Austin, TEXAS, December 10, 2005 — I had this idea yesterday while I was going about my business. I am not going to make any New Year's Resolutions. I've been down that road. How many times can I promise to floss and eat more healthy food? To keep the house clean? Forget it.

No, I'm going to make some Christmas Resolutions. [Ed. Note: Christmas isn't really politically correct, you know. Where do you want to come down on this, in the culture wars? There are other religions, you know and, put to the test, you haven't really, you know, accepted Christ as your Savior, as they say. LB: Look, I grew up

thinking of it as Christmas because I didn't know a single Jew or Muslim, or atheist for that matter. My official card said 'Happy Holidays' and 'Season's Greetings' and that's my position on it. So, OK...Holiday Resolutions. But my background, just so you know, is all baby Jesus, live nativity scenes, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. No escaping it.]

OK, Holiday Resolutions. Whatever. Here goes.

• Do not fret about gifts, given or received. Just buy things if you feel like it, give 'em, don't worry. If you receive something, just say 'thanks.' If you didn't buy the person something, only allow yourself to feel bad for a second.
• Do not start out inviting a few friends by for a drink and end up with a full-blown party with fancy food, decoration, beer, wine, soda, champagne, etc.
• Actually do some of the things I always associate with holidays: drink steaming cups of coffee while playing a game or working on a jigsaw puzzle, go out somewhere where people are shopping but don't buy anything...just watch the people.
• Don't worry about what I eat or whether I get exercise. Just chill on all that recrimination until January 2. Weigh myself then and start over.
• Really enjoy The Nutcracker. Embrace the music and (my favorite part) the wind up dolls dancing. Don't fall asleep during the endless dancing bits that showcase all the ballet because it is, after all, ballet. Stay awake for Russian and Chinese and stuff.
• Take a bunch of pictures and post interesting ones here instead of lame pictures from weeks ago.
• Don't worry that Holidailies is going on and just write the normal drivel that you do here. [Ed. Note: I notice that there is no resolution about actually updating during Holidailies. Which reveals to me what a bad and ingrained habit daily posting has become. LB: Shut up.]
• Don't watch crime shows or any holiday movies that are remakes.
• Do go out to a bunch of movies. Or watch good stuff on DVD or movie channels.
• Spend some extra time with Dad.
• Don't fret when you get a holiday card from someone you have crossed off your list.
• Throw away or give away more than you acquire.
• Just for the holidays, don't fret about whether you get the newspapers read or beat yourself up for reading less than edifying stuff.
• When at holiday parties, look around the room and go talk to someone you don't already know well.
• Delete all e-mail come-ons from online stores immediately. Wait until after the holidays to consider the purchase of any new electronics or anything else of significance for yourself.
• Listen to more jazz. (This one added late in the day! Due to seeing Good Night, and Good Luck.)

Personally, I think it's a great list. There are very indulgent things on it and yet a few noble goals. Well, maybe not. Mostly indulgent. And I only have to pay attention for less than a month and then I can go back to being exactly like I always am, no worries. Or actually: same old worries. And no New Year's Resolutions. Because, after all, you never pay attention to them. Last year's were great but you just didn't do it. Not really.

And I was so good about my resolutions today, too! Especially the indulgent ones. I slept late and when I got up I stumbled in to my office and read other peoples' journals and drank coffee until a guy called me from the Netherlands and wanted to ask my advice about the stuff I used to do in the olden days of work. My dad called on the other line during that and I called him back and talked to him longer than usual. I was all dressed for the gym, but when FFP wanted to go to brunch at this new Taverna place downtown I was instantly agreeable and showered and we went down there. I told myself I'd go to the gym later but I knew I wouldn't. But...I just gave myself permission to blow off feeling guilty about it. Yeah! Brunch in an Italian place meant oil all over things (truffle oil on the brushetta the eggs were on, an offer of chile oil which I put on my potatoes).

We wandered across Second Street after the meal and I bought a couple of things for some gifts I'm putting together: soaps, ornaments and a luggage tag. This one store, Mercury, is incredible. Mixture of old and new, antiques, collectibles, fun stuff. Little themed areas, very chic. They had an old globe I loved and I would have bought it but I am downsizing for heaven's sake. So I just bought things for gifts. That I'll give away. And I didn't worry if they were "right" or anything. Holiday resolutions, you know.

