Musings for the New Year

I tend to eschew New Year's resolutions...in fact I honestly cannot recall ever making any. Perhaps it's my bent towards pragmatism. Or it could be the realization that very little of my life is actually within my control; therefore it seems pretentious to make resolutions.

The thing I appreciate about the tradition of making resolutions is that it is a uniquely human demonstration of hope. Hope that things can change for the better. We intuitively know that hope is essential. 

While I shy away from "resolutions", I can relate to goals. They can help guide decisions, sacrifices, and are milestones for progress.  If a goal is not achieved by the end of the year, value can be ascribed from the effort. Semantics? Maybe.

That said, I have come up with a few goals for the coming year:

• Add at least 1 native fish to my species caught
• Add at least 2 new rivers fished
• Keep my fly box fully stocked with flies from my own vise
• Submit articles for publication to 2 national magazines or ezines
• Arrow a mature buck 
• Learn to spey cast
• See Yellowstone or Yosemite
• Serve on my local Trout Unlimited board of directors with distinction ( I am the acting president of the Guadalupe River chapter) 
• Learn how to use Photo Shop
• Get my "followers" numbers above 25
• Celebrate another anniversary with my bride  

Stay tuned gentle reader for...the rest of the story (with apologies to Paul Harvey)