Yes, it’s come to this: For those bereft of all sense of self, the terminally lame and commitment averse, we now have New Year’s Resolution generators.
I hope you didn’t already know that.
I only stumbled across this abomination myself in my research as I reflected on the status of my being, took note of possible areas of growth and assessed my own personal cosmos before setting a path toward universal oneness in the New Year.
That’s right. I take the resolution business seriously. No casual promises. If I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to take an earnest run at it. Full tilt. Head on. Right up until the end at least. That’s when the new “no helmet to helmet contact” rule kicks in. Prevents self-improvement concussions. Thank God.
I figured these generators would be something like eHarmony.com. You know, that really profound dating site that plumbs the depths of your soul and ferrets out the plums of your essence, helping you know your true self and find your yin if you’re a yang? Yeah. That one. I could hardly wait to go through the process, answer the questions, cry at the revelations and resolve my guts out.
But it wasn’t like that.
Anticipating a high-tech tool that would take me to the next echelon of internal evolution, I inched toward the edge of my seat and clicked the link to find Monina Velarde’s 2013 New Year’s Resolution Generator.
But to my dismay, Monina, clearly a shallow non-believer, delivers only pre-packaged resolutions in a most cavalier manner. “In 2013 I resolve to make friends.” “In 2013 I resolve to dress up.” “In 2013 I resolve to watch an episode of Oprah.”
What the what? I could only imagine the poor mope who might subscribe to such goals. Could it be Monina herself? Is she an agoraphobic in sweatpants whose TiVo is so full of Real Housewives as to necessitate a promise to watch daytime TV?!
After a faint attempt at cosmic consciousness, “I resolve to accept,” Monina lapsed into “In 2013 I resolve to get jiggy wit it.” So 1998.
Unwilling to be deterred in my quest I tried the Laughing Squid’s generator to find his solo offering, the fantastic – “I resolve to be a rock star.” OK. Following that, the Squid presented a link to Monina!
People! Where is the introspection? The creative thinking? Not to mention the self-respect.
By the way, did you know the top reason people cite for failing to accomplish their resolutions is poor time management? Interesting since improving time management is also among the top resolutions made.
But making resolutions is a valuable use of one’s time, right?
Therefore, with firm resolve (!) I pressed on to The Network Geek who tendered a generator based on The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Holiday edition. At least it’ll be pragmatic, I thought.
Eager resolvers begin with a sentence starter and a blank to fill in from among choices either to start something or to give something up. But the convoluted wording of the fillers came straight out of Trivial Pursuit. You remember those stupid questions - Which of these 1970’s soap opera stalwarts did not begin his career as a shoeshine boy in Des Moines?
To wit: I resolve not to complain more each day. I resolve to begin giving advice less often.
Still, the Geek was at least interesting with: “I resolve to take a risk each week.” “I resolve to start day trading right now.” (See previous resolution.) “I resolve to start fasting every day.” (But…Isn’t that foregone?) And, “I resolve to give up wearing underwear every day.” (A struggle so many face.)
I liked best the choice to “speak with the dead less often,” though I could never give it up. No one else really listens.
Then, just as I was about to retreat into self-righteousness, there it was. A real, good idea for a resolution that could improve me and make the world a better place. From the Network Geek no less. A computer generated-something to strive for:
I resolve to pray every day.
I’ve already started: Thank you.
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