Resolutions

I know most people like to choose New Year’s resolutions. Up until this year, I’ve always been one of those people. One year it was “learn to play the guitar,” another year it was “be quick to listen and slow to speak” and yet another year it was “eat healthy and exercise” (original, I know), but in all honesty, I really like New Year’s resolutions and all the self-improvement they inspire, which makes it a little strange that I didn’t make any resolutions this year. I decided to opt out of the age-old tradition for 2009 simply because I felt like I had done enough self-improvement during the past year to cover the coming one, and I also have 20 things left on my birthday list that sort of feel like little miniature resolutions in their own right. So, to make a long story short, the count down came and went with no resolutions for me, and I found that I didn’t miss them one bit.

However, last night, that all changed. There I was, relaxing on the couch, sipping on a Red Hook and getting ready to indulge in some truly terrible reality TV, when I was suddenly faced with the daunting task of convincing my boyfriend to change the channel from The Cable Guy (a movie he’s seen enough times to quote every single line) to The Real Housewives of Orange County. After a tiny squabble, he handed over the remote in defeat, but what I thought was over and done with came up a couple of hours later when he looked at me and said nonchalantly, “You know, I’ve learned something about you lately. You always like to have your way, and when you don’t get it, you get in a bad mood. You should work on that. You should make it your New Year’s resolution.”

Now, having already decided not to have any New Year’s resolutions this year, I did not readily accept this suggestion and instead made him give me exact examples of times when I have pouted about not getting my way (excluding the TV squabble, because really, who wants to watch The Cable Guy, anyway?) But by the end of the conversation, I had to admit that maybe he was right and maybe I could use some work in that area of my life and maybe I would make it my New Year’s resolution.

And so, seven days into the new year, I now have a New Year’s resolution. Yes, it’s a good one. No, I’m not happy about it. And over the past 24 hours, I’ve realized that having someone choose a New Year’s resolution for you is not nearly as fun as choosing one for yourself. Now let’s see if it makes it any easier to keep.