No Year in Review, No New Year’s Resolutions

A journalist’s standby at this time of year is to write a “Year in Review” or share “Resolutions” that the writer has hopes to accomplish during the upcoming year. Resolutions are a lost cause for me as I cannot recall success extending to more than a few weeks… ever. If I were to write a “Year in Review” column, it would probably be summed up in a word: “WOW.” That would be it and, I am pretty sure Publisher John and others on the staff would be worried that I may be ill as I have never been that short of words. Sure, there are things I hope to improve on during the next year; spiritually, physically and emotionally as is probably true for many of us. In order to celebrate accomplishment of any of these things though, I need an accountability tool that is used regularly… like religiously to keep me on track. I need to make a list EVERY DAY, and like another chubby, bearded guy with a jolly disposition, I need to check it AT LEAST twice.

I have finally come to realize that unless I make a list of what I need and/or want to get done in the here and now; a LIST is the only way I stay on track. The successes I have had, as well as the failures in my professional career can be attributed to using a list. For that matter, pretty much anything I have completed in life had a list connected to it. “Why did it take you so long to figure this out,” you may ask? I have never been the sharpest tool in the shed, nor the brightest bulb on the string nor the dullest or most dim. For much of my life, I went with the thought of “average is better than below average,” especially when mom was telling me that I could do better than “C’s” on my report card. I graduated number 202 out of 404… smack dab in the middle of my 1985 high school graduating class. How is THATforaverage? PrettygoodIwouldsay. Using a list will be a benefit to you, the faithful readers of this column in addition to helping me skate through life without too many pitfalls. How?

If I put things on the list that I have been wanting to do, such as take Sadie out for a run, go ice fishing, explore some area fun spots… that gets the snowball rolling. A list WILL get me outside generating fun literary fodder that I can share with the weekly visitors to this little nook of the newspaper. I often have spoken of cool places to go and things to do here in our area of Minnesconsin, but, I have not been doing any of them. A list is my way to ensure this will happen. I am guessing a list might be something to help many of you accomplish the same. When it comes down to it, I have not MADE the time to get out there and another guess, many of you might be ‘guilty’ of this as well. The word “busy” is my “go-to” word… yourstoo? Momhadanotherwordforit… “Lazy.” Busy sounds so much better. Again though, “Why” did it take me so long to figure this out?

Admitting faults is not easy for anyone, and mom was right. I have been too lazy to just do what needed to be done. For first-time readers, I was raised by a single mom in the 1970’s-80’s after my dad died at age 46 of a massive heart attack. Mom was an extremely detail-oriented person who made a list for just about every aspect of her life. The grocery list, complete with which items had coupons and which did not, was done meticulously each week at the same time. I remember her comparing the costs of items and if there were a few cents savings, THAT would be the one she bought. She had a lot of “Momisms” and “A penny saved, is a penny earned,” was one of her favorites. She made a list most Friday nights of things she wanted to get done on the weekends. When a task was complete, and not one minute before, it was checked off. Mom was totally a list person and, being her child, I often rebelled a bit. You know you did the same to your parents, so don’t be pointing your finger at me. I may have taken the rebelling part regarding the list thing to a bit more of an extreme. The fact is, the older I get, the smarter she has become, and I only wish she was still here so instead of writing about it, I could just pick up the phone and call her. I am rebelling no more. I am going to make a point of putting things on my list that will get me outside. Dang it… I said no resolutions. I guess I was wrong again. Well, at least this year it is something that is accomplishable.

To end 2020, I would like to share a few things that have been permeating my brain cavity like the smell of a good pot of chili on gameday. “Is it a reason or an excuse that (insert whatever was supposed to be done) did notgetdone?” AreasonISjustifiedbyrationality, facts and logic. An excuse SEEKS to justify but falls short most the time. The second is a quote from Tony Robbins; well-recognized motivational speaker; “More than anything, I believe it’s our decisions, not the conditions of our lives that determine our destiny.” I believe this… like Mom also often said, “Make good decisions.” I am looking forward to sharing the experiences of 2021 with the 34 faithful readers of this column. Maybe we can even hit 50 this year. To all a very Happy New Year and may you be blessed with happiness and health. Let us get out and enjoy the Great Outdoors, and if you are unable… hold on tight as I have something really cool to tell you about in a few weeks.