We got home from downtown and FFP switched on a big basketball game he wanted to watch. I was stuffed, I was already showered and so I just blew off going to the club. Like I can because I conveniently made a resoulution not to worry about it. I decided to make a date to see a movie (I promised myself you know!) and go do a little more shopping before time for that. A friend agreed to pick me up at 4:40 for an early show of Good Night and Good Luck and I headed out to Grapevine Market.

I was shopping for my dad's Christmas presents. (He said what he wanted was for me to shop for the presents he had to buy.) Still I think I should keep my resolution not to worry about presents even if he is giving them. I buy some chocolates they are sampling. I don't really like chocolate and I don't know if these are that great but I just don't worry about it. I buy one other thing for this gift basket I'm making. No worries. I vacilate about other things. I buy nothing for myself. Downsize! Drink up the booze you have. I talk to a few people I know in the store which seems to be full of people buying presents.

I went home briefly, taook two Advil and an Aloe Vera Gel Cap for a burgeoning headache and upset stomach.

I g0t in the car and go to this toy store called Over the Rainbow in Tarrytown. No discounts, but I thought maybe it won't be insane. My dad needed four presents for kids. I pick four things based on the ages and sex and what little I know about them. I don't worry. Sadly, I bought a jigsaw puzzle which is a world map and fact thing. For myself. I can't decide if this is a plus or minus on my resolutions. One the one hand, I bought a puzzle and now I have one more thing. On the other hand, I did resolve to work a puzzle like old times! (Not to mention that I've been trying to improve my knowledge of the world and its geography.) A nerdy guy swiftly wrapped the kids' presents. Boy, that was easy. Later I remembered later that there is one more kid I needed to buy for. Darn. But, I stayed calm. No problem. I put the gift basket together when I got home. It might have looked better if someone competent did it, but it looks fine, I decide, and I'm satisfied. I will go back to the toy store and get something for that other kid. She's a girl. I'm not keen on shopping for girls. On the one hand, they might like dolls, paper dolls, pink things. But what if they are like I was at seven or nine? Wanting an Erector set? But since I am not going to fret over gifts and certainly not ones my dad will have to present, who cares? I'll go with something generic. Maybe a game or puzzle.

I wrapped another present that I bought at Costco and pondered a couple of other things. I will be done with Christmas shopping as soon as I buy a couple more things for the old folks. Oh, I'm sure I'll end up buying stuff for people later, but the thing is I don't plan to do so now and, furthermore, I don't plan to worry about it. Resolution, absolution.

My Advil/Aloe kicks in and I feel fine by the time my friend drops by for us to go to the movies. Movies. What a great resolution. We share a popcorn and Root Beer (which costs eight dollars) and watch 'the 20' minutes of commercials and gunk. This Skittles commercial came on where two guys, one black, one white are in these sheeps' bodies eating Skittles off a tree stump. It's very unsettling. We saw it before and commented on that but it is still unsettling. I said, "Can you hear the agent for one of these guys? Hey, I've got you a commercial. It's going to be in 'the 20' so all those captive movie goers will see it. Yeah, it's for candy. Great deal."

My friend said, "Yeah, they ask 'what should I wear?' and the agent says 'um, it doesn't matter."

We watched all the previews and finally got to Good Night, and Good Luck. FFP already saw this flick so while he is at The Nutcracker again, we aren't creating further disconance in the films he's seen versus the films I've seen. He really liked the sets and cinematography. I liked that, but I also liked the tight story about Edward R. Murrow and CBS and Joseph McCarthy. The period aspect of the whole thing works great but it isn't overdone with tons of exteriors with cars and stuff. The use of the newsreels are great. I loved the jazz by Diane Reeves, Perfect. In fact as I typed this I was listening to to the soundtrack on Rhapsody through my computer. And I decided that I needed another holiday resolution: Listen to more jazz! Done.

After the movie we headed down to Houston's. Of course, there was a thirty minute wait. We went to Terra Toys and bought that other kid's gift. Terra Toys is officially lame compared to Over the Rainbow, by the way. They offered to wrap the gift for $7.50! Or put it in a lame bag with some tissue and a sticker and a lame curling ribbon bow for free. Over the Rainbow wrapped nicely and for free. Both independent. Both full price on everything. You figure it out. But I can wrap it and now I'm officially done with presents except for buying a few more things for the old folks. So there. And I'm not fretting either.

I'm not sure if the key is making holiday resolutions instead of that New Year's variety or if they key is making all these self-indulgent promises. But I felt good as the day waned. And that's a great deal.