h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We don’t seem to have an entry on New Year's Resolutions. So I thought I'd ask do you make New Year's Resolutions? If so, what and how did it work out? If not, any reason why not?

It is possible that this may lead to a collaborative entry or article for .

<BB<

I don't make New Year's resolutions. Just because the year is new, so what? I'm the same old me, and a year from now I'll be the same old me, but a year older.

I wait until around March/April. I'm more likely to work on keeping to any resolutions on the longer days of the year.

This year, my resolution is simply: "survive", because who can predict what is going to happen.

And try to master F major on the guitar. I need it for a song.

Two very practical resolutions.

Use a capo

Not that B flat 7 is difficult or even not useful. Just saying.

I need to investigate this capo thing. It seems to be useful.

I've never made New Years resolutions, but 13 years ago I quit smoking.

I say that in a specific way,... I QUIT smoking on New Years day. I smoked a carton and a half, roughly, after that. I didn't resolve to, and I didn't havv my last cigarette that day, but I did change from a smoker to a non smoker on a new years day.


Brief summary: when you're ready to quit smoking pick a day and consider every day after that as a day you were a nonsmoker. You will smoke after that day and you will NOT feel guilty for it or feel that you failed. You WILL think about how bad it tastes and feels to smoke every time you do. After a month of not smoking a single cigarette you'll be clear of the physical addiction. The key is not feeling guilt or failure when you "slip" and using that as an excuse to just going back to smoking always.

You have my respect for the way you did that.

almost two years .... I think Febuary 6th is two years, since I finished smoking... I just got told I should quit, came home and smoked everything in the house for a couple days, and then it was the sixth and so I didn't smoke again since I don't really do new year resolutions either though if I did, mine is definately to get fit, again, and lose the four stone of steroid induced weight gain, despite still being on steroids.... at least I'm not gaining anymore <g but the joining the gym thing will wait until after the post Xmas rush to join the gym, and hopefully after I've persuaded my Drs to read the medical literature and up my thyroxin dose to replacement level, so I've energy to walk again during daylight hours hmm... so first new years resolution is probably to make my Dr do a doctor thing, and be a doctor, in a week and a halfs time when I see her " "surviving" is a good new years resolution though... I hink I like that one

I like it too. Having you around is a good thing, even if we're still trying to figure out what any of it means.

Last year my New Year's resolution was to try and get to know the people I work with better. I e-mailed everyone in my team (about 20-25 people) asking if they'd like to meet up and have lunch sometime. The only people who responded were the people I've met up and had lunch with in the past…

<BB<

Are the dynamics of a small team [3 to 5 people] different from those in a team as large as yours? Apart from having to book a larger room in the restaurant for your get-togethers?

Our team was created two Augusts ago when we were 'realigned'; the new VC decided to restructure the entire uni from the way that had worked for over a decade for no apparent reason (unless the reason was to create a uni where no-one knows who does what any more). As part of the realignment people were shuffled into new teams at random. My team, though, is scattered over 8 different rooms and there's only 3 or 4 in my office (originally 4, currently 3).

I didn't want to go for a single, large event as I knew that I'd only end up talking to the person I'd be next to and wouldn't get to know anyone else. I hoped to have a few different chats with just two or three of us at a time.

<BB<

Re-configuring of work groups will often have a "we versus them" time. Been there. But after a while, merging happens and a brunch of 15 rather than maybe 6, it's a good time

Rev Nick may have a good point. People spread over many rooms will take a while to get to know each other. Not that some of them will ever actually like each other.

I thought it didn't hurt to try – I was only asking for an hour in a café or pub of their choice at lunchtime at a date and time to suit them, starting in January. I also later asked if anyone wanted a game of crazy golf in the park across the road in the summer, but only one person replied.

<BB<

How long does a New Year's Resolution count? About 14 years ago my resolution was to cycle to work – I'm still cycling to work, so does that mean I can renew that resolution each year or am I supposed to think up a new one?

<BB<

How far away was summer when you asked about golf in the park?

How popular is golf anyway in your office?