I haven’t made a New Year’s Resolution since I caved under co-worker pressure when I was 16 and working full time supporting an apartment of my own. I had quit high school and moved out, shared an apartment with an older woman (older than me which wasn’t saying much at the time). The women where I worked (the even older ones, those who I think were kind of nasty to me when I see it from the perspective of an older woman) pressured me into making New Year’s Resolutions.

It had never been a big deal with my family. We had our First Footing thing where the person with dark hair was the first caller of the New Year and had a drink with everyone, being welcomed into the home. Since I was the only dark haired kid in the family I got to be the First Footer most years.

Anyway, I don’t remember what resolutions I made that year. I just know I broke them all within the month and I felt really bad. I almost never break my promises, to anyone. I no longer let myself give them away so easily either. Age brings wisdom as well as grey hairs, whiskers and well, that’s enough information.

So for 2006 I will make the following resolutions, for no good reason, with no real promise to fulfill any one of them.

1). I will buy a better pair of tweezers for those really aggravating chin whiskers. I can feel one, freshly grown. Why is it you can really only see them while looking in the car mirror. I don’t know how many times I’ve pretended not to notice someone catching me plucking my chinny chin chin. Twice I pretended to pick my nose just to add to the show.

2). I will make more ASCII art, pixel art and make use of the digital camera. Things I wanted to do anyway, so there. I did take the digital camera out for a spin today. I took pictures of the row of snow covered pine trees in the backyard. But I think the battery has a problem cause the camera kept trying to shut itself down before I could click to take the picture.

3). I will date a pirate of some kind. Any guy wearing an eyepatch will do. I’ve always had a thing for eye patches, they look so dangerous and mysterious. I don’t go in for the whole ‘bad boy’ thing, just the illusion and the eye patch of course.

4). I will create a web comic. I made a sketch today, I just have to learn to draw now and I’ll be all set.

5). I will finish learning CSS. I’m reading Web Design Garage and have gone past the point of no return. (That’s so much more interesting than saying I’m more than halfway through the book).

6). I will conquor the blasted sewing machine. I will also re-remember how to crochet granny squares.

7). I will take a completely pointless and unplanned road trip. Probably to the Kincardine area again. I found the perfect beach in the middle of nowhere. All pebbly and those sparse looking beach trees and water, lots of clear water you can walk into without stepping on too many shells. I will have a cottage cheese picnic there again and build my sandcastle, again.

8). I will accomplish more of the things I want to do.

9). There is nothing else, just checking to see who fell asleep.

Note: You’ll be delighted (no doubt) to know I pulled out that whisker with my fingers just now. Doesn’t it seem odd that men lose hair while women gain it? I’m sure it’s part of some devious plot.