The process of making New Years resolutions dates back to the Babylonians. The most popular resolution at that time was to return any borrowed farm equipment to its rightful owners. Although returning borrowed farm equipment should be high on our priority list there is often more pressing needs in our life.

In today's society we tend to make New Years resolutions that require tremendous amounts of self discipline such as losing weight, quitting smoking and/or drinking, starting an exercise program, or vowing to never again kick the neighbors dog.

The fact is that you should quit smoking because breathing is a good thing. We should start exercising because it is important to be healthy. And we should not kick the neighbor's dog because it is not nice and you might end up in a cell next to Michael Vick.

Perhaps instead we should make resolutions that should be easy and perhaps even fun. We could take measures to reduce our stress. Let's force ourselves to have fun and enjoy life. Life is short. Trite but true. It is not all that serious.

I have multiple New Years resolutions this year. I will see Jimmy Buffet this year. I am required to see one theatrical play. I will go out at least one night and spend a stupid amount of money on a steak for no other reason than it is nice to treat yourself once in a while. I will attend three major sporting events, college or professional. There will be at least one long weekend and one week long trip because you need some down time to recharge your batteries. I vow to explore and visit places locally that I have never been.

Last but not least, I will take every available opportunity to let my family know how much I love them and how important they are in my life.

I think it may be a mistake to always focus on what we should not be doing instead of taking a look at what we should be doing.

Here's to a fantastic year.