Let it be resolved

Ok, here I go. It's tradition, and I'm a traditional guy: the annual things-about-myself-that-I-don't-like-but-couldn't-be-bothered-to-deal-with list. Also known as new years resolutions.

Before I go into this, let me just say that there will be a few things that are not on my list that used to be there in years past. Number one is to spend more time with my family. While I don't think you can spend too much time with your family (well, I don't know your family), I think that I managed to pick my spots well in the first half of the year (taking the days off for the boys birthdays) and of course have had amazing quality time in the second half. I hope it won't be back on my list next year, but we'll have to wait and see.

With that disclaimer, here's my 2008 resolutions.

1) Be brief. I have tended to not exercise any economy around my word use. Dostoyevsky and Dickens were at least being paid by the word. With no such excuse, pithiness is my watch word for 2008. So, in my spoken and written word, I resolve to switch from Melville to Hemingway.

2) Listen more, talk less. I feel like I used to be a better listener. I remember once telling someone that "If you listen, people will tell you exactly what you want to know." Somewhere, I lost that lesson. Plus, I have to remember, when someone asks how you are, they don't really want an answer. (Somewhere in all of this, I became German. At least in that respect.)

3) End with the end in mind. In the coming year, when I find a story or joke going horribly bad, I resolve to end it. I have found that it never pays to power through to the end. However embarrassing it might be to abruptly end a story that's gone off the rails, trust me finishing it is worse.

4) Relax. Ok, it's highly unlikely that I'll be able to keep this one. But in the absence of actually taking it easy (on myself or just in general), I'll try and maintain my sense of context. There was a fantastic article in the Economist last year that compared America's poorest with Africa's richest. I want to send it to everyone I ever hear whining about how hard their life is. We're living in the Jetson's people, quit telling me you're tired after a day of pushing the button on and off all day.

5) Be nicer to other people. Hmm. Ok, tomorrow I'll retract the last sentiment from #4. I'll also work on developing more patience for people who have different work ethics. Of course, I can't forgive everyone. Without any bitterness, what's left?

6) Focus. So, I've started by putting myself on a schedule (which includes exercise, so there won't be a get in shape resolution either), but I have to keep my activity list down to four things: finding a job, doing my schoolwork, starting a business (see, #7) and my family. Looks like the novel will have to wait another year.

7) Stop talking and start chalking (aka, do more). There are always a million reasons not to do something, and only one reason to do them: because if you don't, you'll never know how they turn out. Since I've gotten tired of watching businesses launch with ideas that I've had usually a while ago, I've decided to make a go of one.

Ok, I think that's more than enough. Happy 2008 to everyone. I've got to get back to work.