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With Firm Resolve

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New Year’s Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.

~Mark Twain

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.

~Benjamin Franklin


Glasses have been raised, lips have been kissed, the ball has dropped and the confetti of the past year lies desolate on the floor, waiting to be swept out with the old. Ask not for whom the bells tolls, 2011, it tolls for thee. With fanfare or without we have all passed together into the year 2012.

Some would have us believe that this is it for us, that our scheduled 366 day year will be cut short by a few days when the world ends. Piffle.

Stranger things have happened, to be sure, but my suspicions–and my hopes–lean towards those predictions being false and I predict we will find ourselves wishing one another a “Happy New Year” at this same Bat-time on this same Bat-channel* in 2013. In many ways I believe 2012 will be a rough year the world over. But I also believe that 2012 has the potential to deliver little joys and profound wonders if we resolve to lay hold of them.

People have various feelings about resolutions and the arbitrary nature of picking a day with which to make new promises to ourselves, particularly when we are wont to break them. I think it is just in my nature to look at January 1st with optimism, just like it is in my nature to not take my resolutions too seriously. Which may be the biggest contributing factor to why I rarely succeed in fulfilling them. I chose to keep things pretty simple last year with the goal setting and am going to hold to that track this year.

1. If I buy it, read it.

I was originally going to go with the “read what you own” goal but then I realized that this better fulfills what I want to be doing. I enjoy purchasing new books. I want to support the industry that I believe in, the authors who stir my imagination, and the local book stores which are an oasis from the stress of the world. But I don’t want to be a consumer who doesn’t consume. Over the last few years I have made significant changes to the way in which I budget and use my financial resources and that has resulted in far fewer books purchased. However the percentage of what I get read in any given year of what I have purchased that year remains low. It was 50% last year and though I did not keep track of my purchases this year I do know my percentage is much lower. At any rate, 65% of what I read this year were books already owned, borrowed from friends, or borrowed from the library. I would like to see that number creep up towards 75% as then I would be making significant inroads into reading what I already own.

2. Build more bookshelves.

I am recycling this resolution from last year as it is one of the things I truly hope to accomplish this year and despite first impressions it is not, to my mind, a failed resolution from 2011. We are a handful of months away from having paid off all or our credit card debt. Although we had the money on several occasions this past year to remodel our sun room, each time the opportunity presented itself we decided to sacrifice our wants in order to fill our need to get this debt monkey off our backs. And each time we made that choice it felt right. We’ve grown up. It is a good feeling. So may 2012 provide us with the means and the opportunity to fulfill this dream.

And that is it!

See, I said I was going to keep it simple.

Sure, I have the annual desires to improve my health as well as other personal goals that I will work towards in 2012, but in order to firmly resolve I thought it best to stick with those two for now.

2012 is going to be ugly at times. We will be inundated with election-speak and I strongly feel that the rhetoric will be more divisive this year than ever before. I hate politics with a passion and that hatred will be fueled all year long. “Intolerance”, a sometimes ugly word that I feel is often misused, is increasing and will increase. It is well and good to promote tolerance when people are agreeing with you, but 2012 will continue the trend which has already begun to justify “intolerant” speech and actions against people you don’t agree with. No one is immune. I pray we all practice what we preach and actually treat everyone with an equal measure of love, dignity and respect. The world economy is going to get worse. I am a card-carrying optimist, I really am, but I don’t believe things are getting better nor will it soon. BUT, it can get better for you if you make wise decisions, practice generosity, and don’t allow fear to dominate your thinking or decision making.

All these things and the other global and individual rough times that we have as part of life in the 21st century do not have to drag us down. They don’t have to cause us to despair. They don’t have to make us abandon integrity. We can treat everyone as we ourselves want to be treated. We can have a memorable and fulfilling 2012. I believe we WILL have a memorable and fulfilling 2012. Who’s with me?

When I wish you a “Happy New Year” this year please know that I mean it, not as a cast-off traditional saying, but as a declaration of my desire for you to have a year filled with joy and not tragedy, a year filled with love and not loneliness or loss, a year where the quality of your life isn’t determined by things you have no control over but instead is determined by your purposeful action towards contentment and satisfaction and joy in each and ever day.

I’ll be officially wrapping up 2011 tomorrow with my “Favorites” post.

I cannot wait to see what 2012 has in store for us! Off we go!

*I’m showing my age here with Adam West Batman references.

