Friday, January 2, 2009

New Years resolutions suck except when they are based on advice from Jonathan Adler



I know New Year's resolutions are  load of crap setting you up for disappointment and failure.  But I've never managed to get out from under their spell.  I'm a sucker for all that fresh start stuff and making resolutions is a nice symbolic break from the past and a hopeful (if doomed) way to ring in the future.  Plus, how would that extra fifteen pounds feel if I left it out of my goals for 2009?  Dissed, that's how.  So, here they are:
1. Lose fifteen pounds (I'm nothing if not consistent).
2. Stop gossiping.  I need to be clear here: I do not plan to stop talking about people.  I just plan to stop saying mean, speculative things about them.  My mantra in this endeavor: "I am not a psychologist.  I am not a psychologist."
3. Be nicer than I think the situation calls for.  I learned this from Jonathan Adler of all people. Since nice is not my usual setting (that would be gossipy and caustic), and I have no intention of becoming a big phony, this will take real skill and effort.  I'll let you know how it goes.  They should have 12 steps for this type of thing.
4. Get my career on some sort of track that might earn me, like, a total of $50,000.  It's not so much to ask, but it's more than I've ever made in a year, which is sort of embarrassing. 

A thing I like
This album from Pieta Brown. She has the sweetest voice and lyrics and her dad is Greg Brown, who is like, one of my singing, song-writing heros. We went to see them in concert together not so long ago and it was almost more sardonic,  sweet father-daughter loveliness than I could bear. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I might steal your #4 :) I was always embarrassed to admit that I, too, lived to my 30s not ever making 50K that I think I will not sign in :)
Oh, well time was well spent on making the world the better place ;)

D

Pennington said...

You might like Alela Diane if you dig that father-daughter collaboration thing. She recorded her first album with her dad in his home studio and I've seen him join her onstage which was really touching. She's got some great songs!

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