New Years Resolutions

Learn new English words. I’ve already added “fascicle” to my vocabulary (thank you Donald Knuth and The Art of Computer Programming, Volume IV (Addison-Wesley 2005 if all goes to plan, available from at least one good online bookshop).

Learn new French words. It’s difficult to follow the meaning when a chap is explaining (in French) just how his wife got ill, the precise medical symptoms, how she died, and the arrangements for the funeral. All this whilst he is in floods of tears. It would be easier if I knew the French for pancreas, tumour, etc. I might even resurrect my only half-written book – a French/English Dictionary of Fish (pocket-size so you can take it to a restaurant with you).

Play more golf. Not difficult after 2004.

Love my fellow man (and woman). Very important, this resolution, and not just in case I need to borrow money.

Be more adventurous. Meaning not just trying out new restaurants, new pubs, new thriller writers, new ways of selling books; but eating more challenging food in those new restaurants, testing out new beers in the new pubs, becoming a thriller writer myself, and maybe throwing in the towel so far as books are concerned and selling seafood over the Internet instead.

Lose some weight. I must look good for the Sister’s Wedding (why capital letters, it makes it look like a film title?).

Improve my punctuation skills. You never know, but one day the redoubtable Mrs Chip might find this blog, and she doesn’t hold back when it comes to sloppy punctuation (as her partner will verify).

See more of my relations. At least improve my “keeping in touch” with my parent, my aunt, my cousins and brothers (thank heavens for some plurals), the sister and the sister-in-law.

See more of my friends. Yes even the American ones, the Manchester United supporter ones, the Ayatollahs of this world, the Welsh, and many of my old work colleagues.

The important one – Cherish my little family.

Ooh! This is a soppy Nappa, not a ranting one. Happy New Year!