To make no more New Year’s resolutions, ever.

That’s an easy one for me to achieve since I didn’t get around to making any for 2011 so passing on making any for 2012 is just being consistent.

Every so often over the years I have toyed with the idea of resolving not to procrastinate but have always put it off until after the New Year was under way.

But there are some things I wouldn’t mind doing differently this year. For instance, and I’m sure there are many who make these resolutions regularly year after year, here are a few worthwhile goals.

- Exercise more often.
- Eat healthy.
- Buy less stuff.
- Read more.
- Watch less TV.
- Spend more time with family.

Note I wrote I wouldn’t mind doing these things – No promises or resolutions involved.

What should Goochland County resolve to do?

It will be old news by the time this print edition hits the street, but who will be voted in as chair and vice-chair of the Board of Supervisors will tell us something about what direction Goochland will take.

Leadership at the School Board has already been announced so unless there’s a last minute surprise, Hardy will be chair and Wright vice-chair.

Just about all members of both boards have made statements that they wish to eliminate the adversarial nature of their relationship with each other that seems to have prevailed in the last few years. We trust they’ll resolve to keep that in mind as the budget process unfolds.

For the General Assembly

Every so often I get the notion that government at all levels should adopt that thing doctors all swear to, what is it – the Hippocratic Oath?

Somewhere in there is the aphorism, “First do no harm.”

That would be good advice for all new and returning members of Virginia’s part-time legislature, The General Assembly.

I used to hear regularly from some members about the grueling schedule they dealt with, what with committee meetings and dealing with the thousands of bills introduced each year.
Early in the morning until late in the evening, week after week, meeting after meeting, hearing after hearing, like a marathon.

Seems a lot of that toil could be eliminated if every member just sat down and asked themselves one thing: Is the legislation I’m fixing to propose really necessary? And maybe a second question: What might the unintended negative consequences of this law be?

First do no harm, if it ain’t broke, less is more…you get the idea.

Now if all members of Congress would just ask themselves the same two questions.