It’s not just adults either. I am sure that you can remember your teacher in school giving you some busy work writing assignment to do before Christmas break. On the big blackboard she would write in big cursive letters, “What is your New Year’s Resolution?” Then you would have the rest of the day to work on it because he/she was on autopilot anyways and you and the rest of the students were pretty much unteachable that close to Christmas.

Because it was that close to Christmas, you knew that Santa was watching and that your resolution list would be one last desperate attempt to prove that you had been good all year. (Statistics show that roughly 11% of children are actually good enough to receive gifts from Santa Claus. The other 89% get gifts from the other big guy in red; Satan.) So your resolutions, written in loopy cursive or big block letters, probably looked something like this:

My Resolution by (Random Kid Name…probably with a simple first name like Todd but has unnecessarily complicated spelling like Ptdaudtd)

1. I promise not to tease my little brother/sister cuz it makes mom mad.
   (Not because you shouldn’t be messing with someone that will eventually get older, smarter, and know where and when you sleep. No, it’s because it makes Mom mad/drink/cry/distant)
2. I promise to try to keep my room clean so mom doesn’t have to yell at me to do it.
   (Oh and I’m a kid so I feel like I am entitled to everything but with none of the responsibilities. Life was so much simpler then.)
3. I promise to feed Finneas and Mr. Fish every day.
   (Both fish were dead before the ink dried on the period of this sentence.)

My point is that those resolutions don’t seem to get any better as life goes on.  Sure, the individual promises are different because most people don’t need to quit smoking when they are eight years old. But what tends to stay the same is the amount of actual intent. If it’s January 2nd and you see a dog running around with half mud and half soap suds then you will know it’s because some kid made a resolution to bathe the dog but barely cared enough to complete it…once. This is the same reason people have old boxed of Nicotine gum in their cabinets and dumbbells gathering dust in the garage.

There is no extra ability given to you on January 1st that wasn’t there on December 31st. Some people are into the symbolism of the new year and feel somewhat imbued with the spirit of a new year. They call it a rebirth and a new chance to achieve your goals. If you are a person that truly feels like you can accomplish feats you didn’t think you could because of the new calendar year then best of luck to you. You probably do feel a weird pep in your step on January 1st. Most people are doing it just because it’s the thing to do. “People have made New Year’s resolutions for years so I am going to make some as well.”  Fitness centers bank on it. Wal-Marts and Targets plan ahead for it. But they too know what I am talking about.

Why else do you think that talk of quitting this or that and shedding pounds stops by March? Is it because St. Patrick’s Day is way more important than fighting obesity? It’s because retailers realize that by March 70% of people will have given up their resolutions and gone back to what they were doing before. If people are going to make drastic and positive changes to their life they aren’t going to wait for a dark, cold, and depressing time of the year. They are going to do it when they finally feel the necessity to do it. I quit smoking in October…on a Thursday. I didn’t wait until a Monday or a holiday. It just needed to be done and I did it. If I had waited until January 1st to stop then it would have been that much harder because I would have been that much more addicted.

It also probably wouldn’t have worked because I would have relied heavily on “resolution magic” instead of what really got me through it which was sheer willpower and a wonderfully supportive girlfriend. I guess, to summarize…resolutions most of the time are ineffective because they are predicated on bullcrap. They are usually shallow attempts at a forced goal that were created due to a feeling brought on by the start of a new year and possibly Jagermeister. The addictions, attitudes, biases you had on New Year’s Eve still exist on New Year’s Day because they have existed for much longer than one night so it stands to reason that they won’t go away in one night nor will you suddenly have the power to defeat them in one night. The power is in you. If you want to quit this, lose that, fix this, adjust that…then do it. Do it right now. Do it because you know you want to and because you need to. But don’t resign yourself to “trying.” If you are going to do it then know you are going to do it. Don’t try to lose weight, know you will lose weight. Don’t try to quit smoking, just quit and don’t look back. Don’t think that because it’s a new year that it’s the only time you can pull this off. If you truly have the desire, the calendar has nothing to do with it. You are what will make it work whether it’s January, May, July, or October.

