New Year's Resolution #4

To restablish contact with old friends.

That's it really. Friends, followers of this blog from the early days and those who have read the manifesto will understand that losses reinforce the wisdom of knowing who your friends are and spending time with them - family particularly. However there are many friends with whom the only contact is the annual Christmas Card. That will change.

I have a view that NYR's should be postively phrased, life enhancing things not "give up this" or "stop doing that". I rarely make them and so can easily ennumerate those I have:

Resolution #1: To be more bad tempered and irritable. (1986) Triggered by a Christmas Eve failure to attracted the barman's attention, I resolved to be more assertive and outspoken of my needs (albeit whimsically phrased). This worked so well that, by September, I was overheard saying to my boss, "Ken, let me say this in words of one syllable that even you will understand." I left that company shortly thereafter and, the resolution having served its purpose, I reverted to mild-mannered Clark Kent mode.

Resolution #2: To drink more French white wine. (1987) Having weaning myself off sweet German wines by way of Rioja, Chianti, and Syrah from the Côtes du Rhone it was time to become more sophisticated in my drinking. So I resolved to extend my input by essaying something a little drier in the white department. A resolution that I have maintained to this day!

Resolution #3: To date a different woman every month. (1989) Following the success of the first two resolutions I decided to overcome my shyness with women (stop sniggering at the back there!). I know, hard to believe looking at the man you know today. *cough* *cough* The way to deal with fear of rejection was not to seek for acceptance in the first place. The game was to invite a woman out for a meal, or theatre or whatever, simply for the pleasure of their company not because I fancied them and wanted to have carnival knowledge*.

Though it has to be said that in some cases I wouldn't of minded. As I said to Miss August there are three things she should know about older men: they are more sophisticated, they are more urbane and they don't play hard to get.

All was going well, even two Miss April and two Miss August, then I got to September and met Mary and the rest is history. All bets were off and I had to disappoint the Misses October, November and December who were already lined up.

* Old joke courtesy of Jasper Carrot.