Yes, it is the end of 2012. A time to make sure you learn to write the correct year on checks you write in January (assuming you're one of the 15 people left in the US who still write checks), store the Christmas fruitcake for another year (so you can package it and pass it along to another unsuspecting gift recipient), and make some resolutions.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "My life is perfect! I have no need for making resolutions!" Well, that may very well be true for some people. Maybe even most people. But even those whose lives are a millimeter away from absolute perfection can always find ways to think outside the box and improve either themselves or the world around them.
And this is a healthy thing.
According to Kathy Caprino, a career coach, "New Year's Resolutions are promises we make to ourselves about a future vision we wish to achieve, but more often than not, we lack the strategy, commitment, focus and accountability to make them a reality." She outlines six steps to bring about powerful, realistic change:
Understand specifically why you want this change. (Think about how your life will be different when you manifest this change, and why you'll be happier, more successful and more fulfilled by bringing this about. ) Make your resolutions S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals. (Develop a fully fleshed-out plan of how you'll do it, and articulate that in writing.) Dream Big, But Add a Healthy Dose of Realism. (Be realistic about the time, energy and commitment it will take to make your resolution a reality.) Base Your Goal On the Positive -- Not What You're Running Away From. (Reframe your goal to a more positive, expansive direction that encompasses what you truly want, not what you want to leave behind.) Connect With Your Past Successes. (Bring forward those traits and capabilities you already possess, and make sure those steps and abilities you've drawn on before are reflected in your new goals.); and Step Up Your Accountability - And Get the Right Kind of Help. (Realize what you don't know, and get outside help to support you.)
Resolutions can apply to organizations, as well as individuals. The Heritage Foundation, for example, put together a list of five resolutions the United States Congress should make - and stick to - for 2013: cut spending, return to the regular budget process, avoid budget gimmicks, reform entitlement programs, and say "no" to tax increases. I'm sure President Obama will be more than willing to listen ... to some of the ideas.
The top resolutions for 2013 look eerily familiar to those of 2012 ... 2011 ... 2010 ... 2009 ... you get the picture. Most (not all) are on my list. Let's review, shall we?
RESOLUTION NUMBER 1. Lose weight sensibly.
I could take the easy way out, and make a resolution to maintain what I started 17 months ago - being more nutritionally sound in my fight to become "the artist formerly known as type 2 diabetic." It's a worthy resolution, I suppose - to stay the course - and, to be honest, there are far too many temptations out there in the world (peer pressure, daily fast food restaurant drive-bys, media exposure, general laziness, Duffy's boneless wings, those damn Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers bars at the Publix check-out lane, etc.) to not make it a daily mantra. In that regard, it's really not as "easy" as it may appear.
This is a resolution I made in July 2011, and have (for the most part) maintained effectively. I still need to watch how many carbs are in my daily diet, and have managed to shy away from the fast food joints. But it's a constant battle, so the resolution stays intact.
RESOLUTION NUMBER 2. Improve your physical fitness.
Further, the fight is more than simply what I ingest. I need to be more proactive in working out, whether at Planet Fitness or doing nightly condo walks. I need to get back to the level of cardio and exercise I was at when school (work) was not in session. Only by both eating better and working out can I both beat this disease and bring my weight down to a more realistic 200 pounds (down from the 275 I registered in July 2011 and the 236 I checked in at this morning).
RESOLUTION NUMBER 3. Quit smoking and feel fresher.
OK, I don't smoke, so this one is more difficult to achieve. Looks like I need to pick up the habit so I can then quit. (The same applies to drinking and drugs ... I think. I could be wrong.)
RESOLUTION NUMBER 4. Sorting out your finances so that the books balance.
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RESOLUTION NUMBER 5. Securing your family’s financial future.
Bound together at the hip, these resolutions are.
Like many Americans, I am feeling the pinch to my checking account on a daily basis. Costs - fuel, food, insurance - have risen whilst my salary has stayed stagnant. I've had to liquidate some of my savings and some of my stock holdings to ensure my bills are paid on time and without financial penalty. This has actually been the situation for about four years now, and while there have been some signs of an improved economy, they haven't really trickled down to me - or if they have, they've been cloaked in secrecy.
