Resolutions: Our annual attempt for the Holy Grail continues into a New Year

Stay Safe

The article suggested that one should have a greater benefit than themselves. For example, resolve to make more money so your child can attend private school, or so your trophy wife could get those enhancements she keeps talking about. Motivation comes in several forms.

For more than 20 years, my January Crime-Prevention Newsletter always opened with a paragraph that this would be the year we would finally shore up our home and business security and begin enhancing our personal security with the goal of becoming victim-free in the new year. In the months following, I think that I read as many theft, burglary, and robbery reports as I had before the new year kicked in.

Such is the trend with New Year’s resolutions. According to Forbes Magazine, each year more than 50% of people make the annual resolution to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, work out and/or get promoted at work. Most say the failure rate is 80% or more.

This should be no surprise to anyone who, while nursing a New Year’s hangover, made their first resolution of the new year: never drink this much again.

The article went on to say one reason most fail is that we were not that emotionally committed to the goal in the first place. The fact we pick Jan. 1 to be the date to start this new “you” becomes a product of peer pressure and self-pressure to do something. To say, “I have no resolutions for the new year” implies that we have an inflated sense of self-importance to the point that we feel no need to improve ourselves or that we’re too pitiful to give it a go in the first place.

The other reason for failure is that the goals we set were not that important in the first place, so the motivation wasn’t really there.

I think you need to choose your resolutions carefully. Resolving to lose weight in January is tough because most folks aren’t as active in the cold months as they are in the spring and summer. Food seems to be more appealing than in hotter temperatures.

Going to the gym makes absolute sense until it’s time to get up, get dressed, get in the car, and actually go. It’s almost designed to fail.

Writers make the same resolution each year. Write more, take more time to write, attend workshops, take part in writing groups, find an agent, freelance more and finish that inevitable “novel.” No pressure at all.

Getting older means my resolution goals need to adapt to what is achievable and practical to me. My first resolution last year was to do away with “resolutions” and instead transition to “bucket lists.” To me, to accomplish a “bucket-list” item gives greater satisfaction.

For instance, my wife and I said for years that we’d like to try skydiving. Talk, talk, talk. I realized that I didn’t want to get to the point where I’m saying “Gee, I really wish I’d done that, but now it’s too late.” So, while my wife was taking a golf lesson, something else we’d talked about but never did, I signed us up to go skydiving.

The two of us went up 14,000 feet and jumped out of an airplane with a couple of instructors who looked like they’d been following the Grateful Dead for years. We flew through the air at 120 mph, then literally floated through clouds for a few minutes.

When we walked away, I said, “I’m glad we did that.”

Another item on the list was to learn to play the drums. Again, talk, talk, talk. Finally, as I was firmly headed to my 69th birthday, I said to myself, “Heck with it. I’ll buy them,” so, I bought a Roland electronic drum kit, a good one at that, and began learning to play.

What I learned after a few months was that I had the drumming skills of a block of wood. The drums soon were sold to someone else who had that desire. In the end, I said to myself, “I’m glad I tried it and I’m pretty sure my wife is glad I sold them.”

For 2021, I accomplished two goals, two more resolutions than I usually had accomplished in the past. It’s a system that works for me. So, good luck on your resolutions for 2022. Maybe this is the year for us because I too made one resolution beginning this month: be less sarcastic. Yep. And if you know me, you probably won’t bet on my making it, but here we go.

Music

▲Matthew Kaminski w/ Annie Sellick

Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

Atlanta Braves organist

Matthew Kaminski and Annie Sellick perform as part of Sandy Springs’ Blue Stone Jazz series. Kaminski plays piano and accordion as well as the Hammond B3 organ. He’s been playing for the Braves since the 2009 season and has released three studio CDs. $30.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Peachtree St. NE. 30309

Associate Conductor Jerry Hou, organist Dr. Jens Korndörfer and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra present a special holiday performance at the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. The program includes works by T.J. Cole, Poulenc and SaintSaens.

$35-$70, students $10 at door as available.

Michael Feinstein

Thursday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

Feinstein performs the music of the Great American songbook. His work has earned nominations for five GRAMMY® Awards and his PBSTV specials have been nominated for Emmy awards. $44.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Thursday, Jan. 13, and Saturday Jan. 15

Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280

Peachtree St. NE, 30309

Pianist Stephen Hough plays Saint-Saens Concerto No. 4 and the orchestra, ed by conductor Kazuki Yamada, performs works by Mozart and Takemitsu, and Schubert’s “Symphony No. 5.” A negative test or proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a photo ID are required to attend this event.

$18-$99.

Nobuntu

Friday, Jan. 21

City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

This female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe takes their name from an African concept that values humbleness, love, purpose, unity and family. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty, and heritage through art and have drawn international acclaim for inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. $40.

Atlanta Opera

Saturday, Jan. 22; Tuesday, Jan. 25; Friday, Jan. 28; and Sunday, Jan. 30

8 p.m. on Saturday and Friday,

7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 3 p.m. on Sunday

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, 30339

The Opera stages Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance.” Proof of vaccination of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance are required. Masks are required upon entry and during time inside the facility.

$45-$150

Leo Kottke

Monday, Jan. 24 City Winery

650 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, 30308

8 p.m.

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke performs a mixture of country blues, folk and traditional American music. All indoor guests of City Winery will temporarily need to provide proof of vaccine or show a negative Covid-19 test within the previous 72 hours; and wear masks indoors when moving throughout public areas. $30 to $45

Atlanta Symphony

Saturday, Jan. 29, and Sunday, Jan. 30

8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, 30309 Pianist Saleem Ashkar performs Grieg’s “Piano Concerto” and conductor Nikolaj SzepsZnaider leads a performance of Boulanger’s “Of a Spring Morning” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6, Pathetique.” $23-$99

►Emerson String Quartet

Sunday, January 30 City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

2 p.m.

The Emerson String Quartet has maintained its status as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles for more than four decades. The Quartet has made more than 30 acclaimed recordings and has been honored with nine GRAMMYs.

Comedy

Tig Notaro

Tuesday, January 25

The Eastern 800 Old Flat Shoals Rd SE, Atlanta 30312

6 p.m.

Tig Notaro is an Emmy and Grammy nominated standup comedian, writer, radio contributor, and actor as well as a favorite on numerous talk shows, including “Ellen” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the “50 best stand-up comics of all time.” $37.50 to $47.50.

Books

Buckhead Heritage Book Club

Saturday, Jan. 12 Mathieson Exchange Lofts, 3180 Mathieson Drive, Atlanta, 30305

7 p.m.

The Buckhead Heritage Book Club discusses “Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family” by Gary M. Pomerantz. Open to nonmembers. Free. Register at www.BuckheadHeritage.com.

ATLANTA READS

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. Online at gwinnettpl.org. The ATL Reads Virtual Book Club discusses the historical novel “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel. Free