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You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Belated New Year’s Resolutions (Open Thread)

Belated New Year’s Resolutions (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker|  January 4, 201612:40 pm| 61 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics, Open Threads

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Did you make any? Here are my top three:

1. Read more books and less inane blather on the Internet.
2. Get more exercise — not just walking the dogs!
3. Don’t eat so much junk.

Four days in, I’ve done well with #1 and #2. I need to work harder at #3 already, but it should be easier now that I’m done dispensing holiday baked goods for a few months.

Open thread!

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Reader Interactions

61Comments

  1. 1.

    rk

    January 4, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    I’ve never made New Years resolutions in my life. Even as a child I saw no point to them. I was a strange child.

  2. 2.

    Emerald

    January 4, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    Aha! Here’s my opportunity! Last night I gave the Balloon Juice community a little gift, but few people saw it.

    I have made for you a nifty jigsaw puzzle of Steve: Cat of Balloon Juice!

    Chose “Start a New Game” to begin. On the bottom right-hand corner is an icon to make it full screen.

    Notice the satisfying “click” when you place a piece! Notice that on the bottom left hand corner there are icons which give you controls, such as the background color or the option to ghost the pic.

    This is on the Jigsaw Planet website, which is entirely free! You can use their puzzles or make your own very easily, as I did with John’s great pic of Steve.

    Enjoy!

  3. 3.

    germy

    January 4, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    Cat’s new year’s resolution

  4. 4.

    JCJ

    January 4, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    @Emerald:

    I did it last night! Thanks!

  5. 5.

    Poopyman

    January 4, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    Just one New Year’s resolution – the same one every year:

    Don’t make any New Year’s resolutions.

  6. 6.

    MomSense

    January 4, 2016 at 12:54 pm

    I share your 2nd and 3rd resolutions. I’ve also added more sleep and find a new job to my list. We’ll just do the best we can.

  7. 7.

    MuckJagger

    January 4, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    I resolve to get one year older.

  8. 8.

    Shell

    January 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    Who says holiday baked goods are junk? Sacrilege!

  9. 9.

    maurinsky

    January 4, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    I have resolved to learn about music theory, to try to continue and build on my good habits, and try to reduce my bad habits, and to be more like Mister Rogers.

  10. 10.

    The Republic, Blah Blah Blah...

    January 4, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    Well damn…

    After reading the 8th comment above, I see I’ve already blown your 1st resolution off, Betty…

    My bad…

  11. 11.

    benw

    January 4, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    @MuckJagger: that’s the worst resolution to fail at.

  12. 12.

    RSR

    January 4, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    This year, I haven’t formalized any resolutions yet, although I do have a one month health kick start commencing on Saturday. I’m waiting until the day after my wife’s campaign fundraiser Friday (She’s running for president of her teachers’ union.) and taking me four weeks through to Superbowl Sunday.

    A couple years ago, I made a resolution to travel more, and although it took until 2015 to really get going, I visited many new places, states, and even managed an overseas trip with the whole family last year. (My boys’ choir went ‘on tour’ in Spain for two weeks last year around Easter.)

  13. 13.

    Poopyman

    January 4, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    @maurinsky: Mistah Rogers, he dead.

  14. 14.

    Snarkworth

    January 4, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    My resolution is to continue my sloth and gluttony, but at a higher level of proficiency.

  15. 15.

    NotMax

    January 4, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    inane blather on the Internet.

    Hey, we resemble that remark!

    :)

  16. 16.

    RaflW

    January 4, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    Read more books and less inane blather on the Internet.

    So you’re not going to be moderating here any more?

  17. 17.

    Eric U.

    January 4, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    I don’t make resolutions, but I want to revert to the norm as far as exercise and weight go. I’m reasonably good at losing weight as long as I pay attention to my food intake. And I had so many things to do over the last 2 years that I wasn’t exercising as regularly as I like. So I’m going back to that.

    I do have one resolution: procrastinate less. Really hard to measure that, so I can guarantee success

  18. 18.

    Paul in KY

    January 4, 2016 at 1:17 pm

    I’ve started training, as ‘Festival Season’ starts in early May (Shakey Knees in Atlanta).

    Increased walking, cutting out non-fruit desserts, minimal starches. Smaller portions.

    Will be damn happy when that 1st fest rolls around (no diet while at Fest).

  19. 19.

    Paul in KY

    January 4, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    @germy: They know my cats!

  20. 20.

    Seanly

    January 4, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    I didn’t make resolutions per se, but I’m trying to get more exercise & eat better as my doctor is threatening me with going on insulin if I don’t get my A1C back down. About the only thing she was happy about was that I had gotten a FitBit – she said she has seen several people make good improvements after getting those.
    I don’t recommend getting diabetes…

  21. 21.

