Wednesday, December 31

Ok, everyone, sing along with me: This year, I resolve to trade in my SUV for two hybrid gas-electrics which I could drive simultaneously and twice as much and still get better fuel economy, and the money I save on gas I will give to a charity that is attempting to reduce the imbalance of power and resource use between the “first” and “third” worlds; I resolve not to shop at Wal-Mart (which is also responsible for contributing to the disparity between the “first” and “third” worlds), and to convince someone else to do the same, even though nobody ever listens to anybody anymore; I resolve to stop watching reality television, and in fact to watch less television in general, except of course for reruns of the classic 1980s action hit Riptide; I resolve to drive less and walk more, and to kick the headlights out of any car who encroaches on my crosswalk space; I resolve not to talk on my cell phone in restaurants; I resolve not to chew loudly or with my mouth open; I resolve never to buy a house at the end of a cul-de-sac, or to sell the one I own, or if that last statement confuses me to read books on planning and urban economics so that I can learn why cul-de-sacs are generally less than ideal when it comes to neighborhood and community; I resolve not to be afraid of the bus as a method of public transportation, even though there may or may not be persons aboard who are outside of my socioeconomic stratum; I resolve not to make fun of people with mullets anymore, because they are people too; I resolve that if I need to purchase a book, I’ll first try to find it at my cool (or not cool) local bookstore, even if it is $1.63 cheaper via Amazon; I resolve to get to know my neighbors better; I resolve to try to listen to people; I resolve to remember that there will always be more to learn than I can possibly know.