By John Toth
The Bulletin
I always write a list of “unresolutions” at the beginning of the year.
These are traditional and non-traditional New Year’s resolutions that I’ll probably break by the time I finish writing this column.
My first unresolution this year is to exercise more in the gym and stay off my cell phone. This would be a worthy goal, but I have no intention of keeping it because I know that as soon as I finish with the machine that makes my arms really tired, I’ll be on the phone, checking out the latest Reels on Facebook.
I like the machines that exercise the legs. I can just sit there and push the weights with my feet while scrolling up and down on my phone.
Once I left my phone at the house. That turned out to be my personal record for the shortest workout ever. I need a diversion to balance the boring exercise that I really don’t want to do, but I feel I have to do to keep these old muscles from melting down. So, I combine a little boring business with entertainment.
I will give it all I’ve got to printing The Bulletin each week. This unresolution needs a little explanation.
Sharon, my co-publisher and wife, will give our readers the best product we can produce, but not each week. The Bulletin is published on Tuesdays, and each year there are three or four weeks with five Tuesdays. We’re not publishing on the fifth Tuesday.
Here is why. We’re not getting any younger and want some time off while still publishing a weekly (4 times a month). Those fifth Tuesdays will be used efficiently to recharge ourselves by doing something fun that I can later write about.
This gives us an opportunity to have our cake and eat it, too. On the fifth Tuesdays, we’ll be working hard on gathering information in different places - like the Caribbean.
By the way, if you want to follow our adventures, look up our channel on YouTube: Wandering with John and Sharon.
We’ll give you a reminder of the missing fifth Tuesdays on the top left of the front page in bold letters in the previous issue.
I got on the Internet machine searching for some normal resolutions.
• Learn a new skill or hobby: I am refining my skills as a vlogger (a video blogger) and a video editor.
If you are interested in seeing some of my early works, just dial up our YouTube channel. I’m still learning how not to accidentally erase two hours of work.
• Get organized: Why, when it’s more interesting to search for an item that I held in my hands five minutes ago?
• Travel more: I’m trying.
• Make a friend a month: I’m trying. Do Facebook friends count?
• Live life to the fullest: I’m getting there.
• Read more: I read almost all day long. If I read anymore, I’ll have to read in the shower.
• Watch more cute and cuddly kitten videos on YouTube: Sounds good to me.
• Learn to play a musical instrument: This may be another unresolution. I have made several attempts to learn to play the guitar but fell short of mastering it past the third chord.
I admire artists who can play instruments without even looking. Musicians who can jump around the stage while playing the guitar or kick over their piano stools over without missing a note are my heroes.
• Try to break a record: But then I can’t play them.
• Teach yourself something you never learned growing up: This may not be such a bad idea, but I would have to rent the whole ice skating ring so that people won’t laugh.
• Learn a party trick: I could learn the guitar - again. That would be a good trick. I’m not good with cards.
Dear readers, make your own resolutions and then break them like 96% of us. You can always make them again next year.
Have a great New Year, and may you fulfill all your ambitions, wants and needs in 2023.
Thank you for reading us and please introduce a friend a month (or week) to The Bulletin.