    Mnemosyne

    January 4, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    I need to get back on the low FODMAPs program and figure out exactly which ones I’m sensitive to. The holidays have not been kind to my digestion. Also, exercise, even though I hate it.

  22. 22.

    Arclite

    January 4, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    – Drink beer only on Fri or Sat.
    – Run 3-4 times per week
    – Strength train 3 times / week
    – Start running distance events again
    – Lose 25 lbs
    – Meditate daily

    A lot of this I’ve done before, even recently but got out of the habit once the holidays hit this year. Got to get back to it.

  23. 23.

    catclub

    January 4, 2016 at 1:26 pm

    @Eric U.: There was a post at LGM on Habitica.

    Autostraddle has “banged the drum on Habitica so many times,”

    I felt so efficient for getting up practically every morning – and brushing my teeth.

  24. 24.

    Mnemosyne

    January 4, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    @Seanly:

    Ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietician (NOT a nutritionist!) An RD will probably be at least partially covered by insurance. S/he should be able to help you come up with a better way of eating that fits you. My friend with a strong family history of Type 2 went vegan, but that’s pretty easy to do in So Cal.

    Also, if you do the diet and exercise thing faithfully and your numbers don’t improve, have your doctor check you for late-onset Type 1 (aka Type 1.5 or LADA). A subset of adult patients actually have LADA and not Type 2, but you won’t know unless you try diet and exercise first.

  25. 25.

    Brachiator

    January 4, 2016 at 1:30 pm

    I resolved one year not to make any New Year resolutions. Kept that one pretty good.

    But apart from that, I just want to get through this year a little healthier and happier.

    Are there any elections or anything like that coming up this year? :)

  26. 26.

    Gin & Tonic

    January 4, 2016 at 1:31 pm

    One of the most annoying things about the whole concept of New Year’s resolutions is all those new faces (and bodies) that will be crowding the gym for the next 4-6 weeks until things get back to normal.

  27. 27.

    BGinCHI

    January 4, 2016 at 1:31 pm

    1. Use less profanity.
    2. Drink more water.
    3. Take Poland in the spring.
    4. Learn the chords to “Bitchin’ Camaro.”

  28. 28.

    mdblanche

    January 4, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    These substitutions won’t make the inane blather on the internet less inane, but they’ll at least make it funnier to read.

  29. 29.

    Paul in KY

    January 4, 2016 at 1:34 pm

    @Seanly: My dad has the kind where he takes glimepiride/metformin twice a day & we have to monitor blood sugar & he is on a special diet. He’s very good natured about it, but sure misses some of the stuff he can’t eat.

  30. 30.

    Punchy

    January 4, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    @Arclite: If you stick to bullets #2 and #4, you’ll hit and almost certainly surpass #5. I did this 2 years ago and dropped 18kg. Interestingly, I also share bullet #1 and #6, which is also known as swimming and staring at a black line for an hour.

  31. 31.

    Marc

    January 4, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    Inbox Zero Nerd Merit Badge is my goal. I’ve four email accounts, and I really need to get the flow of ‘stuff’ down to a reasonable level. Each morning when I fire up my email client, 10 – 30 new ones pop up, and I read only a few – leaving the rest for ‘later’ (which rarely happens). If I can hit the goal once, I’ll be happy.

  32. 32.

    benw

    January 4, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    @BGinCHI: it’s only got, like, three chords, and watch out for Russia in the winter!

  33. 33.

    Ohio Mom

    January 4, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    @Seanly: This might be the wrong thing to say to you but my husband found going on insulin was not as bad as he had feared. It’s really working for him — he’s using a disposable pump.

    Certainly one of the crappiest parts of diabetes is that you can do everything right as far as diet, exercise, reducing stress and the like, and it can still progress. Has a mind of its own.

  34. 34.

    peach flavored shampoo

    January 4, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Good lord, THIS.

    In the course of 3 days, suddenly I’m waiting to board a Stairmaster instead of having my pick of ’em. Gym towels go from overarching stacks o’ plenty to completely gone. Sweaty bastards. The gym now resembles the opening of Red Dawn.

  35. 35.

    BGinCHI

    January 4, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    @benw: I know, but you have to play them in the right order. Mostly.

    My favorite stanza:

    I ran over some old lady
    One night at the county fair
    And I didn’t get arrested
    Because my dad’s the mayor.

  36. 36.

    schrodinger's cat

    January 4, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    My resolutions:

    1. Post more regularly on my blog ( Your opinions, I want them)
    2. Teach myself Modi cursive script ( script version of Marathi). There are thousands of manuscripts in Modi going unread because too few people can read it.
    3. Run a 5K by my birthday in April and 10k by the end of summer

  37. 37.

    schrodinger's cat

    January 4, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Take Poland in the spring

    Good one.
    Inspired by BGinCHI and Bajirao,

    Take Delhi by spring.

