A Resolute 2011

“Admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering”, that’s how the New Oxford dictionary defines the word “resolute”, the base of “resolution”.  Determined and unwavering is not how I would describe most of my resolutions! Only one I can think of have I actually held true, and not even 100% there. Two years ago I decided that drinking three Venti Starbuck’s coffees every day might be contributing to my overall anxiety, sleeplessness and need to whiten my teeth every other week. I can confidently say that after two years of almost no coffee, I don’t have to whiten my teeth as much.

Here we are (I say “we” to fashion some sort of community here) on the second day of the new year and I’m thinking about resolutions past, present and future. With the one exception, all past decrees have come and gone without much notice or purpose. So, what will this year bring?

I found myself thinking about this year’s promise at 2 am today…kinda strange but true. I had not thought about a resolution for 2011 leading up to January 1^st, but for some weird reason I began to in the wee hours of day two. What can I do differently that will positively change my life? Should it be work-related, financial, relationship or health-based? No, none of those struck a chord with me. Hummm…dilemma, dilemma.  What can I realistically accomplish that I really should change?

One word, “Music”. “What”? I hear you ask? “Music”, not listening to, or downloading more but playing. See, I’m a musician at heart, though I barely have made a peep in years. At 2 am I got to thinking about my father who passed over a year ago, and remembering then that I had thoughts of blowing the dust off of the drums in the basement. Why? Because of all the talents he possessed and achievements (athlete, veteran, artist, computer pioneer), he would have always described himself a “musician”; and that love of music passed on to me. I never considered myself talented, especially compared to dad, who could play any instrument known to mankind (and had them all in his house to prove it!) but I did enjoy it.  

So here, day two I’m setting off to the basement (after 12 noon of course) and sitting down behind the kit to make some noise.  I’m sure it will annoy and anger some of me neighbors, but hey – I’ll need a resolution for 2012!