"And here's a hand (or review) my trusty friend" (New Year's Resolutions)

Member Name: MarcoG

Product:	New Year's Resolutions
Date:	30/01/09 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Resolutions can motivate

Disadvantages: They can also demoralise

As we get past Christmas, and end up in that weird void like transition until we get to New Year's Eve, I often have a think about resolutions. In the past, I've often wondered, what exactly is the point? Do we ever make a resolution that we are still consciously trying to stick to right up into November time? Or are they more of a whim like thought, only to last two or three weeks? In all honesty, I think the latter. My approach to resolutions, is to regard them more as taking a different direction, or trying something different, and seeing what happens.

I know many people who resolute that they will lose weight, and a month in, you end up enjoying takeaways, or watching a film with a tub of Ben & Jerrys and a couple of bottles of wine thrown in for good measure. Either they weren't fully briefed on what a 'New Year's Resolution' is, or they have the will power of an amoeba (which I'm guessing isn't very high). I find the process of making an realistic resolution, only for it to be broken, demoralising...and in someways more harmful, than had you just left it, and got on with your New Year celebrations.

"52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals."

For a lot of people I know, 2008 was quite hard, and it would seem that with us now (officially) being 'in recession', 2009 isn't going to be that wonderful either. So, I'm resoluting not to make a resolution, but to make some choices that I think would better my life and try to stick to them. So, what better way to put my thoughts in order, than to write a lovely jubbly 'review' about them:

"Tradition states that you make resolutions on New Year's day to become a better person. Statistics say that by February, you will have broken more than 90 percent of the resolutions you made."

My Resolutions are:
1) Fitness
For the past three or so years, I have been a regular at my gym. A year or so in, I found that I enjoy the classes more than trying to motivate myself to do another boring half hour on the treadmill. Since spending a lot of 2008 in America, I wasn't able to attend my regular classes, or find any that I particularly enjoyed stateside. I settled on going for random jogs, or taking advantage of the MASSIVE gym at the Ohio State University (just up the road from where we live) which is home to around 60,000+ students. Needless to say with it's multiple exercise rooms, I would do well there. However, throw in a bit of travelling, the habit of using the gym dwindled. I would still go for random jogs, but it just wasn't enough, and slowly my body was getting slower and sluggish. Can you blame me? Who would want to spend hours jogging around Albuquerque, at high altitudes, in the high heat, when I could spend my time 'exercising' in the pool (those were the days). Anyway, I'm back in the UK now, and will be for a good chunk of 2009. So, I want to get back my good levels of fitness. I have casual membership at my gym, but it's too easy to skip a class as I'm not paying a monthly fee, so wouldn't be missing out financially. How am I doing so far into January? I've signed myself up to full on membership again, and am back to my 3 classes a week routine (my body certainly felt it a few weeks ago, let me tell you!) and I don't plan to skip any, without a good reason...paying direct debit, makes me want to get the most out of my fee...if I go at least 10 times a month, I would be paying around £3 per class, instead of the fiver, had I gone on casual membership...so the direct debit gives me that extra push of motivation to get more from my money, and more fitness back into my bod. So far, the fitness 'resolution' is going strong.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?"

2) Charity
I always have a direct debit going to charity. For the past few years, I have given to NSPCC and Scope, but more recently decided to give all my donations to Scope. When my cousin was born (nearly 18 years ago now) he was starved of oxygen for almost half an hour, the consequence of this, was that a large portion of his brain died. The result of which, once he was fully resusitated, was that he had severe Cerebral Palsy, meaning he can't talk or walk. Scope (formally known as the Spastic Society), is a charity that helps achieve equality for people with Cerebral Palsy. Obviously, this is a charity close to my heart, but seeing how much pain and trauma my family were put through trying to come to terms with what had happened, learning to care for him, I can't think of a better charity, for me, to give to. My family adapted very well, and care for him with enough love and support to light a thousand football pitches a million times over. I am going to stick to supporting Scope, but this year, but I still want to give more to charity. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I can increase my financial support, as I just can't afford it, so I plan to give my time instead. I am in the process of filling out application forms to work as a volunteer for a charity quite local to me, that supports victims of abuse (on many different levels). I don't want to go too far into details as I haven't had an interview or any formal discussions about it, so that exact work might not happen...but that's my plan. I want 2009 to be the year that I keep my financial support for charities, but also help further by giving my time.

"For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne"

3) Keeping in touch
I'm terrible at keeping in touch with distant friends. I often think about people who I haven't seen for a while, then I wonder what they're up to...then tend to leave it at that. So many people pass by your life and it would be silly to keep in touch with each and every one of them. But even those who I hold dear and fond, even pass my radar of dropping an email or a text. Two years ago next week, my very good friend from university passed away. We kept in touch over email and MSN quite a lot (this was before facebook, believe it or not) but never actually got round to organising a weekend trip to mine or her town, or just to hang out. Whilst I think our level of communication was good, I sometimes think, what if I had lost someone else too, and never got round to getting in touch before it was too late. Life is short, so I want to try and make a conscious effort to keep in touch with special people and not let our friendships be taken for granted.

"We twa hae run aboot the braes
And pou'd the gowans fine;
we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne"

4) Recycle
I need to do this much more. Bizarre as it may sound, there is no recycling provision for the flats where I live (that's local councils for you, they bang on about trying to justify the expense of council tax and don't offer such a basic facility as a green or brown bin), so to recycle, I have to go to a local depot or supermarket. Sometimes there just isn't enough time in my life to worry about taking that plastic bottle down to the depot, when I can just pop in with the rest of the rubbish. I don't think this is really good enough anymore. Whilst critics say there is no point recycling to the extent that the media says we should, as jobs are being reduced and the waste will mount up as much as a regular waste site, I think it's more of a personal thing if anything. The thought of all that pollution and waste building up, pretty much scares me, and by me taking just a bit more effort than usual to do my bit, plays more comfortably on my mind, than had I not.

