Ah, the New Year is not just imminent. It’s here.

Damn.

I need a few more months in 2016 to accomplish my goals for that year, but the calendar is an unforgiving authority.

And yes, the young people who may somehow encounter this column – I know it’s highly unlikely – time accelerates with age.

I’m sure you’re like me. You use the New Year as a time to reassess and you make resolutions. I’m also positive you are full of the best intentions and determination to accomplish these goals. You feel great for a month or so and then elements of your life throw up roadblocks that get in your way.

Before you know it, it’s May or June and you think, “Next year for sure!”

I stopped making resolutions when I realized they were promises I just frequently break and then feel guilty.

Few things derail a second chance to do something right than guilt about an initial false start.

The problem with resolutions is they seem frequently surmountable. I propose we look at the New Year and our behavior in a different way. How about we resolve to continue doing the good things we already do?

Here is my theory: if we feel good about ourselves accomplishing something positive, we will probably be heartened to try something new.

For instance, I started going to a gym in 2016. So far, my back feels better and I am building up stamina – positive things for a fat old man. So, my resolution for 2017 is to keep going as often as I can.

I made significant progress on my next book, a project that I’ve been working on my entire adult life. I had an epiphany about it this year that has helped spur me to keep working on it. I realized the source material that I can now get on-line through various research sites is making the project much stronger than what I could have produced earlier in my life.

It’s almost as if this was predetermined to be the time to complete this work. Naturally in 2017 I’m continuing it.

I’ve come to a better understanding of what I can control in my life and career and what I can’t. This doesn’t mean I’m at ease with this growing realization. It bothers me greatly to be at the whim of so many outside forces, but I’m trying to resolve this reality. It will be an on-going project in 2017.

I started a modest backyard garden in 2016. This next year will see a larger and better operation.

What have you been doing that has made an improvement in your life or the life of someone else? Shouldn’t you allow these successes to inspire you to take on more or to simply continuing doing something positive?

Best of the year

In this business people frequently expect to read about the year’s best or worst stories. Allow me to do a version of that.

Best History Repeating Itself Story: The second human trafficking story to come out of East Longmeadow.

Best Glacial Story: The slow progress on the construction of the new Saint Francis High School.

The Least Accepted Story: The transition Chicopee is making in its waste disposal that seems to befuddle and enrage certain city residents.

The Story That Keeps on Giving: The MGM casino project.

The Story that Only Has Taken Decades to Complete: The transformation of Springfield’s Union Station.

The Story We are Anxiously Waiting for the End: The repairs to Interstate 91.

What are you candidates?