The future begins tomorrow

Although the painting here by Philippe Durand is entitled, "Time Machine," this post really has nothing to do with time machines or much of anything other than to note the conclusion of 2018 and the birth of 2019 -- which, you might be aware, begins as the bell finishes tolling midnight this night. I guess that is sort of a fib since I am adding two more resolutions to the three listed in my post of December 16. Also present are a pair of songs from Jon Bon Jovi and his crew. The scenes in the first number, "New Year's Day," remind me of the January 1 a few years ago when I spent the afternoon canoeing on The Lake, as I call it, known as Le Lac Supérieur by the early French explorers and better known as Lake Superior among those living today. The water is dark and cold and deep. Mostly it is beautiful and alluring. It is an invitation to be part of it. In every direction there is water -- only water. It would seem to go on forever .... maybe it does.

The primary difference between my excursion on The Lake and the waters in the video being that I was playing "ice breaker" with my canoe and I actually stopped to have a drink of brandy and to smoke a cigarette on a mini-iceberg .... ah, yes, those were the days, my friend. The second piece is pretty much the story of life from birth to death, which fascinates me in many ways for many reasons. Well, as sometimes is said, on with the show ....

 

A verse from the song

"New Year's Day"

composed by Billy Falcon & Jon Bon Jovi

performed by Jon Bon Jovi & his crew

 

I'm singing carpe diem

I'm saying seize the day

Come on, let's live forever

It's New Year's Day

 

New Year's Day & born again tomorrow ....

 

I have been thinking of resolutions for the coming year and essentially I want to find ways to renew my interest in life and living. Since firearms and the outdoors and reading have been the three greatest "loves" of my existence, I want to once again incorporate them more into my lifestyle.

 

I have more than a few guns I have not fired -- ever -- and, by this time next year, I do not want to have any that I have not shot a number of times and sent a large number of rounds through.

 

The concept of "large number" has different meanings to different people. My own definition in relation to shooting is three or four hundred rounds in an afternoon unless there are circumstances which create the need for more. I have acquaintances who now and then fire three of four thousand in an afternoon and, when opportunity is right, upwards of ten thousand in a week.

 

In relation to the outdoors, I will strive for a half-dozen or more multi-day canoe jaunts during the year, including one up in Michigan for at least a week in duration on my old friend, The Lake.

 

Once more, numbers have different meanings. There have been times when I was reading three books a week on average. That number has shrunk to about three a month. I will try to get back to at least one book per week and see where it goes from there.

 

Those three items form Resolution No. 4.

 

Resolution No. 5 is less complex but, quite possibly, more demanding: Find a new place to hang out ....