Make every day your resolution to be a better you.

1) Resolve to be more physically active. Whether it is swimming, hiking, walking, or running, getting out and doing something physically is good for the body and soul. I’m not talking about going to a gym. I’m talking about getting out in the fresh air. Go with your family, friends, or by yourself. Just do it. You will feel better and age more gracefully.

2) Resolve to unplug. We live in a society that is becoming increasingly dependent on technology. It seems we always have some new device in our hands or at our ears. We have a thousand ways to learn, but are we smarter? We have a thousand ways to communicate, but are we more connected? Technology may make our lives easier, but sometimes it’s good to just get away. Go on vacation and leave the cell phone behind, ignore the internet and television, and enjoy old fashioned joys. Dust off that old board gave. Make something with your hands. Go to the park. Whatever you do, just don’t worry about making it your facebook status.

3) Resolve to save some money. Spending money on something you want, but don’t need may feel good at the time, but when you find yourself short at the end of the month it won’t feel so good. Saving your “extra” money will feel really good when you do it, and you will only feel better as you watch your savings grow. Not only will you have money saved up for emergencies, but you will be able to treat yourself to something a little better in the future.

4) Resolve to do at least one positive thing for someone every. You will feel good. They will feels good, and you may inspire them to do the same. Good deeds can be contagious, and that is one thing you shouldn’t mind catching. The key here is to not expect anything in return.

5) Resolve to try the one thing you’ve always wanted to do. I think this is the best one, so I saved it for last. Now I’m not telling you to do this because the world is going to end (hehehee!). I’m saying it because 2012 will be as good a time as any. As the old saying goes: “There’s no time like the present”. Want to learn a language then take a class. Want to sky dive then go try it. Want to start a business then please, please, pretty please do it because our economy needs it. Whatever it is, if you don’t do it you’ll only have regrets down the line.              

Well, it’s time to say goodbye to another year, and welcome to another year. Every year millions of people go through the ritual of making mental lists, or writing lists, about what in their life they want to see changed, and change it themselves. They call it resolutions, but actually it should be just called a resolution. Why? Well, because subconsciously one gets the idea that they resolve not to change. It’s a futile attempt to change one’s makeup.

The world has gone nuts over this obsession of making New Year’s resolutions. They resolve to lose weight, be a nicer person, be more compassionate, drop bad habits, and the list goes on, and on, and on,until they forget what was on the list. They may go a day, a month, maybe a year before they realize that the resolutions are useless for this year, they’ll put it off for the next year. They cite reasons of being too busy as the most common culprit for not keeping the resolutions. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but if people want more time to relax, why don’t they turn resolutions into an occupation?   Keeping becomes way too work.

People are really strange. You don’t see animals making resolutions, like, vowing not to chase the neighbor’s cat, or bringing cheese to a resident mouse. People are the only species on this green earth that put themselves through all this agony. Except me, of course. I resolve not to make any resolutions and critically watch others to see if they succeed. Wait a minute, I just made a New Years resolution. Well it must be official, it’s impossible to keep resolutions, and impossible to keep from making them.

But we do expect the new year to bring changes, like, peace on earth. The world has never changed it’s position on life since it’s creation. And it never will, until it is time. You see, man is a free spirit, and if he resolves to change the world, he may accomplish very little, if any. God has a whole plan set up for this life, and if we resolve to go in a different direction, then He will step in and change it Himself. Every new year brings us closer to that main event we call Jesus’ Return, and it is that event that will make all resolutions a mute point. God’s resolution is what really counts in this life, and it will be the only resolution to succeed. We can sing Aulde Lang Syne until the cows come home, but when we make THE resolution that would change our lives, then it goes from a resolution to a gradual change. Once we make up our minds to put God first in our lives and put away our sinful nature, then our New Year’s resolution may stick. You will be happy, God will be happy.