  38. 38.

    Prescott Cactus

    January 4, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    3) Less junk food. Check

    2) More Exercise. Check.

    1) More books and less internet. Chec

  39. 39.

    Face

    January 4, 2016 at 1:49 pm

    Take Delhi by spring.

    If you succeed, I suspect they’ll just make a New Delhi.

  40. 40.

    Schlemazel

    January 4, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    I have never made a nye resolution before but comment #8 made me change my ways. I hereby resolve to finally figure out how to make the pie filter work on chromebook so I never see that stupid asshole again. Even when said asshole has something interesting to post they turn out only shit, that is all any asshole does.

  41. 41.

    Punchy

    January 4, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    @Prescott Cactus:

    1) Go to Prague. Czech
    2) Pay off a bill via mail. Check
    3) Get an autograph from a KU basketball player. Cheick

  42. 42.

    schrodinger's cat

    January 4, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    @Face: New Delhi is the capital, so it will have to be the New New Delhi.

  43. 43.

    Mike J

    January 4, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    @BGinCHI: When I was in HS, I had an after school job at a mom & pop computer store. They used to put ads in Computer Shopper and do some mail order. A customer from Puerto Rico called irate because we shipped his package UPS air instead of ground. He kept explaining to me that Puerto Rico was part of the United States and he shouldn’t have to pay anything extra to have things shipped to him, and I kept explaining that Puerto Rico is an island and shipping things on trucks is very tricky. Which is what I always think of when I hear Bitchin’ Camero.

    I always preferred Punk Rock Girl, but Born to Love Volcanoes anyways rubbed me the wrong way. Don’t contribute to any charity unless it’s to solve the current worst problem in the world, which will change as soon as you decide to help with that.

  44. 44.

    Germy

    January 4, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    Anyone know anything about the late ’70s/early ’80s band Suburban Lawns?

  45. 45.

    SIA

    January 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm

    @Emerald: How cool! I’ll give it a shot. Thanks for the BJ commentaria (snarling jackals) gift!

  46. 46.

    Felonius Monk

    January 4, 2016 at 2:16 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Take Poland in the spring.

    Would that be a Blitz-BGinCHI?

  47. 47.

    Mike J

    January 4, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    @Germy: I remember their existence, but they were just a little before I started seeing bands in clubs.

  48. 48.

    BGinCHI

    January 4, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    @Mike J: Your memoirs are going to be good.

    And yeah, the Milkmen are best had in small doses.

  49. 49.

    gene108

    January 4, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    3. Take Poland in the spring.

    Good luck.

    Germany tried late summer / early fall of 1939 and it didn’t end well for them.

    My advice: Do. Not. Invade. Russia.

    Too big. Too cold.

  50. 50.

    Central Planning

    January 4, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    Read less BJ at work. Well, that resolution is out the window.

  51. 51.

    Origuy

    January 4, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    2. Drink more water.
    3. Take Poland in the spring.

    Or just combine the two and drink Poland Spring water.

  52. 52.

    SiubhanDuinne

    January 4, 2016 at 2:42 pm

    @Punchy:

    :-)

  53. 53.

    Mnemosyne

    January 4, 2016 at 2:42 pm

    Also:

    Talk less. Smile more.
    /A. Burr

  54. 54.

    SiubhanDuinne

    January 4, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    My resolution: Laugh more.

  55. 55.

    Prescott Cactus

    January 4, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    @Punchy:

    Nicely played !
    4) Play defensive hockey. Check

    5) Play chess. Check

  56. 56.

    grandpa john

    January 4, 2016 at 4:07 pm

    @Ohio Mom: For many of us unfortunate souls with Diabetes,(runs heavily in my paternal family) the insulin pump is one of mans finest inventions.

  57. 57.

    Heliopause

    January 4, 2016 at 4:30 pm

    I resolved to quadruple the number of Victoria’s Secret models that I regularly have sex with. So far so good.

  58. 58.

    schrodinger's cat

    January 4, 2016 at 4:39 pm

    @Heliopause: 4*0=0

  59. 59.

    BGinCHI

    January 4, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    @Origuy: Oblique Seinfeld reference lost on everyone.

    le sigh

  60. 60.

    Satby

    January 4, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    @Emerald: Ok that’s very cool but very hard. I’m going to send that link to a friend who loves jigsaw puzzle games. Thanks!

  61. 61.

    stinger

    January 4, 2016 at 11:37 pm

    @Emerald: That was fun, thanks!

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