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Retro #3 + Prospective: Resolutions

Disclaimer: Written after an evening involving alcoholic intake … E&OE …


How conventional, that the first entry of 2007 should be about New Year's Resolutions. Before I get to 2007, I'm not really done with 2006. Here is an excerpt from January 13, 2006:

I found myself at Homo Depot around lunch time on New Year's Eve. If memory serves, I had skipped breakfast that day thinking vaguely that I'd be stuffing myself will all manner of food and drink later in the day. Of course, by lunch I was starving. I wandered over to the Harvey's lunch counter. When asked what I wanted on my burger, I responded as I always do … "Everything, extra pickle". In some ways, I'm so predictable.

I sat down at one of those little plastic table/chair things and unwrapped my prize burger, piled high with goodies. Somewhere around the second bite of a Harvey's burger with "everything, extra pickle", the juices from all the condiments and the extra pickle can't help but start running down one's palm, trickling down the wrist and eventually the forearm unless you are quick with the napkin. Eating an "everything, extra pickle" burger can be a full body experience, if you let it, involving all the senses. If you let it.

I decided then and there that I wanted this to be my theme for 2006 – I want an "everything, extra pickle" kind of year. When this year is over, I want to have to take a shower from being covered with all the run-off from the tasty, indulgent, spontaneous treats I discover. Especially the tangy pickles that cross my path.

It was a tangy juicy year with, at times, rather more red meat than I had anticipated. 🙂 I don't have an image for 2007 yet – I see it took me almost two weeks into 2006 to articulate an image for that year, so stay tuned. I realize, though, that I'm still rather fond of the "everything, extra pickle" image.

I don't usually make solid resolutions – but I do have a couple this year.

Go to the gym 3x a week. Gawd, that is boring as shit. Me and 200,000,000 other North Americans deciding, simultaneously, to work out more. But I've realized that one doesn't play hockey to get into shape – one has to get into shape in order to play hockey well – and I am NOT happy with the shape I'm in at the moment.

Less e, more me. We've known for years that, psychologically, if a person is reading text on a screen and the text is left open to interpretation, most people will immediately pick the most negative interpretation available. For example, without any  inflection, body language, or auditory/visual clues, a phrase like "Nice to hear from you," can be read a wide variety of ways, including as being imbued with sarcasm.  When I think of all the e-mails, instant messaging, text messaging that I do – it is no wonder that I find myself feeling isolated and unsure from time to time. This is really a double whammy because while I am automatically assuming the negative interpretation, I am overlooking the possibilities of the positive interpretations that are available. By choosing "e" communication, I'm drastically reducing the ability of the person I'm attempting to communicate with to give me positive non-verbal feedback. I've started to shift some of my interpersonal communciations back to phone calls, and I'm already noticing how much better I feel. Less "e", more me = more phone, more face-to-face.

Remember to consider the source. Too often, I take in others' words – critiques, opinions, offers of advice -  as gospel truths. I'd be a healthier person if I took a moment to remember that others are as human, and thus as fallible, as I am.

Carry on. I like the trends that were established in 2006 … my main message to myself … carry on!

Happy New Year!

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One comment to “Retro #3 + Prospective: Resolutions”

  1. Your "everything, extra pickle" story brought a smile to my face. I like your approach. (And I love pickles too.)

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