New Years Resolutions And What Not with the B(*&(*^S

I've overheard numerous conversations about New Year's resolutions and how many folks tried to start something new already in 2009, but it's failed miserably. The assorted stories were about exercising, losing weight, trying new food types, or doing something different, but it appeared that most people had already given up on the ideas just six days into the year. I haven't done resolutions for years, mostly because I suck at them, and so I've tried a different tact.

Resolutions are meant with the best intent, as people look at the end of year, realize they want to do something different and so resolve to do that something at the start of the year. I spent many New Years Eve, drinking and partying, and coming up with drunken ideas to find my soul mate, get a better paying job, get rid of my expanding gut, get hair surgery, and most all of them failed by the time the Super Bowl kicked off later that month. For some of the ideas, it involved a lot more effort that I first realized and I gave up, but some of them were doomed to fail by an extra factor I have with some folks.

See, when Christmas passed and then the New Years Ball drops, for most people it's the end of the year and a start of something new. For me, it's one more day until my birthday hits, so I get the added pressure of realizing that I'm a year older while dealing with all of the new year stuff. Mind you, adding the year is great when you are 10 years old and wanting to hit double digits in age, but when you're turning 30 and things haven't quite turned out the way you expected them to and you're not sure what to do next, the new year and birthday thing just adds a double whammy. Granted, it's not a great excuse, but it's the same one that many people use when they join gyms at the start of the year, resolving to get in better shape, and then by February, they can't remember where their gym is. Try as people might, they want to do different things, but sometimes they resolve themselves to follow in the footsteps of their parents or friends.

Resolutions fail when there is negative energy behind them. What I mean is that if you try doing something simply to avoid a possible downfall or you are motivated by being scared of being alone, fat, bald or something like that, motivation will only work to a certain point. When you feel less threatened or the alcohol has worn off a bit, suddenly even the best ideas lose that necessity factor, and then it's another task that fell by the wayside. I didn't want to be alone at 30, but it was my circumstance, and now being where I'm at now, I appreciate my wife that much more realizing where I was and where I am now. The circumstances behind the change were a lot different.

Change fails when it's too nondescript to be measured or so far beyond realistic, it's doomed to fail, which means most resolutions will die out because they are set up that way. "I want to lose weight" is a noble intention, but too nondescript to really be measured in a meaningful or motivating way. "I want to lose weight because I want to meet Gillian Anderson in London during my summer holiday" is a bit more descriptive, but the chances of this happening for most of us is the same as being struck by lightning, winning the lottery, or being given our own reality show. It might happen, but more than likely, a certain path of extraordinary things must occur for it to fall in place. And while I believe in karma and fate, even those powerful forces have their limits.

My resolutions that have worked are placed when I am in a positive place, whenever that may be. I realize that something needs to be changed, and being more open and positive, it's not immediately dismissed. Then, I try and make the resolution something quantifiable, but also attainable. This blog really started as a resolution for me to write more creatively. I love my writing career now, but it's much more entertaining writing this at times than writing about the process flow of comparing data bits from the consumer resolution survey with the entire databank of customer records. See, I put you to sleep there just by having you read that sentence. Mind you, my job isn't boring, but I also know that in my best writing there, it's for a limited audience. So my resolution is to write at least once a week in my blog. It's easy, attainable, and the most important thing is that I don't beat myself up if I miss a week now and then. It happens, we all get busy, but because the change is associated with positive vibes, it has a greater chance of success.

Look, I'm a statistics guy, and some people will make change work under the worst of circumstances, but I will say the likelihood is small. But it's possible, and that's all that you have to keep in mind. And for me, sometimes, even I forget that as I deal with the day to day trials of living. We're all human, and sometimes, it's remembering that fact that helps us realize how special life can be.

Meanwhile, in the land of delusion labeled the BCS, apparently now legal action has been threatened because of the perceived inequity of the system. Utah is unhappy, and so they use the one thing we've learned in this country to solve differences, sue somebody. I swear that I hear the voice of Doug Llewellyn's voice saying "Don't take the law into your own hands, you take them to court" as I read things like this. I get that people are starting to get angry over this, even having our soon to be inaugurated President weigh in on things, and I don't think there is anyone that would agree the current system is completely fair. The BCS says we'll get the number one and two teams together to play for a title, and the rest is a mish-mash of rules, conference tie ins, and money flying about. It doesn't produce a clear mandate unless you have two teams that are undefeated, as long as they belong to the right conference, and if not, then it's a crapshoot.

