New Year's Revolutions

As you could probably deduce from my previous post, New Year's (and the eve of) is not a huge deal for me. I guess it goes back some years to my friends from back home. There was a group of us that spent plenty of time together and going out was a huge part of it. The only time we actually stayed home was New Year's eve, which we referred to as: Amateur Night. Billy-Bob-Jim-Joe and cousin Skeeter would be out having a grand time and the reality was that they weren't having half the time my friends and I would have on May 3rd, or July 21, or Sept 13. Pick a date, any date at all. In addition, our nights tended to be roadblock free which, of course, helped the evening remain at a particular 'fun' level. We were just crazy like that.

The one thing that we did have in common with the rookies was the New Year's Resolutions. Since we all worked together, in the days leading up to January 1, conversations would inevitably turn to the resolutions and, for the most part, we were an honest group. Most of us would flat out say we had no intention of making any, several others would preface their resolutions with, "Now, I know this won't last but....," and there was always one or two who would say something bold like they were going to quit smoking or start working out. Any of us that had made one (or more) usually started out strong and, slowly, rotated back to the prior state of being before such nonsense was ever uttered. That's how we discovered the New Year's Revolution. When the end of the year rolled (no pun) around we would clarify if we were making a resolution or a revolution and the really hard ones were always (big shock) revolutions.

This year, I've decided to make a list of resolutions that I hope other people make:

1. I will not talk on the cell phone in line. Any line. Ever. Ever.
2. I will turn off my cell phone in the movie theater. Always.
3. I will not eat nachos in the movie theater. (Who the hell came up with the bright idea of selling nachos in a freakin theater anyway?)
4. I will not drive while talking on the cell phone (or eating nachos). Ever.
5. I will use my turn signals.
6. I will take the car keys away from grandma.
7. I will not read anything about Paris Hilton.
8. I will not let dad or grandpa wear socks and sandals (or dress like flags of other countries).
9. I will not forward chain email.
10. I will actually write a letter.

As for me, I realized a while back that true resolutions are a work in progress and the New Year is a chance to reaffirm your hopes for yourself. I make the same resolution each year: I hope I can talk less but say more.