Happy New Year!

Hello 2006!

Looking back, 2005 was a tough year for Planet Earth. With wars, poverty, starvation, natural disasters, and other events that exacted a terrible human toll, it’s sometimes hard to find the bright spots. But it says something about the resiliance of human beings that we not only bounce back from bad events, we become somehow better and stronger as a result.

Still, the calamities we witnessed in 2005 should remind us not to take things for granted in our own lives. I am grateful for so many things, and as I get older, I am more clearly understanding how perilous my own happy existence can be--and how important it is to make the most of this life.

Many people avoid New Year’s resolutions, but given the way of the world, I want to resolve to change for the better. Here are some of the resolutions on my list for 2006:

• Find a way to give more back to society. In particular, I want to find a way to get involved in the life of an individual or family and try to make a positive difference for them. There are many programs that promote that kind of benefit like Big Brother/Big Sister, Habitat for Humanity, Hurricane Relief, etc. (A high school classmate from Norway donated his time to tsunami relief, an example I would like to emulate. He didn't save the world, just one small part of it.) I think if we all start by tackling something within our means, then the world becomes a better place.
• Spend more time with friends and family. Over the years I’ve made many friends and I want to reach out to these old friends and enjoy these relationships more.
• Make better use of my time. Time is precious and we can’t make more. I don’t want to live to 105. I want to make the most of what I’ve got now.
• I want to eliminate three things from my “Do Before I Die” list and add five.
• I think I have some good ideas from time to time; a lot of them have been voiced and acted upon, but there are more that I have not been able to implement (Agile Business Circle, Podcasting, etc.). I need to do a better job this year of "closing the deal."
  
• Create experiences for my kids that stick with them when they get older. During the holidays I had many good memories of times and places from my youth. I want to ensure that my kids have similar experiences that they can enjoy and savor for the rest of their lives.

As you can see, my resolutions are modest. But I do try to take resolutions seriously and do my best to make them happen. With luck, 2006 will see me succeed in fulfilling some of these.

Happy new year!