“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

- Bill Vaughan

Check the date folks and breathe a sigh of relief because it's almost over. I have never been looking more forward to January first than I am this year. Come midnight on the 31st I'm going to be like Michael Jordan as I head to the trash can with the calendar. And why is that?

You see, the past 365 days had more ups and downs than a merry-go-round at the carnival. For me, 2008 is sort of like one of those crazy ex-girlfriends that you'll think about from time to time but would never want to get back together with. Sure she had nice curves and all, but let's face it; she was the Gregorian equivalent of a tease.

One minute giving us exactly what we wanted - a president-elect (this time the guy even comes with a brain) or pumping up our egos with a winning Olympic team. Yet the very next moment she was acting like Glenn Close in the movie “Fatal Attraction” by treating our once precious economy like it was a china plate at a Greek wedding. My only concern is that when I reach my twilight years I'll look back at this time and remember it fondly as “the good ole days.”

So seeing as though we are finally headed into the home stretch, I suppose the only thing left to do is make out my list of New Year's resolutions.

I was thinking of putting down “recycle more,” but since most of the things I want to give up or change are the same as last year, I guess I've already started on that one by using the same list twice.

So what shall I be giving up this year? Well first off, I want to become more financially responsible and not spend my money so foolishly. I'm sure you all know what that means; I won't be paying any more taxes. The way I see it, if the Air Force needs a new squadron of fighter jets then I'll just save us a few billion dollars by simply going to Staples and picking up some card stock and start folding.

I also want to get into shape this year because I really do not like what I'm seeing in the mirror when I get up in the morning. My only debate is to whether I should get a gym membership, which means working out for hours on end to create a sweat and feeling the burn. Or, better yet, I could just wake up later in the day and take down the mirror in my bathroom. (I think I'll go with the latter.)

Also, starting next week, I'm going to stop being so much of a procrastinator.

So I guess I'm done with my list because I can't think of anything else I want to change except for the weather but I have a feeling that the new year will bring warmer temperatures eventually, even if it takes a few months.

Auburn native Bradley Molloy's column appears here, each

Sunday, in The Citizen.

He can be reached at lovonian@hotmail.com