51 thoughts on “With Firm Resolve”

  1. I wish you and Mary and Tori the best year yet!

    sometimes it’s hard for me to grasp “time”.. (make that most of the time) when it was only “yesterday” that I walked into the gym of the elementary/ jr high and saw on the (quite small black and white tv) the Brooklyn Dodgers playing the New York Yankees…Roy Campanella was squatted down giving the hand signals to out the next player.. where did it all go?
    In High School I listened over the loud speakers when America first put man in space.. a whole 15 minutes…and that lead us to the moon. Where did it all go? When did my kids become adults? Where did my life go? How will I ever remember to write 2012 on a check, when it should only be in the 1960’s? and what does the future hold for those that will still be here 50 yrs from now?

    1. I feel that too, Deslily, although if popular theory is true time is moving by even more quickly for you than it is for me. Its odd to the things you can remember so very clearly. I remember being in elementary school when Reagan was shot. I recall high school practically grinding to a halt as we all watched the Challenger space shuttle tragedy over and over and over as all the news stations talked about it and discussed it and looped the tape to analyze it. I remember our first and only “false alarm” before Tori was born. Can even remember that I sat there beside Mary reading a Premiere magazine with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman on the cover promoting their film Far and Away. I’m thankful for all those memories, but wish time would just slow down.

  2. Happy New Year, Carl! I’m trying not to think about the sorts of politics that will come up this year. 2008 just about killed me. I’m trying to go into this year as optimistic as possible!

    1. Me too Amanda, and the rare occasions that I stumble across talk radio or watch the news since 2008 have made me sick. This may be the year that finally sees us ditching our land line so I won’t have to take those political phone calls.

      1. I missed most of the 2008 election coverage, because I was in Russia that fall. It was a nice break, lol.

  3. *raises hand and waves it frantically* I’m definitely with you!!! This was a wonderful post, Carl.

    And hey, I’m old right there with you. I probably shouldn’t admit this for fear of having things thrown at us, but in our hearts, Adam West will always be *the* Batman.

    I so hope that you and Mary and Tori have a year filled with contentment and joy, Carl!!!

    1. Adam West certainly was a fun part of my childhood. I liked campy humor even back then and I still consider all of them superheroes. I hadn’t read any comics and didn’t know any better. I actually met West at a convention years ago and had him autograph a bat-shaped weapon that a replica weapons dealer was selling. It involved a strange conversation in which West wondered aloud whether he felt comfortable signing his name to something that could be used to cut someone later on. I was understanding and was prepared to just get a picture signed and walk away when he suddenly decided he would sign it. Although it all happened relatively quickly, at the time it felt like it was taking forever as I sat and watched him have this moral/ethical debate with himself.

      Happy New Year to you and the rest of your family.

  4. Happy New Year everyone!!!

    Great resolutions! Your first one is one I adopted last year and did a pretty good with. I know my personel book buying went down in 2011 but my reading pleasure went up as I finally read some of those TBR books on my bookshelf that I kept meaning to get too. Which led to some great reads foremost of was Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I hope for more of that this year as well. Right now the only books I “must” buy both aren’t coming out until June.

    I also started a bookshelving project the last month of 2011. My wife and I decieded to start the process of converting our dining room into a library. Neither one of us have liked having so many of our books in the basement and/or in boxes. Over the last two years I have brought more bookshelves into the home and they have brought us both a lot of joy having more and more of our books out on display. I brought up the dining room conversion idea to her in Novemeber and she thought it was great. Over the years we’ve used the dining room for actual dining maybe once or twice a year. The rest of the year the dining room was used as an office / school work area. I proposed the library idea as a way to finally get all of our books on display and up out of the basement. Needless to say we are both excited by transforming that room this year. For now I will probably start with paint and some inexpensive book shelves but over time I hope to replace them with some nice one’s like the one I have in my living room. I also want to replace the main light fixture in the room as well this year.

    It will be a fun to see both of our projects progress this year my friend. Let me know if you need a hand some time with your project.

    1. Same to you, help is here if you need/want it. It will be fun to see how your library progresses and I think the idea is just a fantastic one.

      Some of your reading what was on your shelves prompted me to buy new books. I’m thinking specifically of The Name of the Wind and of The Way of Kings. Since both were AMAZING I have no complaints!

      Happy New Year to you and your family!!!

      1. LOL! So I’m the cause of you buying more books! No, Please don’t blame little ole innocent me. 😉

        Trust me a number of your posts have led to purchases of mine as well buddy. Most recently The Night Circus ( which I loved ) and Lightspeed Volume 1.

