I have read several blog posts the last few weeks about New Year’s resolutions.  Some have posted their resolutions for all to see, some comment  on the notion that we all have resolutions, but few stick to them past the first month, at best.  Then there are those that encourage the rest of us to make resolutions that will somehow make us better photographers, business people, fathers, dads and citizens.  Thanks for the motivation, and I appreciate the sincerity of your intent.  Personally, I don’t really need the pep talk.  The idea of a fresh start with the replacement of a calendar on the wall has long since left me.  You see, I like many others, have made these resolutions.  Join the gym and lose that extra weight, quit my tobacco habit, spend more time shooting for myself, steer clear of the emergency room this year.  I have resolved it all, and like most, have failed miserably.  The importance of New Year’s resolutions was lost for me several years ago, although, I still went through the motions.  Not now.  I give up.

I turn 50 this year.

As the days click off towards this milestone in my life, I find myself becoming very philosophical.  You can do that when you reach this age.  50 always seemed old to me.  Not so much now.  I don’t feel old.  Sure, the mirror says otherwise, but my mind and heart tell me I can do the same things I did 20, OK 30 years ago.  The body has a tendency to argue that, but the point is, I don’t see myself as “middle-aged.”

I would be too easy to look back and miss the way things were, to go back in time and enjoy the carefree days of my youth.  But I  have no desire to do that.  As I recall, getting to this point in my life was tough.  Why go through that crap again!  No, I would rather look ahead.  My life is good at 49 3/4.  Besides, to be honest, the way I abused my body the first 25 or 30 years of my life, I’m in pretty good shape.  By all rights, I should have reach my “mid-life” at the age of 30.

So now I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions.  I have a philosophy of continuous improvement, and ideals to live the next 50 years by…

• Plan for tomorrow, but life for today

• Never pass the opportunity to have a beer with my sons.  They are old enough now and they are pretty cool, even though they still think they know more than me.

• I got into photography for the passion of the art.  Pass that on to the client.  Help them remember why they got into the creative business.

• Don’t shoot for the sake of shooting.  A 365 project makes not sense if you are not creating beautiful images that mean something.

• Share.  We all have something to share, whether it is experience, knowledge or a good joke.

• Never be to old to learn something new.

• Play.  Play hard.  Play often.

• Enjoy every second I have with my friends.  Give them crap and accept crap from them.  It’s a sign of love and respect, even for Gay Bob.

• Keep the passion.  For photography, for family, for friends, for life.

I have a lot planned for this year.  More work, more images, a book or two and a gallery show.  These are plans, not resolutions.  Plans stay alive and can always move forward.  Once you break a resolution, it’s gone till next year.