SAMCRO Resolutions: 2010

I know, I know....resolutions.

But there's something to be said for resolutions that may be fairly easy to keep, given enough inspiration and the occasional reminder.  Thus, I present to you my list of Sons of Anarchy inspired resolutions.  Note, there is nothing here about losing weight or quitting my somewhat embarrassing chocolate habit.

1.  Share the road.  If anything, Sons of Anarchy is a great reminder for those of us cagers out there to keep our eyes open for our fellow motorists on two (or three) wheels. 

2.  "I accept that."  My new mantra for the year 2010, inspired by our two-fingered friend Chuckie.  I'm not known as the most flexible person in the world, so my next resolution for the year is to be willing to accept the things I can't change and learn to live around them.

3.  Bake lots of banana bread.  What better way to show the people you love how you feel than to bake them banana bread?  Or buy them fresh, organic muffins.  I wonder if Bobby's recipe is posted anywhere.

4.  Be fierce.  Granted, I just said that I'm going to "accept" those things I can't change...but I'm not going to back down from the things I can and know I should.  This includes standing up to power-tripping administrators and wrong-doers.

5.  Take one for the team.  In times like these, sometimes we need to consider the bigger picture.  We need to think about our wider role in the system, rather than our place at the center of it.  So, here's to putting aside some of my own wants and desires this year in the name of a greater good.  This is my shout out to you, Juice and Otto.

6.  Embrace diversity.  This is a given, and I'm mostly good at it (I hope).  However, there's always room for improvement.  Here's my effort this year:  porn stars are people, too.  However much I want to do what Gemma/Tara did to their cars at CaraCara....it's better to befriend than cause extensive damage that requires expensive repairs and filling out painful insurance claims. 

7.  Care for my community.  I love where I live - I love the weather, that there are no drive-thrus, that I have a thriving downtown to stroll and that all of the big box stores are on the outskirts.  This is a resolution to be a more active member of my community, to speak out when I don't like where someone wants to take it, and to use my voice and my wallet as forms of activism.  We don't have a chapter of the SoA in our town, so we need to look after ourselves.

8.  Stay out of prison.  Let's face it, a stay in prison has more minuses than pluses.  Sleeping in a cell designed for four with twenty other folks just isn't my idea of a pleasant time.  I enjoy my privacy too much and don't fancy getting shived for not being in the right group.  I've had good luck with this one so far, so let's hope this is another successful year.  And, really, orange just isn't my color.

9.  Keep out of the ATF's radar.  Yeah...Agent Stahl is one scary bitch.  I don't plan on doing anything that would attract someone like her to my quiet little corner of the world.  Therefore, I shall not be making any nefarious arrangements with scary underground groups.

10.  Be a good listener.  Here's to really listening to people.  Here's to trying to understand what someone else is trying to say instead of formulating a response based on what I think they are saying, or try to solve their problem before they've even asked for advice (and maybe don't even want any).  We've all done it...and it isn't very helpful.  I resolve to be a good and careful listener.  That's really what people want:  someone to listen. 

11.  Forgive.