We're one month into the new year. For all the hard-working, disciplined engineers who read this magazine, I hope that means a renewed dedication to designing that next must-have device. I, on the other hand, never aspire to accomplish anything so productive with my New Year's resolution, and I count that as a success.

February used to be when I accepted defeat over fulfilling a New Year's resolution. After years of traumatic failures (e.g., not becoming the first teenage astronaut), I no longer bother drumming up anything special to be disappointed about after I lose interest in bettering myself. Who needs the stress? In recent years, I've stuck to ineffectual promises to do things like stop eating cheese. Then, I'd bargain with myself to simply eat less cheese.
My doctor told me that I'm lactose-intolerant about a decade ago, so really, this is just a reaffirmation of my typical diet. Nevertheless, I usually break the resolution immediately because there's always a Brie tray out on New Year's Eve. But, you see, the vitamin D and calcium in the cheese mitigate my inhaling of a quarter-pound of lactose. So, in the end, I default on my resolution; but have I actually failed? I think not. With the rest of the dairy products I'm missing out on, I need that Brie to fend off osteoporosis. The same goes for feta.

I make resolutions I can handle by setting the bar low. Cheese deprivation doesn't exactly qualify as a life-altering feat, so failing causes minimal guilt. For a successful triumph over the dreaded New Year's resolution, you have to put a positive spin on things. Choose words like "less" instead of "no," and stress the good (e.g., vital nutrients) in that decision.

A simple stress-free resolution to start off the new year works for me. Maybe you would like to set the bar slightly higher than doing something like avoiding dairy products. If you haven't already come up with a resolution for yourself, I have a suggestion. Become an author. You probably have plenty of ideas for dynamic projects and compelling articles, so sending in a proposal shouldn't be too difficult. As you're heading back to your workbench, you might want to keep our upcoming themes in mind. Issues fill up quickly, so it's a good idea to send in your proposals about a month before the deadlines. For more information, please read the Author's Guide on our web site at www.circuitcellar.com/authors.

jennifer.huber@circuitcellar.com

Published: February 2003