Arts Roundtable
1. Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Why or why not?
Kyle Leitch: Never. Resolutions are like expectations: if you don’t set them, then you’ve got nothing to be disappointed by when you inevitably fail at them.
Robyn Tocker: I try to, but honestly, I hardly ever keep them. I think people make them just to feel better about themselves and their decisions. You don’t have to make a resolution to break a bad habit or eat better in the new year!
Paul Bogdan: I used to, but I stopped a few years ago because I think they’re bullshit. If you want to change something about yourself, don’t wait around for a new year; just go do it.
Julia Dima: I do, admittedly only because it’s popular dinnertime conversation. What, I'm lonely, okay?
2. Do you end up following through with your proposed resolutions?
KL: Not a once, and I haven’t been disappointed with myself, yet.
RT: As said above, nope!
PB: No, which is also why I stopped making them.
JD: I successfully followed through with one resolution ever. It was to stop playing Farmville. I had a serious problem.
3. Do you have any resolutions for this year?
KL: That would seem to directly contradict the answer I gave to question one, now wouldn’t it?
RT: I kind of do, but it’s mainly just to keep my grades up and go to the gym more often. Nothing mind blowing, that’s for sure.
PB: New Year’s Resolution for 2013: don’t make a New Year’s Resolution for 2013. I’m doing pretty well so far. It’s going to take commitment, but I think I can see this one through for the entire year.
JD: My resolution this year is to sleep at least three hours a night, which will either result in time management improvement or worse procrastination, since I'll use those three hours as an excuse not to do stuff I have to do. Probably the latter.
4. Do people make too big of a deal out of the start of a new year?
KL: Absolutely they do. This year especially, seeing as how the world was supposed to have ended a few weeks ago. We survived another revolution of the earth, congratulations. Now sit down, and shut up.
RT: To an extent. I think it’s good to be excited for a new year with new possibilities, but when people start to get all gun-hoe for it, I start to question their sanity.
PB: Yup, especially granted that my life hitherto has operated on years that functionally begin in September, and my brain is trained to work as such. January 1 is simply the day after Dec. 31.
JD: All people make a big deal out of any milestone date because we fuck up so hideously, and a new year, birthday, whatever, gives the illusion of a clean slate. But, if you had Herpes on Dec. 31, you probably still have it on Jan. 1.
5. What's the most absurd resolution you've heard of?
KL: Avoid employing my strikingly-decent impression of Mickey Mouse's voice when having sex. I wish I were making that one up.
RT: I haven’t heard a really crazy one in my time, but I’ll keep my ears open for one this year!
PB: Anything really. Generally, people make New Year’s resolutions because it’s a thing people do, and not because they’re legitimately serious about bettering themselves.
JD: After some conversation about skittles, Paul resolved to become a rainbow in 2013. I just can’t see it happening. Sorry, bud.
Photo by Arthur Ward
