In many ways, the new year is simply a figment of man-made imagination. There are multiple calendars and multiple New Year’s. And, even within a single belief about the new year, it comes into being at different times around the world. Indeed, it would seem that the new year is largely symbolic, which does not really diminish its potential at all. Whatever didn’t go well last year will surely go well this year. Whatever proved elusive last year, will surely be within our grasp this year. Whatever project remained partially assembled last year, will be on the road this year. And so it goes. The new year’s resolution list is usually abandoned within weeks if not days, so don’t make one. Just do one or more of the following:
1. Use your vintage vehicle more. Ride it, drive it, show it, race it. Get out there and share the joy and appreciation.
2. Make measurable progress on something. Fabrication, assembly, disassembly, cleaning, finishing. Be able to say that you are much further ahead, if not finished.
3. Go to more events. Club meetings, rallies, Concours, breakfasts, tech days, bench racing sessions at the local Pub, swap meets. Go.
4. Sell that project you know you won’t finish or have lost interest in. Ignore the money you put in and the potential you will never realize. Call the passionate person that has been bugging you about it, and transfer the custodianship to them.
5. Buy the vehicle that you are passionate about as long as it won’t rob your family (or yourself) of food clothing and shelter. The government is ensuring that your retirement date is beyond your expiration date, and none of us learned anything useful in college. Besides, plenty of people didn’t make it to see this new year, and we may just have miscalculated the Mayan end date by some unknown amount of time.
6. Spend more time in the garage. It does not matter if this is with a wrench in hand, or a book, or a polishing cloth, or a pint of Guinness, or all of the above. Besides, listening to Bach or the B-52s or Bob Marley in coveralls is good for the soul.