Having been out of the office for about a week, I’m just now getting around to Friday’s article (it’s Wednesday afternoon). Some might accuse me of being a procrastinator – one who always seems to put off until tomorrow what they ought to do today. I might plead “guilty” to that one, but I won’t get around to entering that plea until sometime next week. Which brings me to the subject of this week’s jabber: things I plan to change in the new year.

This year, I have categorized my proposed changes into three areas. First, I plan to “eat less and exercise more.” The exercise more part should be easy enough, since prior to today, I hadn’t been to the Wellness Center in several months. Climbing the stands at Ranger volleyball and basketball games has been about as strenuous a workout as I’ve been willing to muster. Mind you – I sit on the top row – so that’s something. As far as eating less, well, that’s a work in progress.

The second category deals more with time management and not giving in to my ADHD tendencies. “Watch TV less and read more.” My wife and daughter both read several hours each day. Sometimes, they even read stuff that calls for deep thought. At the same time, I am in the recliner, constantly changing the channel. It is a rare feat for me to watch an entire program and many don’t last until the next bite of whatever I’m shoving in my mouth (see category one, above). So far, I have managed to turned off the TV, occasionally, and pick up a book – currently one called “Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics” – and worked my way through several pages. You might be surprised that a college teacher/minister doesn’t read all the time. I am a slow reader and my eyesight is not what it used to be. Either that or they are using smaller and smaller print these days.

And finally, “stop procrastinating and get organized.” Today, I threw away some left-over reports from 2017, filed away some sermon outlines I preached in October and wrote an article for Friday’s paper. It must be time to put my feet up, lay aside this book, crank up the TV and have a snack. Baby steps.