In almost every church in this area, people will be praying, some may hold candlelight services, hoping to bring in year of peace, healing, praying for lost souls, hoping for God’s return to earth. We have seen what happens when people predict the end of the world; what will happen when we resolve to let God says it’s time to end things as we know it? I wish everyone a happy and blessed new year, not only filled with peace and prosperity outwardly, but peace and prosperity in your heart. May 2012 bring new beginnings for all of us.

January 1st 2012 The First Day of a Brand New Year

2011 was a year of many disasters around the world. Also a fair deal of political incompetence, lot of deaths, a further murdering of the credibility of marriage by certain celebrities, and much more. It was an insane year to say the very least and there was no shortage of things to write about, if you just kept an eye on the news. There is nothing that attracts more eyeballs than a horrific disaster or politicians screwing people over.

So 2012, it is leap year this year. That does mean that we have an extra day to write content. Also presidential election in the United States in 2012, which mark my words is not going to end well and the real losers are going to be the American people. Plus, there are a lot of people who are freaking out about the end of the world on December 21st 2011…again. When will you people learn?

On an unrelated note, I have an article ready to go on December 22nd 2011.

Regardless, 2012 should be an intriguing year. I’m not sure if it is going to be an intriguing one for any good reasons mind you. Hopefully there will actually be some good news for a change in the world. Yeah, we all know that’s going to get swept under the rug, but still 2012 offers a fresh start, where we can push 2011 right into the years that were.

And what a year it was in many ways. From a personal standpoint, there are going to be a lot of big things coming from me as a writer. Will they be good? Who really knows at this point? 2012 will be one for the ages. Let’s just hope it won’t be one for the dark ages.

So in the end, Happy New Year for all, now it is time to write.My usual monthly respective in the coming days.

Blog of Insanity for the Insanity of Society, Politics, Celebrities, and General Musings on Life.

• Resolution #1: Spend more time at the barn riding my horse to get him in better shape to sell
  • Manage time more wisely outside of school; plan week out with certain days/times allotted for barn time
• Resolution #2: Do a better job saving money and using it wisely
  • Use the envelope system with paychecks; spend a lot less time shopping and online
• Resolution #3: Make life less about myself and more about others
  • Spend less time worrying about myself and show more compassion towards others; do more to support the community and reach out to those who aren’t as fortunate as I am
• Resolution #4: Be bolder and braver and not so bashful!
  • Be the first to talk to people I am meeting, don’t make them come to me; ask a friend to prom; stop worrying about my image or embarrassing myself and just get over it; meet as many new people as I can!

Image via Wikipedia

Happy New Year and a Wonderful Jubilee
Happy New Year is oftentimes the first thing most of us will hear, in our respective language of course, at midnight new years morning. Over the centuries new year has held a great significance of some sort world wide, weather it was based on superstition, or celebration of a great year and the welcoming of a great new one. I want to take a minute to look at one that to many Americans is a very important celebration of freedom and their way of life.

For African Americans, New Year’s Day has a special significance, and is often called Emancipation Day or Jubilee Day. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves from bondage, was read in Boston. Today, many African-American families hold “watch services” on January 1. Traditional foods include black-eyed peas, collard greens, ham hocks, and macaroni and cheese. The uniquely African-American celebration, Kwanzaa, continues over seven days starting December 26, so the New Year’s celebration is often part of Kwanzaa’s way of reconnecting people with their African roots. Kwanzaa began in the United States in the 1960s, and is not celebrated in Africa. This is perhaps one of my favorite facts being that I am American. when I learned about this and how it was part of the Kwanzaa celebration it gave me a whole new respect for Kwanzaa. In a lot of ways Kwanzaa and emancipation day are to the African Americans, just like Hanukkah to the Jewish people. Both holidays are a Celebration of their roots and a time to give thanks for the miracles that had been afforded there forefathers of years gone bye.

