), we sometimes forget that the ten, or twenty or fifty pounds we want to lose, we didn’t gain in a week, or even a month, or maybe even a year, so it’s unrealistic to look for miracles. Our bodies built up a tolerance for nicotine over time and it may take time to undo that. But, if you are resolved to do something, or to quit doing something, that will put your life in greater harmony, make you more complete in yourself or deal with any loose ends you’ve been letting hang, then today might just be a good day to start!
And if you have any success in truly resolving what your life should be, drop me a note and let me know. I've resolved to stop spitting in the wind this year! Heh.
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