2007

Some time ago I stopped making New Year's resolutions. I don't remember why exactly but it might have had something to do with the annoying way resolutionaries overcrowd the gym from January 1 until about mid-February and leave a pool of sweat on all the machines in an effort to shed 15 years of fat in 15 minutes. I wait--irritated--I-pod on full blast until the resolutionaries finally give up and I can use the crosstrainer again.

In other words, I'm not a fan of broken promises. Of those I make to myself or to other people. I stopped making those grand New Year's gestures and decided to gradually ease into better habits whenever I became inspired to do so, whether it was June, November or January.

At the same time, 2007 is pretty darn special for me as it's the first dissertation-free year I've had in about 3 years. I feel compelled to make plans! Travel plans, dating plans, plans to shed those excess "phd lbs." Most of all, I want to stop putting off the pleasures of life--the impulsive, silly, inconvenient dalliances I couldn't or didn't partake in because I had deadlines or a standing appointment with my laptop.

And I do desire to make some changes in my life now that I've achieved a long-standing goal of mine. I want to fulfill some other goals: write that novel that's been materializing in my head, do pilates, meditate more often, meet datable people, date datable people. But all these things won't happen just because the clock struck 12 and we've declared it time for new beginnings. I guess if I made resolutions I would resolve to at least act on some of my desires. To make a step toward "the new." And perhaps if I do a little bit each day, by the end of the year I'll be a few steps closer to the me I'd like to be.