        We are such bad influences on each other. 🙂

  5. Happy New Year Carl, and to all your family too. Hope it is a good one.
    We’ve just had a couple of elections here so I guess we will be spared some of the political manoeuvring in 2012, or at least I hope so. Of course there is nothing but doom and gloom economically, but *shrug* what can you do but try and stay positive and thankful for what we have. After all there are plenty of people out there who would love to be as well off as us.

    1. I agree Fence. Bing Crosby’s rendition of “Count your Blessings” could be our theme song, especially in the uncertainty of this economy.

      Happy New Year to you and yours as well!

  6. Very admirable resolutions there, I like them. I’ve kept mine quite vague so there’s nothing specific with which I can let myself down! Here’s to a propserous 2012!

    1. Jamie, mine have gotten more and more vague each year. I’m at the point where I try to balance optimism with reality. I second your toast, a prosperous 2012 indeed!!!

  7. Hi Carl and Happy New Year to you too!
    I like your resolutions. I think I actually need to make a resolution to stop buying more books! I don’t think I can though, it’s like a mad compulsion of mine and I think it would just make me unhappy to not collect more! Maybe I should resolve to actually part with some that I’ve had for so long and still not read – I get to a point where I just know that I’m not going to read those books now so maybe I should give them away and clear up some shelf space. Having an actual library is something I would absolutely love but I’ll probably never get round to it – it would be nice to organise my books though.
    Will be starting my sci fi reading soon – going with Jules Verne first but I’ve also requested two Asimov’s from the Library – so will hopefully join your Foundation readalong.
    Lynn 😀

    1. I did that a few years back when we first started attacking our debt. I had several books I just knew I would never read at all and decided they needed a good home rather than just taking up shelf space, and I benefited by making a little money also.

      I hope you can join our Foundation readalong, it would be fun to have you. I’ve enjoyed reading books with you this past year. I started Foundation yesterday in the hopes of getting questions out to participants as early as I can this week.

      1. I will definitely join in your Foundation readalong – but, I’ve requested this book from the Library so will probably take a few days – I’ll have to put in some serious reading to catch up with the rest of you.
        Lynn 😀

    2. I have been parting with more and more books for the last year that I know I won’t get anytime in the next few years. A lot of it is that my desire to read them has changed since when I picked them. I have felt a lot better because of it. It’s kinda like a relief. I also feel like I give the book a chance again to fufill it’s purpose in life of someone getting to read it. I know that sounds kinda hokey but if I was a book I would love to travel from person to person being read. I would hate to be read once and then banished to a shelf or box for decades.

      1. Doesn’t sound hokey to me. That is the same reason why when I find old paperbacks of sf classics that haven’t been read I want to read them rather than leave them unbroken in. I want them to enjoy having a chance to be read.

  8. Happy New Year to all of you! I have a feeling that 2012 will be a year full of surprises! I applaud your resolutions. I’m with you: keep it simple! My resolution is to make another donation of books to SUNY at Buffalo. I’ve already donated 30,000 books, but I have a basement full of bulging bookshelves that need relief. Plus, I need a tax deduction!

    1. I would love to make a pilgrimage to Buffalo to see your first donation, it looked and sounded incredible! I think you need to fly me out there first to inspect your second donation to make sure it is up to snuff. LOL!

      I too think the year will be filled with surprises. Happy New Year to you George!

        1. I think I sent you that link to his collection at SUNY. Just the few samples they show on the site are massively impressive. They would never let us near them, we’d be drooling excessively before we ever got close.

  9. I really need to buy what I read, too… I started out last year doing very well, but it fizzled a bit later in the year…

  10. I love your first goal. If I didn’t already have 100s of unread books on my shelves, I would totally steal that. Maybe next year! 🙂

    1. I do too Trisha, which is why I need to be more cognizant when I buy something that I am actually going to read it sometime soon, otherwise it should stay on the shelf. Happy New Year!

  11. Happy New Year, Carl! I love how you’re keeping your goals so simple. I hope you accomplish everything.

  13. Happy New Year, Carl! I consider myself more of a “realist” than a solid “optimist” but I can’t help but feeling, political campaigns aside, 2012 is going to be a better year. (Of course, I feel that way every January 1st!) I don’t mind politics itself–I find it somewhat fascinating–but I can’t stand the campaigning and all the deception the surrounds it. Why can’t truth in advertising apply to politicians? And I’m in a traditional battleground state… Fortunately we have a late primary!

