The ubiquitous they always say we should not make resolutions, as it just sets us up for failure. I generally don’t follow most popular advice, but I do in this case. I don’t make resolutions.
Weight loss? Forty years of futility have taught me that it if I want to have a better BMI, it would be easier for me to grow taller. Exercise more? I suppose it’s possible, as there’s no way I could exercise less. De-clutter and reorganize the house? Only if I win the lottery and hire someone to do it, and the chances of my winning the lottery are the same as the chances I’ll become a professional singer.
But, for some unfathomable reason, I decided this year to come up with a list of 12 probably attainable resolutions. I’m sure there are a lot of others I could list, but you’ll note that “stop being so lazy” is not included. Neither is “stop procrastinating,” so I’ll add more at another time. If I feel like it.
- Update this blog weekly. Okay, monthly. Well, more often than every six months. I’m already off to a good start, as today’s Jan. 1.
- Work regularly on the third Rabbi Aviva Cohen mystery, Yom Killer. Then, when Unleavened Dead is published (from my mouth to God’s ears; kenahora;tu-tu-tu), the next book will be ready to go into production.
- Go birding more often. I’m already off to a good start on this resolution, too, as I spent the day at the Forsythe NWR (aka Brig). And I plan to take a detour to Corkscrew Swamp and Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island when I drive from my parents’ house in Boynton Beach to Orlando for Sleuthfest in February.
- Don’t buy any more books about birding until I read the ones I’ve already bought.
- Don’t buy any more Kindle books until I read all the ones on my to-be-read list.
- Don’t buy any more DVDs until I watch all the ones that are still shrink-wrapped.
- Don’t TiVo any shows or movies unless I am really going to watch them within the next six months.
- Place resolutions 4, 5, 6, and 7 into the unrealistic category.
- Watch season 2 of “Homeland” and “Game of Thrones.” (Try and stop me!)
- Read Game of Thrones. All 5 volumes. Or 6 or 7 or how many are published by the time I get through the ones already in print.
- Get to Israel this year. It’s been too long. And try to go during the height of the bird migration. I’ve already started googling “birding tours in Israel.”
- Stop obsessing about my ranking on Amazon. It’s meaningless. Except when it’s a high ranking.
Writing, birding, reading, traveling. Yup. I can do all of those.
Happy 2012. May all your resolutions be easy ones to fulfill.
rabbi.author 
sunnyfrazier said,
January 4, 2012 at 1:07 pm · Edit
I loved #8. Good to know when goals are unrealistic. But, isn’t life all about breaking our resolutions to get to the fun stuff? And, there’s always a chance you’ll catch up on reading, watching DVD’s and clearing your TiVo. A remote chance, but who knows?