You say you want a resolution?

This is the time of year for resolutions, I am told. Resolve to lose weight, resolve to be more kind, resolve to be more frugal (or less, depending on whatever you perceived yourself to be heretofore), resolve to quit smoking, resolve to spend more time with family and/or loved ones, and so on.

Pointless exercises, it seems since we all expect to break these solemn vows; it's merely a matter of when.

I gave up making resolutions many years ago. It is, perhaps, the only resolution I have ever kept for a year or more. I approach each new year in my life with the same fear and trepidation I have always felt entering the unknown. No resolution can overcome that, I suspect. I long ago found I could not keep a resolution to be optimistic. It is against my curmudgeonly nature. I would like to be optimistic but it would save me nothing in the long run. Being pessimistic at least allows me to prepare somewhat for life's unpleasantries.

I suppose I could make resolutions in keeping with my pessimism but wouldn't they be awful dreary?

Resolved: To be ready when the jack-booted thugs come to take my not "green" car away.
Resolved: to hoard enough gold so when the fall of civilization as we know it, I can still buy things.
Resolved: to collect enough guns and ammunition to fend off the marauders who will seek to steal my gold.

See what I mean? Very dreary. So I do none of the above but I don't feel bad because I never actually resolved to do any of them.

One day at a time, I say, and New Year's Day was just one more of them.