Making New Year’s resolutions is silly, when you think about it.
When something needs changing, all these beginning of the year moves to reform do is give you an opportunity for one more December drag on a cigarette, or one more shot of booze, or one more pig-out at the table.
I think if reporters weren’t looking for a quick and easy story the myth of New Year’s resolutions would disappear.
When I worked for the Regina Leader-Post, we had a city editor called Bruce Peacock, a highly organized fellow indeed.
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He had one of these news gimmicks for practically every month of the year.
I came to work one May 1 and saw after my name in the assignment book, “Moving Day.”
“What’s Moving Day?” I asked.
“That’s the day in spring when people move and transport people are rushed off their feet,” said Bruce. “Go and see what business is like this year.”
I phoned several major moving companies and found out that while once May 1 had been a rush, rush, rush proposition, more of the modern era moves came at the end of the school year to accommodate families.
Old Dad might get transferred during the school year but he had to live a bachelor’s life until his twins got their grade five certificates.
As for New Year’s resolutions, rather than wait for Jan. 1, the decision to quit smoking might come after a series of courses on how to lick the habit or after that one important person wrinkled a disdainful nose at tobacco smell.
Quitting booze might involve AA, an antipathy to giving the government so much tax support, or a traffic scare. Overeating sometimes can be controlled when people start mentioning your dimensions.