"We two hae paidled i' the burn,
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne"

5) Write more.
I love to write, but I never do enough of it. The motivation comes in waves. One week I'll be sat at my computer bashing out whatever comes to mind from general thoughts to reviews, then the next week the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer typing. I used to write everything on paper, filling books with random ideas, poems, short stories and the like...but something has happened to make me choose a Word document, over a piece of paper and pen...urgh, technology! So, my next set of efforts is primarily about making more conscious efforts to write. I've been working on a story (I use the word story and not novel or book, as I hate it when people refer to themselves as writing a book...because they're not, they're writing a story, that one day might go in a book...call me pedantic?) since 2000, and I've only really gotten as far as 10 chapters. The problem is, the history of the characters and the timeline history is taking me longer to figure out than the main bulk of it. I would love to tell you everything about it, but a) I would bore you, b) I don't know where to start and c) It's probably just a load of rubbish anyway. Haha...but it keeps me amused. I'm also doing a story share with a friend, which is hilarious. We take it turns to write a paragraph or two. So just as you think you are taking the story to one place, it ends up in completely another. I'm really enjoying it. One day I would like to publish some material, but I'm in no rush. I'm happy posting reviews and ramblings on Ciao and Dooyoo for the moment.

"And here's a hand, my trusty friend,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne"

6) Read more.
Well, I want to improve my writing (as well as the amount of time I spend doing it) and the only logical way I can do that myself, is to read more. On average, I probably only read about 20 books a year, and only 2% of those are probably non-fiction. I have stacks and stacks of books on my list to read, but I'm just too slow. I always tend to read a similar style of book too. No more! I must expand on this, I must, I must (he says whilst dramatic pulling at his hair). I read a lot of reviews, but whilst they're good...they're not exactly a Simon Schama are they? I've always wanted to join a book club, maybe that would increase and widen my readership? I could join in on Richard & Judy's Book Club, but after reading one of their selection last year ('The Time Traveller's Wife') and finding it duller than Dull McDull the Dull Duck (he's very dull), I would rather hope to steer clear of old Rich and Jude.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?"

7) Spend wisely.
I've always been good at cutting back on what I buy in weekly or monthly supermarket shopfests. I've started using a lot of own brand foods and even 'value' brands (oh the shame...they're actually not that bad...well, some) which I find helpful in my endeavour to save money. But the problem comes when I pass a HMV with a sale on. I am automatically drawn in, and before I know it, I'm picking up CDs and DVDs on sale and heading to the cashdesks. I know it makes more sense to borrow the music from a friend, or listen to the radio more, or even download the music (is it me or are downloads getting cheaper these days?) but there's something about having the CD in my hands, being able to touch and flick through the album artwork/booklet. Its not just CDs and DVDs...I go into London far more often than I can afford. I've started to drive in and park at a friend's house. Whilst it saves me about a tener in the end, I still feel a pang of guilt at driving and making the CO2 levels rise just that little bit higher. Then, when I get to London, I'll inevitably meet someone I know, then go for drinks, then before I know it I'm at the theatre, then a few more drinks, then a late night restaurant, then a stay somewhere...then on my way home, I can calculate that I've spent well over £100 in the space of 24 hours.
Other ways I need to cut back:
* Turn lights off and unnecessary electrical items. I saw a report on TV last week, mentioning that by keeping your TV/DVD/HiFi units on standby, you are wasting up to a £2 a week...which may not sound like much, but it adds up.
* I also intend to sign up to a cashback credit card. I use an airmiles one currently, that I pay off each month, but right now, I think one that gives back cold hard cash is my key here! If anyone knows of a good one, do let me know.
* Whilst on the subject of cashback, if I need to buy something (CDs...if I really, really feel that I can't live without it) I will do it online, through a cashback site, and save up some return from purchases.
* Keep using my clubcards. I've found Tesco's to be especially useful when it comes to going to restaurants or on the Eurostar. Generally, the points are worth up to 4 times the amount when not used in the Supermarket, that's a bargain in my book.
* Browse more charity shops, instead of going straight to the high street for new clothes (I draw the line at Trousers and Jeans though, I'm not going to wear another man's trews, thanks very much...unless they belong to David Beckham, of course).
* I need to join in more online activity that pays members and also do more mystery shopping type jobs, when time allows.

"For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne"

8) Enjoy life more
Of course, the hard part comes when you're trying to cut back and not go to the cinema for example. I think the biggest key is to enjoy yourself. I think there is too much money that can be saved for the sake of staying in and not seeing people, or being social. But, as even bigger key, is to take full advantage of the free things in life, such as walks, going to friends house for a cuppa and catch up, a natter on the phone with a loved one (if you both have Skype, then you can talk for free)...I'm sure the list is endless. Once in a while, I think it's important to treat yourself though...and maybe head to the cinema, or do whatever your indulgence entails.

In conclusion...
I read this statistic:
"Of those who do set resolutions:
* 34% set resolutions related to money
* 38% set resolutions related to weight
* 47% set resolutions related to self-improvement or education
* 31% set resolutions related to relationships"
Well, in some way or another, mine relate to all those things. Cor blimey, let's see how I do. But let's not forget, they're not 'resolutions', they're changes and paths I'm going to take in my life.

I also saw this on someone's 'resolution' list. It made me smile, so I thought I would finish off with it here:
"I will honor my body.
Each time I am frustrated with the way I look, I will remind myself that there are only eight top models in the world and all the rest of us are not that "perfect". Thus majority wins."

Thanks for reading :)

© MarcoG 2009

P.s. Happy 2009 x
(also on ciao)

Summary: Here's to a successful 2009