A New Year's Resolution

It’s almost that time of the year again – time to get serious about eating better, saving more, buying local, supporting the food pantry, helping a neighbor, going back to school, using less electricity, calling a friend and the list goes on.

My resolution this year is to worry about just the important stuff – maybe the top 5 or 10 things. I’m a pretty good worrier. I can worry about the end of mankind and at the same time worry about “did I put the cap back on the toothpaste.” It takes a lot of energy to worry about everything. So this year, I’m starting early to get all the worries lined up and prioritized so I can concentrate on the really good ones.

I started making a list and here’s where I am so far. There are the obvious things like unemployment, Iraq, Afghanistan, housing foreclosures, world hunger, H1N1, health care, global warming, family violence, N. Korea, Iran, value of the dollar, obesity rates for children, national debt, hate crimes, genetically modified food, terrorism, biodiversity, Fox 45, air and water pollution, Antioch College, factory farms, genocide, declining math scores, homophobia, talk radio, invasive species, racial prejudice, social security, nuclear war and, after last night's presentation at the Little Art, Madagascar – just to get started. I do wonder how world hunger and obesity issues can be on the same list but I’ll worry about that some other time.

And of course, there are things that might be considered “noise level.” That would include motorcycles, trucks, chainsaws, chippers, lawn mower, fighter jets, private planes, commercial planes and the occasional rescue helicopter.

Here’s the problem, I want to be a good community member, a responsible citizen and also support my neighbors. However, and I’m really very sorry about this, I just can’t worry about jet noise this year. I’ve tried to get it in the top 10 but no matter how I sort the list or change the ranking criteria, jet noise just doesn’t make the cut - it’s up against some stiff competition. For now, I'm hoping that things will be better by 2011 and jet noise will make the top 10 and rightfully deserve some serious worry.

Deep down, I know I’m still going to worry about everything. I just need some peace and quiet so I can concentrate. Maybe Santa will bring me ear protectors.

Happy Holidays – A. Reader