Resolved: 2012

Last year, my resolution was as follows: "in the next year, I intend not to eat meat that I don't feel good about." I kept that resolution for a little over three months, then in the interest of other goals, I shelved that good intention. Over the course of the year, I lost roughly 35 pounds (at my lowest weight--I put some of that back on before year's end) and got my cholesterol numbers from very high to very good without medication.


With any luck, I can fail my New Year's Resolution just as spectacularly this year.


I'm tempted to just go back to last year's resolution. Even though I put it aside by April, it's not as though I stopped eating meat that I felt good about: all of the meat I ate at home fell into that category, it's just that I ate more dubious meat when I was elsewhere. The point of a resolution, to my mind, is to live more intentionally. We take stock here at the start of a calendar year and make a decision to change some aspect of our lives for the better, to try to put our actions in line with our values in some way or another. Last year, when I went back on my resolution, I did so because other intentions became more important to me, not because I didn't have the willpower. Well, I suppose it could be argued that I didn't have the willpower to reconcile the two. Anyway, the point isn't so much whether I was rational or rationalizing, the point is that I was intentional about what I was doing, and I had good results, even if I didn't stick to the letter of my resolution.

That said, I think my reasons for wanting to make that resolution in the first place were good ones and that's why I'll take this opportunity to try to make that commitment again. So, in 2012, I intend not to eat meat that I don't feel good about, which again means meat that's raised in a humane way (as best I can figure) and sustainable way. More details at the link above.

In more vaguely-formulated goals, I would like to sustain and consolidate the health gains I made in the past year, through continued attention to diet and exercise.

Outside of resolutions, there's a lot to look forward to in the coming year. On or around my birthday, if all goes as planned, we'll have our second daughter. As I'll become twice as much of a father (that's how having a second child works, right?), maybe I should resolve to be twice as good a father (is that even possible?). We're in the process of planning our dream home, and there's a decent chance that it could be built this year (though given the nature of building projects, it's possible it won't be, too).

All in all, 2011 was a pretty good year for us, and it's to be hoped that 2012 will be as well. Here's wishing the same to you.