It's that time of year--gettin' toward the end and thinkin' about writing this old one off and launching into the new. It's time to think about New Year's resolutions. I've never been one to make grandiose ones that I can't keep. In fact, I'm quite a master at realistic resolutions. "I resolve to brush my teeth every day." Now there's an example of a resolution that is manageable and realistic. It's good for me and takes little effort to keep. Indeed, it's a resolution that stands the test of time and can be placed on the list every year.

So much for the easy ones. Now let's notch it up a bit so as to show a bit more resolve. "I will go to sleep every night." Now this one is a bit harder to keep. There are lots of reasons not to go to sleep some nights--the computer roll, the special bedmate, the overdue paper, the cleaning frenzy, the slumber party, the wait for the sunrise. Nevertheless, this resolution is almost always kept, and it is an easy addition to the list each year.

Another easy resolution to keep is "I will eat more salt and vinegar potato chips." This was one of my all time favorite resolutions. However, the problem was not in keeping it, but repeating it the next year. Eating salt and vinegar chips is certainly no problem, but eating more of them is. I can imagine keeping this resolution year after year, making extra trips to the grocery store for countless bags of chips in ever increasing loads. I can imagine myself bulging, ballooning and finally bursting--or dying of malnutrition as salt and vinegar chips become an exclusive diet. "More, more," I cry, "I am resolved."