1 EAGLETON NOTES: It's a New Year

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Monday 4 January 2016

It's a New Year

Four days have now elapsed since last year. Did you make New Year resolutions? I don't think I have made them since I was a child. It seemed very much more 'done' in those days. Or perhaps it just seems like that to me. Certainly I'm not aware of any of my friends who make them. Or perhaps they just don't share them.

To be honest I'm not sure that I quite understand the concept of a 'New Year'. What alters? Our attitudes towards our fellow men or our work or our play? Do we feel invigorated? Did we feel better when we woke on the 1 January? I suspect a lot of people felt decidedly less well than usual.

For me every time I wake up in the morning I am grateful. I am very conscious of how precious life is and how fortunate I am to be alive. 

The one thing it does enable us to do is to say to our friends that we hope they will have a very happy and healthy time in the year ahead. Perhaps we should have a Happy New Month or a Happy New Week or even a Happy New Day and think about people more frequently.

By the way if you did make any resolutions have they lasted this far?

48 comments:

  1. I never make New Year's resolutions. I doubt I ever have.

    Nothing changes...in many cases, unfortunately. People are still senselessly killing each other. The only thing that changes is a digit or two on the year's date...e.g. 2015 flipped over a digit and became 2016.

    Let's face it, Graham...you and I were perfect yesterday...and last year...so why should we change just because the December became January? :) (You do know I'm writing tongue in cheek, I hope)!!

    Sorry for being so long in responding to some of your responses...but I've since corrected my tardiness!!

    May 2016 treat you kindly...day by day, night by night. :)


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    1. Thank you Lee. We obviously have certain views in common. As for being tardy I'm afraid I have been very tardy in my responses recently.

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  2. I resolved to brush my teeth morning and night and to sit upon the toilet at least once a day. Four days into the new year and I am still sticking to these challenging resolutions. Mental toughness is the key.

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    1. Ah YP I knew you'd come up with something but how you manage to be so mentally tough speaks volumes for your character.

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  3. Like you I wonder why all the hype about Jan. 1. Couldn't some other day be just as good or decisions of great importance.

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  4. Not a resolution, but I am determined to loose some weight before I next see my quack in 3 months time. I've no idea why, but I actually feel embarrassed if I gain anything!

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    1. Well let's hope Cro that it is three months before you next see the doc.

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  5. No resolutions... But then I'm not even sure what day it is when I wake up which is luxury! I'll aim for continued serenity, good food, friends and laughter :) something I wish for everyone

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    1. Absolutely Fi. I'm with you every word of the way.

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  6. I'm unresolved. Always have been and suspect I always will be.

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    1. Adrian I knew you'd come up with something either pithy or totally off the wall. At least I can understand pithy.

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  7. In 2010, I briefly wrote about how the beginning of a month feels a bit like a mini New Year to me. I don't think you were a reader of my blog back then, so if you are interested, you can find that (short) post here.
    It still feels like that to me, and the New Year is a "marker" for me, so to speak. Of course I know it is all man-made - our planet completes a full orbit around the sun every day, depending on where you start counting, so New Year could be every day. And in some ways, we can make it that, if we are faced with important decisions about the direction we want to give our lives, our health and so on.
    No resolutions for me. I don't smoke, so I don't need to quit. I am slim, so I don't need to lose weight - I guess those two are what most of those who make resolutions are about.
    But of course, like everyone else, I have wishes and ideas, plans and projects for this year. One is to swap my living room and bedroom, redecorating them in the process, and finally getting a new settee (I never liked the one I have).

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    1. Thanks Meike. I read your post and it reminded me that it was always a tradition in our family that the first thing one said on the first day of a month was 'rabbits'. That really made the 1st of every month significant. Of course we all have wishes and plans but I rather think that it's when we have to do something that takes a certain amount of will-power that a 'resolution' is required.

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  8. Happy New Year GB!

    I do tend to make resolutions, though they're usually things I've been thinking about for a while, but just need one final push to make happen. I became vegetarian one January and vegan another, but I can't remember any of my other resolutions.

    This year I am determined to eat more green vegetables, which is going very well because I got a book on green smoothies for Christmas and we just bought a reconditioned Vitamix. I've eaten more greens in the last week than in the month of December up until Boxing Day.

    The other resolution I made is to reduce our food waste. I do dislike the amount of food that us Westerners throw away and we've been quite guilty in the past - at least when it comes to bread, fruit and bags of greens. Not sure how successful we've been so far - as usual we bought too much food at Christmas and so we've already had to throw out some mouldy satsumas and a bendy carrot. I guess it's getting into the habit of checking for things that need using up that will be important.

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    1. Thank you Helen and Happy New Year to you both (all!) too. All your resolutions are eminently sensible ways of meeting the targets you set for yourself. I'd be inclined to do things like that whenever i was motivated to do so or on the spur of the moment and I admit that I don't find that a new year influences me at all. However lots of people obviously do find, as you said, that it helps that one final push.

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  9. I think it is important to set goals at the start of each new year for health, family, financial and career. If we never take stock and reflect on how things are going or how we want things to be better or different then yes one year will be the same as another and the 1st of January will be meaningless. You could just as easily use the Chinese New Year to ward off the 'bad luck' and invite in the 'good luck' for another year. Nothing and no one is perfect and even a broken resolution is a step in learning and reaching those goals. Do I make resolutions? No, but I do set goals for myself and actively work to achieve them. Happy New Year GB.

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    1. I think, Carol, that where we differ is that I'm not essentially a goal setter. I'm a plan maker but a very laissez-faire one.

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    2. There's a difference?? LOL

      I see you have a countdown timer on your sidebar. You are off to the NZ again? That must mean you have had a good bill of health from your doctor?

