Ahem, a report from my daily morning constitutional, Jan. 1, 2025.
There is a lot of weight in a resolution.
If publicly announced, you have 365 days to fulfill it or to be shamed for not doing so.
And internally, depending on what your genetic makeup is, the exultation of success or the depression of failure can influence not only you but those around you.
Our actions matter.
Recently I was approached about the verbiage I had included in one of my superbly incredible pieces of journalistic worth.
Unfortunately, it was a dissatisfied approacher angry about my community reporting.
The words in question weren’t mine.
They were in answer to my words in the form of a question.
They were quotes.
That is what I try to do in my work.
I ask someone a question, write down their answer, try to get opposing views…and for me, I always try to sneak in a calming phrase (which is not journalistically required unless I was writing an opinion piece which, in reality, is saved for my columns so I can make fun of myself).
Or I try to have a fact that supports both sides (which is journalistically sound).
So I was thinking about this confrontation and how much I impact others.
And since I do my best thinking during my morning constitutional, well, an interesting question came to my mind…
So just how much excrement, daily, am I putting out into the universe?
One pound solid and eight cups liquid?
That seems light.
You get where I am going here..yes, solids are bowel movements and liquids are urine — geez, go through surgery once in a while, would you?
So how else was I affecting my surroundings…yikes.
The tiding wrappings for that poundage?
The wrappings that wrap the wrappings that ride along with that poundage??
What else do I do???
Just a side glance at the free plastic grocery bags now holding various disposed of items that our household considers “trash” made my tummy grumble.
Back to my thinking place…
How many of these bags a week am I letting summer bears paw through? Would a backyard burn barrel help?? How do I get a back yard???
How is this bargain-barrel hovel I lay my head at heated? Would a pellet stove help?? How can I hide a pellet stove from my landlord???
What are my clothes made of? Do I need this many clothes?? Can I eat clothes???
Arggggg…I am going down a rabbit hole.
I haven’t even discussed my daily constitutional, which is a different constitutional as it is considered a regular walk or other activity I undertake for health benefits… you know, a little fresh air to clear the air — so to speak — from the stress of daily accumulations of, well, “stuff” as in “STUFF happens.”
How did I get to this trailhead? Did I arrive electrically or by gas power?? Should I have picked up all my trail accomplices???
How old are my hiking clothes? Can they be older?? Can I wear closet moths???
Who left this plastic bag from their doggie? Can I leave plastic bags from myself?? Where do all these plastic bags go???
Why do I not hunt and gather more? Am I smart enough to hunt and gather more?? How can I be one with nature if I am killing and eating it???
Is this planet enjoying my visit? Will it welcome my departure?? Is it dying at a slower rate than my ancestral lineage???
I wonder what happened to my resolutions from last year.
Should I keep the ones that worked last year? Did any work last year?? If not, when and how did they fail???
Over the years, so many have come and gone: Be good. Be kind. Say hi. Help others. Eat healthier. Do this or don’t do that. Have a safe word. Write the safe word down for others. Pet a pet. Smile more. Cry more. Listen. Don’t wait to say you love someone…there were more than these 13, obviously.
But maybe those resolutions are too big. Maybe I should start smaller.
What do I smell like? Do I smell the same to others?? If someone says I smell good, am I expected to smell better and have not lived up to their expectation of odor???
Did you know that aromas are actually tiny particles floating about that we collect via nasal membranes and nerve endings that send a note up to the brain saying, “Hey, this is gross… or, wow, what a wonderful feeling you just gave me…”
Maybe I should resolve to smell better, to be less gross and to be more wonderful.
Maybe I will read a book this year. A friend of mine gave me, “The Treadwell Carpenter” by Bob Janes.
“The Grieving Brain” by Mary-Frances O’Connor and “The Complete Book of the Olympics” by David Wallechinsky are both on my shelf, unfulfilled from last year’s quest for self-improvement.
How many books do I have? How many trees were harvested to make their pages and bindings?? How many untouched items are next to these books???
What can I do to improve? What can I say?? Does it really matter???
Yep, there is a lot of weight in a resolution.
Maybe I should just resolve to be resolute.
I believe I will sit down and think about this.
And where do I do my best thinking?
Good morning, 2025!
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
