BC�s call for New Year�s Resolutions that I�m making for myself, or that I�d want someone else to make for themselves has me in a bit of a pickle. I hardly ever bother with New Year�s resolutions - in my younger days I�d generally pick something grandiose that wouldn�t ever get done or happen, and that got me out of the habit. As you get older, you learn to break down problems into smaller more manageable bites to where you don�t get overwhelmed by them and quit. Maybe I ought to look again at New Year�s resolutions in that light, and pick smaller ones, rather than one like learning French.

There�s something for the resolutions too, for some one thing or another to improve the world. They�re fairly common and there�s not a thing wrong with them. Just pick the right thing to do, and do it; I�m with that. But they are kind of small and easy, most of them. Pick a little bigger one, OK? Or maybe two?

But you also learn as you get older is that the only person in the world you can change is yourself, and that ain�t easy; it takes a lot of time too, and it doesn�t always work. And when you get down to it, most New Year�s resolutions are about trying to change yourself. All the resolutions that involve your doing something fun or interesting are going to happen anyway; all the resolutions about anything else are about changing yourself. BC�s asking for a New Year�s resolution for someone else goes hard against the plain reality that you can�t change someone else and that you shouldn�t try. That and asking people to be different or better is just the same sort of wishful thinking like what you�d do if you had a million dollars. It is a pointless, time-killing diversion.

But these years I�m solidly middle aged, and I�ve learned some other things getting there. The most important thing that I�ve learned that would tie into a New Year�s resolution is how hard being a decent and upright human being is in American society. I swear that the unofficial motto of the US is: �Well, there�s me the person, and me the job.� Myself, I always thought the Almighty thought different there. We can�t get away from that endemic ugliness. But there are all sorts of small decencies and kindnesses you can do that you don�t necessarily have to do that you should - most of them involve opening your eyes and not doing the shoving-your-way-to-the-front-of-the-line sort of things we do too often, that our greedy and materialistic society pretty much tells us to do. Instead, there are things like opening doors for people and letting people in at traffic* - and doing these small things more - is a good New Year�s resolution because not only are you doing something small but useful to make the lives of people in this world better. And at the same time, you are doing something small to make yourself a better person. And keeping your eyes open for the small things to do - well there�s one hell of a lot to be said for keeping your eyes open more and paying attention more anyway. That is a resolution for self-improvement and world improvement that�s within reach. Think about it, and think about it in your daily living after New Year�s, too.

If you want to do the one-act things for making this a better place, here are my suggestions:

• Plant a tree - not just any tree, but the right tree, and plant it right, in the right place, and most importantly, take care of it once you plant it to where it makes it. Water it in the summer and more when it needs it.� Make it grow and succeed, and if you fail, well hell, replant it next year and do better.**

• If you have the chance, talk some young person out of going into the military and keep them from being a part of our two and a half wrong and shameful wars. Better still, MAKE the chance to talk to young people to talk them out of the war. And if you have the chance to help some GI get out of the Green Machine, do it.

• Give some OTH-ex-GI a job.

• Make a couple of social visits to old folks� homes and just talk to the folks there.

• Become a pen-pal with a prison inmate.

There are lots of good one-act things to do. Do one. Or two. And if you can round up someone else to do these things with, well that�s even better, and you should try to.

That�s my take on New Year�s resolutions. Happy New Year to all of BC�s staff, and to all its readers, too.

BlackCommentator.com Guest Commentator, Daniel N. White, has lived in Austin, Texas, much longer than he figured he would. He reads more than most people and a whole lot more than we are all supposed to. He is still doing blue-collar work for a living - you can be honest doing it - but is fairly fed up with it right now. He invites all reader comments, and will answer all that aren� t too insulting. Click here to contact Mr. White.

*I don�t think I�ll do that for SUV drivers yet

**Anybody who has questions about planting trees or just has a hankering to should drop me a line and I�ll give you the lowdown on it - a sketch and a page of instructions - which will tell you most of what you really need to know.