Last week, I talked about five things I was thankful for in the year 2011. With 2012 upon us (here; with us now), it is of course time to make some New Year’s resolutions. Here are a few of mine:
1. Exercise more. I discovered recently that, although I wish otherwise (want something else or something different), I am getting a little older every year. My doctor that says the best thing for me to do is more exercise. I already exercise everyday on a treadmill (a machine for walking), but I could stand to do (could benefit from doing) a little more, especially after all of that pumpkin pie I ate over the holidays.
2. Eat more pumpkin pie. Eating pumpkin pie is one of my favorite things in the world to do. So, hey, if I exercise more, I can eat more pie, right? Of course, if I eat more pie than I do now, I will need to exercise even more, but that just means I can then eat more pie and then…well, you get the idea.
3. Learn something new. I am what my father used to call a “professional student” – I was in school for so many years that it seemed as though that was my “career.” But the truth is I really do enjoy going to school and learning something new. Last year I took a couple of classes at my local community college, and I had a lot of fun, even though I was by far (easily) the oldest person in the class. I plan to do that again this year.
4. Spend less time watching television. It is too easy to sit down and spend half of your evening watching the silly programs that are on the TV. That time can be better spent talking to my wife and my family, reading a good book, or eating pumpkin pie.
5. Suffer fools (more) gladly. Fools are people who are do things we think are stupid or who might annoy (bother) us with their silly actions. To suffer usually means to undergo (experience) pain, but it can also mean to tolerate, to put up with someone. Gladly means happily. There is an old expression that we should learn to suffer fools gladly, meaning that we should be more patient and kind to those whose behavior (actions) we don’t like, who are foolish, or who bother us in some way. I think we can all afford to do (are able to; will benefit from) that. We can make the world around us just a little bit nicer by being nicer ourselves.
What are five things you want to do more of, less of, or differently in 2012?
~Jeff
Photo credit: Treadmill by McQuillan
well, i just turned 20 this year and my new years resolutions are : –
1. stop cutting my fingernails with a hatchet . instead , get used to the normal nail clipper .
2. start washing my hands after i use the restroom .
3. Spend less than $1825 for coffee at Starbucks this year.
4. Go back to school to avoid paying my student loans.
5. break up with my beauuuuuutiful girl friend .
6. kill my cat because its getting older and fatter every day !
7 .listening to ESLPODcast only once a year , cuz its taking much time from me !
my last new years resolution is to not share any one of them to anyone !!
+ Read more…..too much more.
+ Be just enough patient with every body.
+ Give less speeches or advices specially to my lovely wife.
+ Go for a walk out home more frequently, as open air is necessary.
+ Receive a hard strict medical treatment that I was reluctant for a very long time.
+ Take care of my friends, family and as it is natural of Gatufo….,,,my nice lovely cat.
+ Do not be involved, or at least as less as possible, in political or economic argues
because this year (in Spain) it would be the most easy way of having all kind of problems
or disagreements with friends or family.
+ Be optimist every moment….and …. tachan…surprise:
LEARN ENGLISH, of course.
emiliano
Talal’s reply is so funny. I like the idea.
In 2012, I’d like to
1. Jog in the morning.
2. Keep on tennis trainning.
3. Be a good father. Of course, that still is a few month a way.
4. Browse the ESLpod blog more frequently.
5. Learn something new just like Jeff does.
+Lose 15 pounds in 2012. —I already lost 9 pounds in the past two months. Work out at least 3 days a week.
+Finish my last swimming class before summer.
+Baby Plan:) Maybe I don’t need to lose weight now
+Travel a country never been before.
+Learn at least 1000 new English words.
Dear Jeff thanks for it.surprisingly number 1-3 & 5 are really my concerns and wish and will for new year!wish you all a great and happy year.
Five things?… I don’t know why, but it’s not that easy to say!…
1.I could say, like as Emiliano said, that I’d like to be more patient with evry body: especially with my two daughters!
2. I’d like to see my country (Italy, of course) becoming more and more happy. To be happy we need justice and jobs…
3. My great dream is to live and work in the U.S.A.: to do so, I have absolutely to improve my English.
4. Smile more
5. Believe in myself.
Thank you everybody!
Hi! I have just watched on the CNN channel the presidential race for the 1st and 2nd place in the caucuses in Iowa.
On this occasion I have learned a new word “caucus”.
Hi!
“January cold and desolate;
February all dripping wet;
March wind ranges;
April changes;
Birds sing in tune
To flowers of May,
And sunny June
Brings longest day;
In scorched July
The storm-clouds fly
Lightning-torn
August bears corn.”
Hi!
“September fruit;
In rough October
Earth must disrobe her;
Stars fall and shoot
In keen November;
And night is long
And cold is strong
In bleak December.”
Hi boss
Good thinking on your part. But there is a glitch to your whole perfect system-that is, maintaining the resolutions.
