New Year's Resolutions

I've never been a big New Year's Resolution-kind of person.

I always hated it when people went around the table at a New Year's Eve party and made everyone say their resolutions. I always tried to think up something smart and sincere-sounding that would impress people (because, as a narcissistic teenager, sucking up was my forte). Usually it was something along the lines of, I want to be a better person, I want to be more responsible, I want to be more considerate of the needs of others. I probably kind of meant it. But something like that doesn't make a very good resolution because, really, how do you follow through on something like that? I mean, what would your daily to-do list look like?

Friday, January 7th
1. Read for class
2. Do laundry
3. Get groceries
4. Apologize to everyone I've ever wronged
5. Vacuum

Most people resolve to do things like exercise or quit smoking. I'm only a social smoker and I don't care enough about it either way to make it into a whole resolution. So this year I decided that I was going to try to exercise. Not even because I necessarily want to lose a bunch of weight (and I know I don't *need* to -- though thanks to the skinny, youth-obsessed media "want" and "need" are different here), but for a little bit last year I was in really good shape and it would be cool to feel that way again.

So I decided I'd start exercising once I got back to Chicago (I was visiting my parents over the holidays). And of course, as soon as I get back, I get sick. For two weeks. So I would set my alarm to wake me up early in the morning, and my throat would hurt so much I couldn't realistically make myself go to the gym. I'm really not a morning exerciser anyway. In the morning I'm cold and tired, my muscles are tighter, I feel like I just don't get as much out of the workout. But I'm always at school in the afternoon, and often into the evening (if it's not a debate, it's a rehearsal for the Law School Musical -- yes, we have a musical -- or a wine tasting. Yeah, I know. Boo friggin' hoo). So mornings it will have to be. Yet, here it is, almost the end of January, and I *still* haven't gotten to the gym.

This morning, I changed that. Granted, I woke up about three hours later than I had planned, and spent some time chatting with a girlfriend before finally going, but I actually made it to the gym! For a whole thirty minutes. When I limped back up to my apartment half an hour later I was a little saddened by how miserably out of shape I've gotten. But, hey, at least it's a start.

And on the plus side, since I've waited so long to get back to the gym, I've missed the New Year's Resolution crowd. I'm sure they've all totally quit by now.