For Release January 1, 2006

New Year's Resolutions

AGRI-VIEWS
by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent

My job is to help other people solve their problems. I answer their questions, I analyze the problem and I tell them what to do. Telling other people what to do is easy. Telling yourself what to do is another issue!

I used to feel that New Year's resolutions were a joke that were best made on April Fool's Day. But as I approach another one of those milestone birthdays I find that I have grown a bit more reflective and hopefully thoughtful. Taking the time, at least once a year, to analyze yourself and try to decide where one can improve one's self is probably a good idea. So for a change, I won't tell other's what to do, I'll tell myself what to do. And I'll tell all of you what my New Year's resolutions are so you can help hold my feet to the fire for the coming 365 days! Just please be kind!

To start with, I resolve to spend more time listening and less time talking. I've heard it said in many different ways, but probably best stated by my favorite philosopher, Jimmy Buffett, recently as, "I never learned very much listening to myself talk!" Well said Jimmy! Just because my job requires me to speak regularly, it doesn't mean I have to speak constantly. So Chuck, sit down, be quiet and listen!

In 2006, I resolve to eat less and move more. As a population, I think most of the United States could benefit from this one. I spend a lot of time in meetings and it becomes entirely too easy to not eat right and not do enough simple exercises, like walking. So once the Christmas tree is down the treadmill goes back up and I'll get a start on getting that walking in at least every other day, and more is better.

I resolve to read more. I used to read a lot, and loved to do it. I started slowing down as I got closer and closer to bifocals. Well, that excuse is now gone. I have a backlog of books that I've picked up in recent years. I can just spend a little less time at the computer and a little more time reading the books, the magazines and the newspapers that I truly enjoy reading. The great thing about reading is that it is low tech. You don't need batteries, unless you're using a book light late at night. It doesn't depend on an Internet connection and you don't have to wait for the computer to boot up, or shut down. You open the page and away you go!

In the coming year, I resolve to learn more about the natural world around me. This probably surprises a lot of you who ask me all sorts of questions about the natural world all the time. But there is still so much that I want to know. Questions on plants, weather, insects, mushrooms, and stars. We are surrounded by the natural world, it impacts everything we do, and yet we so often see ourselves as isolated from it. We are part of the natural world and if you don't know your "community", then getting along with it becomes very difficult.

Finally, I resolve to treat family, friends and coworkers as nicely as I treat complete strangers. Have you ever noticed how you will apologize to a stranger for the simplest little thing or answer a question from someone you don't even know, yet snap off a short and abusive response if someone you know well asks the same question? It shouldn't be that hard to treat everyone as nicely as a stranger.

Those are some, but not all, of my 2006 resolutions. We'll see how I do in the coming months and feel free to borrow any of them for yourself as well!

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