It's possible some of this hoped-for improved well-being may have already been accomplished. Earlier this month, the Palm Beach Schools Classroom Teacher Association and the School District of Palm Beach County pounded out the first legitimate pay raise in our district in five years. The teachers approved the measure, and once the school board votes on the measure, it will be retroactive to the start of the 2012-13 school year. So that will be an additional $1,500 (before taxes of course). The past six weeks have also seen me reduce several "set" monthly expenses, such as my Comcast wireless bill and my auto insurance, by a noticeable amount. All of these should make 2013 a bit more bearable. My goal is to be debt-free (well, with the exception of my college loans) by the end of 2013. I'm on pace to make that happen.
Then again, you never know what Washington, D.C. has in store for us. Damn you, fiscal cliff! Damn you!
RESOLUTION NUMBER 6. Spend more time with family and friends.
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RESOLUTION NUMBER 10. Have more fun with family and friends.
These are also conjoined resolution twins. Although, some might argue, there is a correlation/causation effect here; just because you're spending more time with family and friends does not necessarily mean you're having more fun with them. But in general, the two do seem to go together fairly well.
I will adjust this resolution a bit, to make it a bit more realistic: Spend less time focused on work, and more time on self (which includes time, and having fun, with family and friends.
I've already started the planning process on this one. (The fact I need to "plan" out spending more time on myself, and with family and friends, is indicative of the need that exists in my life to do just this!) For starters, I am cutting a chunk of debate tournaments out of the Wellington Debate schedule for 2013-14. (We don't know the exact schedule yet, but there will be an adjustment made starting in August.) I'm hoping to attend a month-long summer seminar for personal and professional growth through the National Endowment for the Humanities in Virginia, will be in Tampa for my cousin's bat mitzvah, and will likely be in Michigan at some point for a family visit/vacation.
Basically, the idea is to allow myself free time. I think I can handle that!
RESOLUTION NUMBER 7. Try something new without feeling fear.
No, I will not watch "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo"!
RESOLUTION NUMBER 8. Find a better job and boost your self-esteem.
I actually like my job very much, thank you. But maybe ... if I adjust this resolution a bit ... so that it reads, Buy a new car.
My 1997 Toyota RAV 4 with nearly 239,000 miles so far.
The mini SUV I bought in East Lansing, Michigan, on July 29, 1997, and which I have owned longer than members of the Class of 2016 - my freshmen - have been on this planet (and, by the time the 2013-14 school year rolls along, before the Class of 2017 - next year's freshmen - were even conceived).
Why, you might ask, have I continued to drive this vehicle, given all the changes in technology and automobile safety? A few reasons come to mind. First, it's a frigging TOYOTA; it gets the same good gas mileage (325-350 miles a tank, or around 25-26 MPG) as when I bought it at Spartan Toyota. Second, it's dependable; other than a new air conditioner fan and motor in 2009, it's only needed basic maintenance (oil changes, tires, new batteries every two years, etc.). Heck, the muffler and exhaust system are original. Third, I know my Toyota RAV 4; I can tell very quickly, after 15 1/2 years, when something doesn't quite feel right. And fourth, that whole "financial well-being" thing I just discussed. I'm not in a position where I can really afford another $300+ in monthly payments. Once the financial dominos fall into place, I will be more than happy to take on an additional expense.
I'm starting to look at the selection out there, though, since this is pretty much a "known" event that will be taking place. But there are some difficult decisions to be made. Do I go for a hybrid or electric car? Or stick with a "traditional" vehicle that gets good mileage? Stay with Toyota, or buy an "American" made vehicle? New? Or "fairly new, but used"? So many considerations.
So, there you have it. The Gaba Resolution Commentary of 2012. Nothing overly outlandish. I mean, I suppose I could become a better curser, damnit. But fuck, why would I want to do that? Nor do I plan on stalking Julia Stiles. And starting the International Church of Gaba, Inc., - or, even better, leading a military coup - just seems like it would take a bit too much time to bring to fruition.
(Besides, I'm not really disconnected enough to start a religious cult, nor connected enough to start a military uprising. Remember, these are resolutions, not revolutions ... and they will NOT be televised!)
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