But I'm tired of the whining and frustration, simply because you are fighting a losing battle here. Despite yelling, writing letters, suing, or whatever, the BCS won't change because it has no incentive to do anything different. People bitch about the system, yet games are still selling out for large ticket prices, and TV ratings are near the top of the rankings for each game, and sponsors continue to make good money. Gee, why would you want to change this at all, because it works if you are within the system. If you really want to mess with the system, don't watch the game and encourage your friends to do the same. Don't buy the sponsored products, and choose another show or activity to watch. If enough people affected the bottom line, it would get them to notice.

Look, logically speaking, a playoff would work and makes sense for every other NCAA division in football but the top, and the powers that be would make more money in a playoff then they currently do, and it would cause excitement beyond what is going on now. But if the system isn't broken according to the guys in charge, why would they try and fix it? Sounds like another broken resolution that slipped away like confetti after New Years.

I'm F&(^*ing Tired...

It's been a long weekend, and I'm fucking tired. All the way down to my core, I'm exhausted, but tomorrow the work week starts and I'll be at my desk ready to face the day. Seriously, I don't call in sick to work ever, instead working from home on days when I'm not 100 percent. It's not like my jobs are ones that make life or death decisions or deal with millions of dollars, as the only stress that is associated with most things I deal with is the personalities of my fellow workers. For me, I just go in because I'm committed to my job and feel I need to be there because it's important. Call it a work ethic, call it insanity, but it is what it is. I've been told that I should try and slow down a bit, but seriously, I work to allow me the things I want to live for, not live to work so when I'm not there, I tend to be rather busy.

Friday night, girl and I came home after her first day of teaching, and she was exhausted. She doesn't sleep much before her first school day simply because of excitement, but she also wasn't feeling 100 percent and so our plans on Friday of going to the gym and eating healthy were replaced with watching the presidential debate and eating massive amount of Italian food. The debate didn't change my mind about anything, expect to reinforce my choice of candidate. Traditional debates usually have some structure and decorum to them, Friday's discussion was fast, angry and rather chippy, which is really what politics nowadays is all about. If you can't convince someone to vote for your guy, then at least throw enough mud on the other person to make your guy look good by comparison. Between single issue interest and special interest concerns, a lot of people are cynical about politics, but my thoughts are read up and make a decision based on your own research. I read multiple sites before determining anything to vote on, simply because this allows me to see all sides on an issue. And voting is important, because that is your voice about how things are going in your neighborhood, state, and country. It's important to show up...because if not, I don't think complaining will change much of anything...OR...

You miss history, which is what happened on Thursday night in Corvallis. The Oregon State Beavers, given about as much chance to win their game versus Southern California as Ralph Nader has of becoming the 44th president of the United States, shocked the world with a complete effort and knocked off the previously unbeaten and number one ranked Trojans. There were some complaints before the game, as there were seats available right up until near kickoff. I know it's a Thursday and work is there, but this is the number one team in the land, and if you are a true fan, you show up to support your side no matter what. Because things like Thursday happen, and I found myself sucked in to this even with premiers of the Office and My Name is Earl on television that night. The fun thing about sports is that sometimes you see the amazing, the unexpected, the crazy, and Thursday was a front row seat to all things crazy. The Trojans may have more talent and more players with expensive pedigrees on their team, but the Beavers simply took it to them. And we aren't talking about a fluke win with a last second play, but the Beavers simply ran over them and outplayed them in every way. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

Saturday, girl and I watched our beloved Hammers win again, and then we continued our painting escapade upstairs. We are almost done with painting a room upstairs in our favorite teams' colors, and it will be the envy of all rooms, but for now, it's just a brightly painted room that has furniture under drop clothes. I also got a haircut from girl so my hair is now rather short, not quite a buzz cut but close. I'm losing my hair and getting more forehead than I've had, and during a recent trip, a couple of folks pointed out that I might like shaving my hair shorter. Well, girl took it on last night, and she did a great job and so far I like it. It's a bit different in the sense that I scratch my head and there's not a lot of hair in the way, plus in playing footy today, my head felt a bit warmer without cover. But the change seems to be OK, and so we'll stick with it.

Sunday, our outdoor team played and lost again, while I left at halftime to go to a first birthday party for some friends' child. He was a fussy, funny baby, who was more fascinated with smashing Doritos than eating cake, but the fact that I could be there for his first birthday was touching, and I'm glad to have been there. Yeah, it was a nice day and I might have enjoyed running about more playing footy, but I was where I needed to be, at the party. I think sometimes with my schedule, it's busy but then again it's simply being where I need to be for the people that I care about. It takes discipline and great time management skills to be everywhere that we need to be, but simply put, I'd rather be living out in the world than sitting at home wondering or getting prepared for work the next day. I'll take doing things over that any day...