The New Year Post

Ahhh, 2010 is upon us at last. After countless primary school years of 'what will it be like in the year 2010' the mystery is revealed. No more clocks with hands, fat kids everywhere, insurmountable debt abound and every single dinner conversation is now halted by a Googlesurf. On your phone. Which now replaces your land-line. January first. The first day of a whole new year; a whole new decade, in fact. I suppose it seems appropriate to compile a list of resolutions for myself; a list of promises to me, or you, or a Higher Power of deep inner reflections of myself and ways that I feel I can shine a little brighter, be a better person, make a finer imprint on the world. Well, I'm not gonna. The fact is, I'm pretty satisfied with me, just the way I am. Sure, I could be thinner, faster, kinder; I could donate more (any) money to charity, adopt a pet, foster a child in Africa; I could stop shoveling my driveway snow out into the street for the plow to deal with, I could even stop 'reply-all'-ing, but if I did any of those things, well then I wouldn't be me. And I like me. And I think that most people should spend a little less time making sure-bet failed promises of ways they can improve themselves and spend a little more time accepting the person that they are. So in light of my commitment NOT to change, here is an odd list of things I have never done, nor do I feel the need to do, whatsoever: 1. Let's get the dirty business out of the way right off the top; I have never been to any sort of strip club, male or female. For one, I have a daughter and the idea of anyone paying to see her naked body is purely and entirely sick and revolting and two, because the thought of seeing a dancing naked male body is enough to make me want to pour Drano in my own eyes. 2. I have never been to Burger King, Wendy's or A&W. I'm not on higher ground here, I just have never been. I love a Big Mac, but in the world of fast food, that's where it ends. Whoppers, square hamburgers and anything "Teen" are not part of my repertoire. 3. Seen ET, any Star Wars (except the original one), the Princess Bride or the Sound of Music. I don't like movies about things that aren't even remotely real. Aliens on bycicles, giant white angora camels, singing midgets, Austrians...it's all too 'hokey-poky' for me. 4. Stayed in a hostel. I always thought I wanted to, and during my last EU trip, I had it all planned out (that is to say, it was on the to-do list). Then I found out that when you check in to a hostel, THEY HAND YOU YOUR BEDSHEETS. To PUT ON YOUR BED. YOURSELF. Suffice it to say, I have scratched hosteling off the list. Ibis is about as close to self-catering as I`m prepared to go at this point I think. 5. Had anything pierced(other than my ears) or tattooed. I just feel like disfiguring my body is something I would only want to do when my body starts to fail and is going to look pretty nasty anyway. My ears are no longer pierced. I think that as long as your list of what you have done and what you will still do consists of more than five things then you`re on the right track. Here's to you, just the way you are! Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!