Is the tradition of New Year resolutions an absurdity?

A RESOLUTION is a mental commitment that an individual makes for reforming a habit or lifestyle or relationship by learning lessons from the past experiences.
And, New Year resolutions are the change-affecting commitments made by an individual that normally go into effect on New Year's Day. For this one is to reflect upon self-improvement annually and resolve to accomplish the improvement.
While stressing the need of resolution, Eric Zorn said, "Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of the cycle."

On the other hand, there are critics of the New Year resolutions too. As Mark Twain has aptly remarked, "New Year is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions."
But the absurdities of the New Year resolutions can’t escape the mind of the wise. Here are some funny quotes describing the New Year resolutions as a foolery of mind:

• Oscar Wilde: Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
• Joey Adams: May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!
• Jay Leno: Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average…which means, you have met your New Year's resolution.
• James Agate: New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.
• Anonymous: Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits.
• Anais Nin: I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticising, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.

A few research studies inform that only about 12 per cent actually achieved their goals through the resolutions made on the eve of New Year. Anyway, about 10 per cent people of any group achieve their whether they resolve or do not. 

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Happy New Year 2011 wishes and messages

THE ENTIRE world gears up and puts on its dancing shoes to welcome the new year 2011. People across the globe celebrate the world's biggest celebration to make life more beautiful, peaceful and meaningful.

People across the globe have kicked off exchanging greetings and wishing their relatives, friends and colleagues to start all things with a new beginning and the completion of all desires which were left unfulfilled last year on the occasion of Happy New Year 2011.
Some of the popular Happy New Year messages are here:
Oh my Dear, Forget ur Fear,
Let all ur Dreams be Clear,
Never put Tear, Please Hear,
I want to tell one thing in ur Ear
Wishing u a very "HAPPY NEW YEAR"!

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Cherry chocolate chip cookies : Christmas dessert recipe

Chocolate and cherry is a great combination that is often blended.You’ve got chocolate covered cherries, cherry flavoring is a common ingredient filled in chocolate candies and, well, there are a lot of examples. That being the case, why not make a batch of cookies that blends those two flavors together? It’s a classic combination and one that your guests this Christmas season are sure to enjoy.

Cherry chocolate chip cookies

1 cup maraschino cherries
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Drain maraschino cherries and chop coarsely. Place on a paper towel to soak up excess liquid.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, shortening until creamy. Beat in extracts and egg. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Stir into creamed mixture. Stir in chips and cherries. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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Michelle Obama goes 'Vintage' for Christmas in Washington

US FIRST Lady, Michelle Obama is taking diplomats’ fashion scene to an all new level. She  is famous for making path breaking  fashion statements as far as being First Lady is concerned. Although, she received some flak from the fashion industry for her dresses in India but she is again in news for creating waves.

Recently, she was spotted in a one-of-a-kind vintage dress by late designer Normal Norell, at “Christmas in Washington” concert in Washington, DC. She picked a black-lace overlay dress, which had a full tea-length tulle style skirt and a square neckline and carried it off with panache! This comes in news as well that she might be the first American First Lady to have worn such a vintage dress in public.

Michelle Obama has always been in news for her immaculate fashion sense and choice of dresses. Be it Carla Bruni, Hilary Clinton or Michelle Obama, they all give serious thought into the kind of clothes they don at various public events.

Christmas is round the corner and it seems all western nations are high on Christmas spirit. Back home too Christmas seems to have caught up and the youth seems to be relishing the Christmas season to the fullest.

 

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