Jubilee is a time that we can learn about in the bible. it is a time every 50 years when all property was to be returned and debts forgiven and all slaves and indentured servants were to be freed. there is also parts of the same laws that talk about a year of liberty every 7 years that slaves were to be freed.

Hanukkah is the Jewish celebration of the miracle of the lamp oil that burned for 8 days for the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem circa 163BC. The Maccabees a family of priests defeated the Greek ruler Antiochus IV to take back the holy temple and upon doing so cleaned and rededicated it to God. The Maccabees priests only found 1 jar of oil for the temple lamp that had to burn all the time day and night. One jar of oil is only enough for one day of use in the lamp, but this jar burned for 8 days. This allowed time for the priests to prepare more oil for the temple lamp, and marked the beginning of Hanukkah, to celebrate the miracle that had taken place in that place at that time.

I am glad to have been able to learn about these things and to share them with you all. To all of the African American people, Happy Jubilee Day and Happy new year to all. I pray a blessing of prosperity for mankind in 2012. Here is to a hope for a world with out any sort of slavery or oppression upon any people for any reason.

Shalom

I hope to get back on track with my writing.   I have been writing here and there, in creative spurts.   I am just unsure where and how to start.   Maybe I am over thinking it.   I have made a list of different subjects to write about.   I started writing from the list, but stopped due to working much needed overtime and exhuastion.   I have found it difficult to get started again.   I have taken off Monday in hopes to get some writing done.  

I realize that I am not the fastest producing writer.   I can’t figure out how many people write so quick and effective.   Anyone out there got any advice in time management and keeping motivated?   I would greatly take any advice that you have to give.

Happy New Year everyone.

I certainly can’t change fate if the world ends this year, so I might as well just have fun this year and live as if it could be my last day on earth. For those who believe that this year will bring the end of the world, I would say that you should live each day to the fullest and as if it were your last day! We will simply celebrate the beginning of 2012, the same as I have most other years with my family at home. I plan to have some snack foods and enjoy the evening playing cards or something with the husband and kids.

I am not making resolutions for the new year other than to continue to trust God in my life and allow Him to guide me as He sees fit. Where He leads, I will follow! I plan to begin our school year back early in January and since we have studied early cultures, I might add the theory that the earth may end this year, but I am sure that my daughter would not believe me anyway and that she would think that it was just another one of my crazy ideas so there is no way that I will convince her that we need to finish her schooling before the world ends so that she will at least be a high school graduate by the time it ends.

Many exciting and odd things have happened in 2011 and I say that 2012 should come in with a bang and hopefully, this time next year, I will be writing about what we have to look forward to in 2013, but if case I do not, let just say for one last time to all of my fans out there- Happy New Year! May 2012 be the best year ever!!

I personally did not have a good year so I do have hope that the New Year will be a better year and I hope that everyone that reads this will have an awesome New Year. I am generally not an optimistic person which I know I have to work on for myself because it is not always good to be a pessimist.

So here is a little article to hope that each and every one of you have a great and very awesome New Year this 2012. Hoping 2012 is so much better than 2011 for all of you. If 2011 was a great year for you then that is great and hoping that 2012 is even better. For the people that 2011 was not that great I am hoping for a better year for you.

So, was Christmas a do-backflips-for-a-year super exciting, or was it a total bust?

In other words, did you get what you wanted for Christmas this year, or was it a day of “Oh…how, nice. I, uh, love it…” Unless you totally love getting socks and underwear for Christmas (hey, I do), a lot of us likely were left wondering what the hell people were thinking when they thought of US for the gifts they were pushing on us.

When you get the shaft at Christmas, just remember this- you have your health, a roof over your head, and people who (sort of, from the looks of the gift contents) care about you. Besides, you can totally drown your sorrows over your crappy gifts on New Years’ Eve by drinking yourself stupid. Now that’s a happy holiday!

Just be happy with what ya got! And if not, you can pass on the Christmas scrooginess next year!

happy New Year!