At least I admit my list is selfish

Come clean, now — did you make any New Year’s resolutions last year that you totally and utterly failed to keep? Me, too. I don’t know why I do it. The whole idea behind making New Year’s resolutions is flawed and the explanation is simple. We don’t make resolutions that we can realistically expect to keep. Let’s start with the champion of all resolutions — losing weight. It’s certainly an admirable resolution and there’s no doubt I need to shed a few pounds. But if we were serious about losing weight, would we be making a pledge to do it while singing “Auld Lang Syne” and stuffing meatballs and wine down our gullet? Here’s another resolution that goes hand in hand with Numero Uno — exercise. Again, this is a great resolution to make and — again — I’m the first one to admit that I could use a few more hours in the gym. But we also don’t go about exercise in the right way. We go weeks without hitting the gym, and then think on Jan. 2 it’s a good idea to work out for three hours. Raise your hand if you’ve done this and then spent the next week hardly able to walk because your abused muscles are so sore. There’s a reason why the saying “moderation is the key” is applicable to just about anything. So, with all that in mind, I’m not going to make any profound, shout-it-to-the-world-at-midnight New Year’s resolutions this year. I am going to make an internal pledge to myself to eat healthier and reduce the stress in my life. Maybe if I set the bar a little lower I can clear that sucker. •••••••••• Another popular thing — at least among we journalists — is to make best-of lists for the past year. I used to think that this was kinda fun, but now I’m starting to realize that it’s a waste of time. Again, the explanation is simple — it’s a subjective endeavor. What one person thinks is good or noteworthy often varies greatly from what another person views as good or noteworthy. For example: movie top 10 lists. I have often thought the two most worthless jobs are movie critic and meteorologist. The former because different movies appeal to different people and the latter because predicting the weather is an impossible task. So, I’m going to trash that concept, too. Instead, I’m going to talk about a few things that I would like to see happen in 2014. I’m making no pretense that this is anything but my own selfish list and if you don’t agree with it, that’s cool. I probably wouldn’t agree with half the things you would like to see happen in the coming year, either. Let’s do it. Things I would like to see in 2014........ • The University of Missouri football team beat Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl this Friday. I want to see this happen not only because I’m a diehard Mizzou fan, but because I’m emptying my piggy bank out and traveling to Big D for the game. See, I told you this is a selfish list. • The Platte County Commission regain its debt ceiling and raise its ridiculous one-cent property tax levy a few pennies so the funding issue surrounding the federally-mandated emergency radio system upgrade can finally be responsibly addressed. • Opponents of the Affordable Care Act spend half as much time trying to help it work for all the people who will benefit from it as they do trying to make it fail. Just one-half as much time, that’s all I’m asking for. • A Platte County R-3 tax levy increase is passed in April so the District can build the new school it needs right now and will desperately need this time next year. And no, I don’t have any kids in school anymore or nephews or nieces, etc. I just think it’s the right thing to do and am willing to pay a few more bucks each year to make it happen. • The Chiefs beat the Colts Saturday in the first round of the playoffs. Not only would it be the first playoff win for the Chiefs in 20 years, but it would make those $10 beverages I will be buying at the DFW airport Saturday afternoon waiting to board my 5 p.m. flight home go down a little easier. And don’t get me started about why the timing of my first-ever Mizzou bowl trip has to coincide with the Chiefs’ first playoff appearance in three years. What’s the odds? How’s that for selfish? Thanks for reading.