Making resulousions are sth,but maintaining them thorough out the year is sthelse.
There is a new year upon us . Everrything looks Haapy ,fresh ,and exciting. We are all wanna conquer the world and be on the top of our lives.
I got that. It is all happening at the beginning of every year.
But ,are you man enough to keep them up until the year end.
That,I wanna see.
Chief,
The most resulousions of all for me is to shed the holiday weight on me. Over the holiday I got a big muffin top:)
So the first task ,for the Nex few months is to get ride of the extra pound.
I got another resulousions to fullfill ,I m planning on going back to swimming pool. You know ,I used to swime 30laps everyday. Then, life get the best of me and made me quit it cold Turky. I didn’t do even one splash in water last year.
I had a couple of resulutions Last year as well. Bit the only resolution I kept last year was being lazy about everything ,a genuine coach potato.
Another Goal for me this year is to get a beautiful girlfriend. I went the whole last year solo,snag if you will which sucked
I have one in my list that is too far reach ,but I wanna maintain it at any cost is to get rid of my accent and assume Lucy’s accent.
I have another too out-there resulusion ,I had this one in my list like for 6 years, is to become Jeff the second.
I am planning on cutting down on empty Colories junk food and adopt a vegtable-studded diet, who am I kidding?
See ,I have a long list but it will become shrinking as the year unfold 🙂
Believe you me,:)
Jeff,
I realized sth I m tottaly obsessed by Eslpod
My obsession has gotten the best of me.
Literally,i have you in my ears at all time.
It keeps me from schmoozing with people around me in a public setting.
I have a cup of tea or coffe like everyday at Starbucks. I m not too picky about the location.
I have been in Starbucks all over the city.
It is not the point,the point is whenever that I get a chance to sit and relax, the first thing I do even before I settle at my place ,set on my position, I take out my iPhone or iPod ,have you on and start listening to genuine of your words over and over. It is like I can’t get enough of you ever. The downside here is “the isolation” I mean I practically tune people around me out listening to u. Even at school when my classes are over ,I go to the liberary and start listening to u while reading iPod or studying Lucy’s scripts.
Please ,don’t get me wrong,I m totally do it willingly. I m not holding anything against you. Listen boss ,I don’t wanna be a jerk here. I appriciate you and tote work. Finding you was a new beginning in my life. Eslpod was like a Revolution in my life.
But,it just crossed to my mind because at this very moment , I m doing it. I m listening to the latest on eslpod and texting you. I am not even noticing the life going on around me. The flow of people coming and going and so on.
Jeff,
It is interesting , eslpod sucked me in and isolated my exaistance to its website. To my surprise ,I m all happy with that. I have never been happier. But, everyday I m getting lonelier and lonelier.
And ,I have no problem with that.
Even at school my classmates ,because I have eslpod on like all the time , have become just a bunch nudging acquaintances. The people who nude while walking passing me or waving “hi”
I
Thanks Joe !!
Learning something different?
That is really good, all my new life after leaving the bank´s work I have been learning
several different things.
So many and interesting subjects that my life of before was in fact boring.
Going to the bank, having every day the same or similar routine and that was all.
Now life is brilliant.
Every day I do not know what I am going to do or to learn as I get up from the bed.
Cooking a new plate, doing a search by the web, making proofs with the IPad, touching
the bluetooth to see what happen or what I could listen….all is new and it is there
to learn.
I would like to learn a new language but I think it is too much for me, I like Italian
the best and also French as the second.
—-
But having to do the house chores is a new and interesting subject.
In fact carrying a house it is one of the most difficult task I have ever done.
Having in mind hundred of little things like the toothpaste or the
toilet paper, potatoes, eggs, meat, cleaning…..and managing the money.
That is a really different and difficult tasks.
Yes, now I see life with other eyes and I could understand better the work
required to manage a house, so thank you mother and thanks to all the women
that every day support their houses.
Yes, it should be good to exchange roles between husband and wife every
six or seven moths to understand better each other.
Sorry men but that is the truth……, so it could be a good resolution to do
that this year and in the following years ahead.
emiliano
Chief ,
There is sth I wanna add
U know what they say:
“Give sb an inch ,and they will take a mile”
I admit that I abused sometimes your good nature and crossed the line
You know,I said things wasn’t supposed to say, bruise some egos along the way ,or say sth distasteful ,or…..
My new resolution is to stay within boundaries.
To stay within the mean of Eslpod
Boss,for that I m so sorry
I limit myself ,you have my word on.
No
Funny stuff anymore
U post sth there, I will drop alone totally related.
By now boss
Hellow,
Five Target on 2012
1. Leaning and Practicing English for my dream.
2. Reading a book per one month.
3. Excersice more. – it is same
4. Enjoying life.
5. Earning more money.
Hi, Emiliano
Your words are so inspired. I realize the house chores is hard when I read your reply. And because I never do house chores, I now appreciate my wife’s work. I will do more thing my wife demand me to do without argue with her. I definitely agree that husband and wife should exchange roles every half year.
