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Jordan Heron - The Vanity Card Series

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#071 - THE RESOLUTIONS, 2010: FINAL

I published my 2010 resolutions here on 30 December 2009.
I published a mid-year review here on 30 Jun 2010.
So here it is - the final cut.

"I resolve to lose some weight. After the awesome 7-day cruise, on which I only gained 4 pounds, I weigh 185.5 lbs. I figure that's at least 15.5 too much. By the end of the year, I will be down to 175. Maybe lower. I don't want to set the goal too low. On the rare off-chance that I happen to exercise, I'm conscious that muscle weighs more than fat."

  • It was a wimpy and easy goal. And I failed. The first half of the year went really well. Then I buggered off to Europe for some fun, and never really got back in the swing of things. I suck at this willpower stuff. I'm not far off - I am hovering around 175, but that's not good enough to consider it a real success.
"I resolve to eat a little better. But not a lot better. This one goes along with the above, but is in competition with it. Yes, I would like to improve my eating habits some - but I love food, very specific and bad for you food, and I refuse to spend the rest of my life in thrall to some organic health diet. This resolution will be the biggest challenge, in terms of balance. It can start with less soft drinks."
  • Again, this went well for the first half of the year. Cutting out a lot of extraneoous pop (or "soda" as you Americans call it) did really well. This plan, too, fell apart, but mostly in the last couple of months.
"I resolve to clean up my finances. I'm not doing too badly, but spending seems to be just a little more than earning each year. I'd like to not only increase my net worth (which I did manage to do last year) but also to decrease unsecured debt. I wasn't doing too badly this year. Right up until we bought the new truck and horse trailer last month. Doh!"
  • Ok, why is there always a catastrophe at the end of the year? And why is it always vehicles? Last year, it was a perceived need for a new truck and horse trailer. This year, finances were bopping along, despite the "global economic decline" and I was set to pay off record amounts of debt. Then, mid-year, it became obvious that my daughters new car, for which I've been making the payments for over a year, would never be affordable for her, not ever again. Then, in the last month or so, the only solution became obvioius. Daddy eats repossesses the car and eats the debt. So, when all is said and done, a car worth about $8,000 comes to me at a cost of $24,000. There goes the progress I made this year. Ooops.
"I resolve to be nicer to my partner. Things have been looking up - meaning that I've been less of a jerk. But things could still improve. A lot. And, although it would be nice if she participated, I can make a lot of the improvements on my own, just working on bettering my personal behaviour."
  • Opinion is divided on this one. I think I'm doing ok. She's not so sure. Which means she's right...
"I resolve to be a little more conscientious at work. Can't really say anything more on this one without getting fired."
  • I've tried. Mostly failed. Can't really say anything more on this one without getting fired. Maybe next year.
"I resolve to get both my Nitrox and Dry Suit certifications through PADI. Unlike the above resolutions, these are quite specific and largely frivolous. They fall under the "why the hell not" category."
  • Didn't bother. It seems that fate is conspiring to make every hobby somehow related to horses or poultry or hounds or some other livestock that produces pooh. As yet, it is impractical to take any of these animals with me on scuba trips.
So, do I just rationalize by saying "It's the thought that counts"? Nope, it's not the thought that counts. It's the results. However, no matter that I failed to meet the resolutions, I'm better off than if I had not tried to meet them at all. So, even in failure, there is improvement. That is my solace.

Next year, simple resolution:

  • "At all times and in all situations, try to do what is best."
Entirely unprovable - either in success or failure. Awesome.

05 January 2011

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