My first New Year Resolution

Never once had I embraced the notion of a New Year resolution until I was a senior in high school. Okies never have such deliberate idealistic resolve. It’s been tough enough just keeping one’s hand me down faded blue jeans clean and knees patched up. Let alone toss out to your close friends, “I’ll never again spit on the sidewalk” and expect to keep the New Year resolution. Believe me, it wasn’t easy growing up Okie in East L A.

But as radio and TV became our major source of information and socialization, we Okies finally caught on to the current year-end trends. My first resolution was to stop cussing around girls. But I quickly discovered girls cuss more than boys. So, there goes my first resolution. Gone away in a blur of expletives from a small pack of fowl mouthed Amazon teens. “Resolve THIS,” as they stuck a finger in my face.

However, I was exposed do this New Year resolution thing by school peers. High school guys wanting to impress their girlfriends that they could easily stop smoking and start brushing their teeth. All done at the same time. All combined into one simple packaged resolution. Tossing aside one bad habit and taking on a new and better one. Two for the price of one. How cool.

So then, I decided to try another New Year resolution and see if it would possibly work. With some further thinking, I surmised it might be best to try something easier. Something I know I could do and continue to do for at least a week or two.

After taking an inventory of my bad habits, I concluded that taking a bath more than once a week could be the resolution I could handle. I got the idea from a Dial Soap commercial. The TV commercial would portray a man who just showered and got dress.

The Dial Shower man showed him being followed and pursued by Glamour magazine beauties. Remember, this was 1961 TV. Nonetheless, this is all after “Mr. Shower man” had earlier been told he had significant body odor. Certainly a bad habit. A habit I myself just might be able to stop with the same logic. Possibly by showering twice a week or more. “I know I could do this.” How much is a bar of Dial soap?

However, my next resolution was to get a job. Yes. Work for money. Gainfully employed. Working in retail at a store no less. All for the purpose of buying secret personal items. Deodorant, soap, and toothpaste. All to complete the bathing experience. Something not commonly practiced beyond once a week among we Okies.

I use to think bathing was a time waster. But as I grew to enjoy a good warm shower, I began to take longer and longer baths. For sure a time waster.

But anyway, since that one senior year I fell into a habit of bathing at least twice a week. It is most amazing how resolve and practice makes good habits. Happy bathing everyone!