Resolve

New Years, of course, is the traditional time to make "resolutions." Perhaps in the bleary hangover afterglow, we examine the train wreck of our wretched lives, and decide that changes are in order.

I imagine that more exercise equipment and fitness-club memberships are sold in the last week and first week of every calendar year, than the other 50 weeks combined.

A week or a month after New Years, of course, is the traditional time to break our resolutions. Many "reformed smokers and drinkers" don't go any longer than a week. Some strong-willed folks go longer. But this story says 25% fail before mid-January, half fail before the end of the month, and only 40% go out longer than six months. Obviously our resolutions are too ambitious, or our willpower too weak.

HERE is an interesting story; you can get an "app" to help you keep your resolutions. (Yeah... I bet that'll help.)

Like everybody else, I've made informal resolutions - the kind that are made in my head, but never even written down - and have broken many of them.

But the end of 2010 marks a milestone. As 1986 began - that's 25 years ago, folks - I determined that I would be a transportation cyclist. (I can still remember that my bride was quite skeptical. With good reason, I'm sure. Up to that point, we had bickered over who got to take the family car. When I plopped down 450 hard-earned dollars for a nice bike, she rolled her eyes and grumbled.)

Apparently it "took." (Unlike many of my "resolutions" before and since.)

From January '86 until today, the vast majority of my commuting has been in the saddle of my bicycle. And my resolve has strengthened over the years.

Driving a car to work is something I see 'most everybody else doing, but on a personal level the concept seems totally foreign. The last time I drove a car to work was in September of '97. The last time I even rode my motorcycle to work was October of '05. Since then it's been all bicycle, except for the occasional bus ride, always mandated by either my doctor or really scary-bad road conditions.

Looking forward... I will resolve, in a very public way, to be a transportation cyclist in 2011! I hope my friends will support me in that.
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Happy New Year... and good luck with your resolutions. (Make some that you can keep!)