    I don’t set resolutions personally, choosing instead to aim for goals. I haven’t really planned out my goals for 2012 yet, other than some reading challenges I’m participating in. I really like your resolutions, though–more bookshelves sounds great!

    1. Unfortunately it feels like all politics has devolved into non-stop campaigning and deception. I think if we had one and done term limits for everyone they would be more focused on doing the best they could while in office rather than focusing all their attention on trying to get re-elected.

  14. last year I resolved that at least 50 percent of the books I read I would have already had on hand JJanuary 1, 2011. I didn’t do it, the mix was more like 30 old, 70 new – and just 70 books at that, but then it was a kinda busy year. So this year I’m going to resolve to read every day, and to read a few of those “favorites that I set aside for a rainy day”.

    1. That is a good goal, Richard, and I hope you reach it. I hope you are at least feeling better enough to be enjoying reading right now as you recover. Here’s to a less busy year with more book time!

  15. Beautiful post. Love your resolutions. And I agree: if you say you are open-minded and tolerant, then you must listen to everyone with an open mind, even if you don’t agree. I always try to see if I can find some way to understand the “other side.” Sometimes it’s pretty difficult. But I do try. Let’s just try to keep some dignity and human kindness in the ring this year. I canceled cable and I think that’s a good thing: I really don’t want to watch any of the garbage that’s going to be spewed from everywhere.

    But back to the positive:often when things look bleakest, is when transformation happens. Let’s hope it’s for the best this time. Happy New Year, Carl!

    1. I cancelled cable exactly a year ago this month and I haven’t missed it since.

      1. We canceled our dish service a few years ago and don’t miss it either. I guess one thing to look forward to in 2012 is that since I don’t watch much regular tv I can at least avoid seeing many of the political ads until football season begins again. I’ll have to make sure to keep my radio tuned to sports radio and away from NPR as well.

        I certainly believe 2012 will be a better year personally and I think if people approach it right then even the bad things like the economy can be ways to examine one’s life and get priorities straight.

        I hope you have a wonderful 2012 Daphne.

  16. Remember: when you acquire books sooner or later you’re going to have to find a new home for them. I was lucky that SUNY at Buffalo was willing to accept 30,000 pulp magazines and paperbacks. Of course, that was the result of about 30 years of collecting. Now, I feel like I’m running a Rescue Shelter for old books as bookstores close and the Reading Public makes the switch to ebooks. Someday, those old books will be rarities, but right now people are donating them to thrift stories or just throwing them out. It breaks my heart.

    1. That breaks my heart too George. No offense meant to anyone, but I do hate the move to ebooks. I commend you on your rescue efforts. I would certainly do the same.

  17. I agree with you that 2012 is going to be a rough year for politics, for tolerance, and for the economy. As the country grows more “conservative”, we become increasingly less accepting of diversity. It is nauseating. I fervently hope that people will soon tire of the political infighting that has caused Washington to come to a stand-still and finally do something other than ignore it or shrug it off as not their problem.

    Congratulations on erasing your credit card debt! That is definitely admirable and brag-worthy. I hope you get those new bookshelves and accomplish the rest of your goals. Happy 2012!

    1. Thanks, it has been quite freeing to say the least. Just a little bit more to go!

      I hope we get the sunroom remodeled and get those bookshelves up. I’m wanting them something bad right about now.

  18. Happy New Year Carl! I love the quotes. It would have been great to have known both of those characters. I’m with you, I don’t believe that the world will end but it may be a bumpy ride. When I was in Guatemala I learned that the Mayans don’t actually think that the world will end, but that it is like hitting the restart button and starting over. That is a nicer thought. I love the resolutions. I am also going to try to read more of the books that I own. Not sure if I have space yet for new shelves. I hope you had a lovely holiday. I started Foundation on the 1st, but I may have to start again since I was celebrating somewhat. I’ll see when I read tonight if I remember. I was just so excited to participate in another group read!

    1. Thanks, TBM, same to you!

      I definitely think things need to start over, though not in a wipe out humanity and let the earth return to a more natural state way, LOL!

      I started Foundation this weekend and hope to spend a good chunk of time delving into it tonight so that I can get questions out early.

      1. Let’s hope it isn’t a wipe out of humanity…I have too many books I want to read! I’m looking forward to the questions. Thank goodness I have access to internet for this one!

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