Friday. January 1, 1999 —- North Shore News — 7 esolutions slimmed down I'VE been in a senti- mental mood lately. musele in my body ang con- oS ee eee co eee a = —— oe oe centrate very hard to keep my mouth shut. It is a super- human effort, and Pm sure E burn a few hundred calories = I on, a, & Filter 1] Grocery shopping is a most challenging experience at the beginning of the year. ‘The bakery is still working hard to tempt shoppers with tasty treats, like frosted apple Tt always happens around Christmas time, and lasts until New Year's Eve. | suppose it’s because of all the family tradi- fritters and gooey cinnamon tions of the holiday season. a - buns, still warm trom the They remind me of who I am or St ™ oven. very time it. All services ~ every tune ide t “h fuly warrenty §=27 ot. Safety check. 15 minutes - FAST! The drinking too muct Includes up to 5 Itres of 1Ow230 Quakerstate 1362 Marine Drive 980-9NS 8 ity thing is naturally resolved in January, as once I finish the Mon-Sat 8.00amn-6 00pm, Sun 9:00arn-5:00prr; Exores Jan. 6/99 me eee aes ee ee ee ee ee ee and where I come from. They give me a sense of belonging, even when I feel totally lost. Somehow it’s not the same with New Year's, It really doesn’t make any sense because I do, in fact, have a strong New Year's tra- dition. Year after year 1 undertake the relatively casy job of making New Year's res- olutions (my mother loves to help me with this), and then pursue the significantly more difficult job of keeping them. In fact, E address the New Year with the old bear-down approach that many women use during labour. You know what I’m referring to, it’s that super-human grit and deter- mination you need to deal with the list of resolutions you are encouraged to make by well meaning friends and tamily, who then expect you to deliver the new, improved you sometime around Jan. 15. gypaa gga os Every year my list of things to work on is the same. Like the weight thing. And the fitness thing. And the nov-finishing-other-peopie’s sentences thing. I have to resolve to try to be a better parent, although it’s all I can do to get through the day without killing my big dar- lings as it is. I eat too much junk food. I drink too much. I swear too much and I'm too damned bossy. The list goes on and on. Despite the intimidating size of my resolution list, at the beginning of a New Year I'm always very determined. It’s like my mother says, “it’s the effort to be a better per- son thar counts, not how suc- cessful you are.” And boy do Tery hard. I try so hard to be a better person that I find my sleep requirements and my appetite actually increase. Amalgamate right now Dear Editor: Re: The foolishness of three municipalities and nwo school boards on the North Shore. F have read with great interest and delight about the Motor Carrier Commission and its ruling regarding Local Minibus Ltd. crossing of municipal boundaries. There has been great debate on the three councils regarding this issue and reference to the “foolishness” of the Motor Carrier Commission which is obvious when one looks at the ridiculous situation for citizens who must cross boundaries to get to essential services like the Lions Gate Hospital. The real foolishness is having three municipalities and ovo school boards on the North Shore. If we want to maintain any independence in our municipal governments on the North Shore, I chink we should amalga- mate immediately or we will end up as part of a Greater Vancouver municipality with one mayor and council. Roger G. Nickel North Vancouver Satomon X Free 09 and Binding Package Black Diamond Jacket & Toddler Hat As a newly devout snacker of only plant matter, the walk past the bakery must be brisk and business-like. If fresh kaiser buns are required for the kids* lunches, it’s the no- nonsense approach thar must accompany shoveling the soft, golden brown rolls into the bag. One must breathe through one’s mouth, and close off the nasal passages, so as te avoid the mouth-water- ing aroma of the buns. And there is absolutely no making voice contact with the bakers. Casual conversation with the nice guy behind the counter about what is fresh out of the oven is definitely out of the question. Fresh- out-of the oven spells disaster to the freshly into New Year's resolutions woman. Fitness resolutions are most tring too, There are hoards of other tubbies taking to the weight rooms and springy gym floors, and space in these sweaty pits of New Year's human resolve is hard to come by. The air rapidly becomes stale, the music irritating, and the instructors shrill as we pound and stretch and strain our swollen Christmas selves out of our turkey pants and back into real clothes. The thing about finishing other people's sentences is always my most physically exhausting resolution, although I feel pressured to tackle this apparently irritat- ing personal habit each year. Sometimes I just bite my tongue when T get che urge to complete someone else's sentence, but atier a few vig- orous chomps the pain gan get pretty bad. When I can no longer bear the tongue biting T must flex every single chocolate covered liqueurs | get as gifts [call a complete halt to my social drinking activities. Unless, of course, there is something to toast, like a couple of pounds lost ora few friends’ sentences left unfinished. This vear [ have decided to pare down my traditional resolution roster, mostly because Pm tired of working the same old program and to be honest, my success rate hasn't been very good. Here’s what [am resolv- ing for 1999: ] will not be a hig crybaby about things over which I have no control. I will try hard to be a better lis- tener, instead of finishing other peoples sentences (time permitting of course). I will stop using coarse language, especially in front of my mother, who has very high standards about such things. Can you believe she actually considers stupid to be a swear word? And rather than try to shrink myself with dieting and exercise like I always do in the New Year, I will do my damnedest to be a bigger person, even when | feel very small. Oops, sorry mom. Remember, its the effort that counts, ICBC HAS A TEAM OF LAWYERS, SHOULDN'T «OU? be used against you. 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