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    3. Carol I was going to say when I read your comment that it was a question of hope versus intent and, with me, that's often the case (especially looking at the list I made last week! Really, though, it's the difference for me between something permanent (e.g. giving up smoking - not that I do) and something which is a unique incident such as clearing the loft or writing to the dental practice.

      New Zealand: Yes I decided that my cancer medication was unlikely to change (I'll know in a few weeks) and I delayed my knee operation and I'm off to my second home at the end of the month. I am soooo looking forward to it.

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    4. That is very good news Graham. Safe travels and enjoy.

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  10. I'm not really in the habit of making New Year resolutions - at least not in the form of a list to be checked off at the end of the year. However, with some things it does feel natural to take time around New Year to think back and summarize the old year, and plan ahead for the new one. The most obvious perhaps to change calendars! ;) I also usually empty some binder of old papers (like bills and bank statements) to make room for new ones.

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    1. Oddly Monica, one go the things I don't do is change my diary at the New Year. My diaries run from October to December and somewhere after 1 October I transfer everything and put the old diary away. Obviously calendars (apart from specialist ones) run from January to December but these days little else seems to. Or is it just me?

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    1. Frances you are in a very talkative mood tonight.

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    1. Well Andrea you may be as irresolute at Frances but you are more verbose.

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  13. I felt the same way this year, Graham! Thinking over the "Why bother?" of it all. Maybe that's me getting a little wiser with my age? I like wisdom. It's simplicity, really. No resolutions for this gal. It seems as though a large majority of everything, revolves around keeping up with the Jones'. As to say ... "Well, if they're doing that, I must do it also, or I'll not be living right." Hogwash and Balarky (if that's how it's spelled) - lol :) Hello, by the way. I'm still here in Vermont, doing much of the same as I once did only with larger fellows and busy business.

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    1. It's really good to see you back in this forum Heather. Of course we meet in another forum but don't chat so much these days. However you are still very much in my thoughts and (mostly) I still keep my promise. It's become part of life.

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    2. It's a special connection that we made years ago, Graham, and I truly have mounds of appreciation in my heart! I am going to be blogging again, may not get to it daily ... but I need to, creatively and therapeutically as I get older :) Hope you'll find me again, when I'm ready. I'll let you know!!

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    3. I'm sure, Heather, that if you start blogging again that I'll find you again. In the meantime I'll just keep reading on the other forum.

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  14. If I had it in me to follow through on a resolution I'd probably make one but when I did make them, I'd forgotten what they were within a week or two. No point really. I like to reflect on the year just gone and enjoyed my reflection this year more than in most years past. 2015 was such a great year for me! I don't expect 2016 to compete but if it's half as good to me (or is it for me?) I'll be happy. I already know there will be good bits - seeing you in NZ again will be one. Happy New Year, Graham.

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    1. Pauline I forget what I'm supposed to be doing from one minute to the next but I suppose resolutions are more serious creatures and I don't do much serious these days. I'm looking forward to our safari in February although with our various schedules being as full as they are it's going to be a challenge. But we're up to challenges.

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  15. I agree with Carol, Mr. Edwards. I never make lists or write down things that I would like to do better or like to do at all. But, I do, in my mind reflect upon things that I might wish to contemplate and concentrate on a set amount of time going ahead into the future.

    But, what a time to have a new year! In the middle or start of some of the worse weather of most of the civilized world! My husband, who you may or may not know as Big Bear is a Persian by birth and intellect. Their New Year's day is the first day of spring. Now, that is a day for a new year to begin. New birth, new buds, birds singing, warm air rising. Right?

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    1. Mrs Thyme I've never been formally introduced to Big Bear but I do know of him by repute (although not that he was Persian by birth and intellect). Now I see a great deal more sense in the first day of spring being the time for a new year to begin. I shall ponder upon that. I like the idea.

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  16. I don't make resolutions because I know that i can't keep them. Like you I am grateful to still be alive for 2016.

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    1. Diane that's a pretty good reason for not making resolutions!

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  17. Chris and I have resolved to not smoke again...and to cut way back on the lovely drink. So far not a puff or sip has been taken. Happy new month Barry from us both xx

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    1. Well done to the two of you Mary. I hope you manage not to smoke again. It's really not worth it further down the line. I'll catch up with you before too long I don't doubt. In the meantime I wish you both lots of success with your ventures.

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  18. I make resolutions in my head and this year I found myself making the same resolution...to keep on top of my grass cutting in both of my gardens...smile.
    For me though I make resolutions throughout the entire year.....although it's more like setting goals for myself when I come to think of it.

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    1. Happy New Year to you GB!!!

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    2. Thanks Virginia. The more I think about it goals and resolutions are rather different. Thanks for your good wishes. I shall respond to your missive very asap.

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  19. You could always say 'Have a nice day!!!'

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    1. To which, Bruv, I invariably respond 'Don't tell me what sort of a day to have!'.

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  20. Many of these celebrations are simply a way of reaffirming things which we already know. It is good to pause and think of times past and times ahead, and New Year offers a great chance to do this. Happy new Year!

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    1. Thank you Jenny. I hope your year is good too. What you suggest is certainly a way of looking at things but I tend to find that so much happens over the holiday period that I have little time to pause for proper reflection. I tend to do that on warm summer evenings (either here or in NZ) when I can relax with no distractions.

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  21. Hey!
    You know when you go to New Zealand at the end of the month? Take me with you! :-)
    The new year...the birds don't notice that the year is any different, it is all seasons with them, we need to go with the flow! Happy seasons to you! (And you will be going to a different season in New Zealand, right?)

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    1. Kay I will certainly be going to a different season. February usually has high 20s Centigrade in NZ. I loved your point about the birds and the seasons. If i had my own plane Kay I'd willingly make the detour to pick you up. As it is the US is rather a long way from the Emirates flight path.

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