Happy New Year!

{Photos, including this one of heedless snowmen happily gathered around a cozy fire, by rocketlass.}

From Samuel Johnson's journal for April 14, 1775

When I look back upon resolutions of improvement and amendment, which have year after year been made and broken, either by negligence, forgetfulness, vicious idleness, casual interruption, or morbid infirmity, when I find that so much of my life has stolen unprofitably away, and that I can descry by retrospection scarcely a few single days properly and vigorously employed, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try because Reformation is necessary and despair is criminal. I try in humble hope of the help of God.

As my life has from my earliest years been wasted in a morning bed, my purpose is from Easter day to rise early, not later than eight.

From this early riser's computer to you, best wishes for a Happy New Year.

On this day we should remember that we have a full year ahead of us; thus there's no need to be hasty in choosing which of the excuses Dr. Johnson has helpfully supplied we should employ to justify our failures to come. I will admit, however, to leaning towards vicious idleness.