New year good time for resolutions
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on January 1, 2006 2:03 AM
Making resolutions is a time-honored tradition at New Year's.
The start of a new calendar just seems a good time to make a change for the better, whether it means losing weight, getting better organized at work or taking more time to stop and smell the flowers.
When asked what resolutions they had made for 2006, residents of Wayne and Duplin counties ticked off a variety of ways they plan to make the year better.
Goldsboro City Manager Joe Huffman said his professional resolution is to work even harder at getting positive things done for the community. Personally, Huffman said, he wants to "just be a better husband and father and neighbor and do things to strengthen my family and the community."
Pikeville Mayor Herb Sieger said his public resolution is to help his town finish the improvement projects it has undertaken and to encourage economic growth. His personal resolution? "To walk closer with my Lord."
Wayne Cooperative Extension Director Howard Scott said he plans to expand the programs the agency offers. On a personal note, he said, he plans to accomplish more away from work.
"I would like to be able to do more things other than just work ... Being on the tractor, on the farm, mowing the grass or bushhogging ... I want to do more reading, sometimes I don't take time."
Judy Wilt of Goldsboro said she hadn't made any special resolutions but simply would like to live each day to the fullest.
"I don't do resolutions but if I did I would say 'Life is short, live each day like it was your last.' Sounds good, but daily life seems to get in the way."
Mount Olive Town Manager Ray McDonald is retiring. He said his resolution is enjoy his time off.
"I'm probably the happiest I've been in a long time," McDonald said. "I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had one of the best Christmases I've had in the past 10 years. No sickness. No worries. It was just a good time. I hope 2006 is as good as the last three months of this year."
When pressed, Kim Bowers of Mount Olive came up with a specific resolution.
"I don't typically make New Year's resolutions, but I resolve to scuba dive more in 2006 than I did in 2005," she said.
Woody Brinson is director of the Duplin County Economic Development Commission. Brinson said his professional resolution is to do more to bring economic growth to the county. He said his personal resolution is lose 20 pounds. But he admitted that "bad habits are hard to change."
Frances Parks of Calypso said she has learned not to put too much emphasis on making resolutions.
"I learned a long time ago it doesn't pay to make resolutions, and at age 64 they're not as important as they are at age 30," she said.