I do have a will to learn a second foreign language. Maybe Japanese or French. How do you like Chinese? It is totally different from Western linguistic form. I am a Chinese, so I give a recommend here. Just a invitation.
Talal,
I am curious that where are you?
I wanna read more
I wanna study English more
I wanna speak in English more
I wanna cut the other language off totally
I never spoke it ,anyway
If sb speaks to me with the other language I must supposedly know. My only answer always is :beg Ur pardon.
It Barly happens since nobody can guess my origin.
Out of curiosity jeff,
What are the courses you take at community college ?
Indonesia , where r u from Joe ? 😉
Oh ,I almost forgot,
I determine to buy a laptop or tabloid so I reduce the likelihood of making silly mistakes here on the blog.
I promis to eliminate the rookie mistakes.
All the misuse of Definit and indefinite articles and other errors are a thing of past.
I am about to Plunge into a new era in which I make just fundamentals errors 🙂
I purchased a playbook right before new year eve. The postal office received my shipment from RIM(black berry) in cut-off time,so I haven’t received it yet. I believe today it will come in the mail according to my updated tracking record by Canada post.
U know,I didn’t pay big money for it. The original price for playbook 32 Gigabite is 499 but I got it for 250. I know it is a good bargain basement. RIM offering
The product with such a steep discount due to the crises in RIM. The botched lounch of the playbook couldn’t compete by that of IPad.
The dismal sale made the higher-ups in Rim’s head quarter distraughtly seek out a prompt action. they slashed the prices of Playbook hoping to get a better return of investment. The cyber offer is still on. Go get one ,a good alternative for a pricy laptop. I can’t afford to buy a laptop so I settled for sth of equivalent. I can’t tottaly workaround with it.
See,at least I m taking action towards fulfilling one of my resulusion which is more involvement by Jeff ,Lucy and above all eslpod at large.
Threre is a downside to it ,though. Playbook don’t offer eslpod episodes in its podcast section,just a limited numbers on the previous section of eslpod that does not fit the bill for me.it means ,I never get to upload eslpod into my device. It is sad.
But,I figured a workaround. I save up eslpod episod in a USP stick them upload them in play book. I will do it ,and hope for the best.
The proverb that “hope for the best and prepare for the worst” does not do it for me.
From the looks of it,eslpod lunches it’s products exclusively via Apple iTunes.
Why is that ? Beat me
By now
“I promis I will deliver a better quality comments in the immediate future” and that is a resolution I never break.
Jeff,
I’m wondering why you’ve made the No.5 resolution?
I’m also curious that what made you make that resolution.
What prompted you? Our emails? 😉
Reading your posts always makes me happy in some ways.
Thanks for your great heart that helps us learn English gladly.
It is funny guys ,
Picture Jeff taking courses at a locall community college. As the mature if courses in college requires,it is mandatory for every student regardless of their expertise and Profesion to make a report or some sort of essay for the subject at hand.
Some of the report and essay writing conduct in class that is called in-class assignment.
And some which require more work and diligence usually are assigned as homeworks.
Just picture Jeff sitting in the classroom and writing a short report or essay for a subject.
Jeff what mark do u get for the essay and reports ? 1000 out of 100:))))))
It is funny as hell.
What profs out dare even dare to mark your writing.
Common man ,indeed you are a professional student.
Jef,have sbelse write your essay . It is not fair to others.
At least ,write them with left hand:)
Hi, again, Jeff,
Your explanation about your No.2 resolution makes my head spin! 😉
I enjoy household chores, that’s an activity that I usually carry out listening to BBC world service radio with my wireless headphones.
About today’s topic, I do not feel like adding or taking away something from my life now.
I am quite contented, sutisfied with what I have got and who I am so, I am not going to make NY’s resolutions
Do not worry Peter, it is interesting reading you, keep posting your way.
Bye guys.
The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time..
Abraham Lincolnn
Awesome to read your posts!
Talal,
I am from China. So, nice to meet you.
Thank you very much indeed, Jeff, for this timely topic. Yes, it is time for New Year’s Resolutions again.
I think all the good foods and drinks during the holiday period are having an impact on me. I was so lazy of writing anything in the past few days. I could not think of what to write for this topic. Perhaps there was really nothing to write about?
Nevertheless, help is at hand – I found what I wanted to say in Dan’s post:
“About today’s topic, I do not feel like adding or taking away something from my life now.
I am quite contented, satisfied with what I have got and who I am so, I am not going to make NY’s resolutions”.
I also want to say the same as what Dan said to Peter:
“Do not worry Peter, it is interesting reading you, keep posting your way”.
Dan, I would like to thank you for your good posts which I really enjoy reading.
Betty 🙂
nice to meet u too Joe !!!