The Waffle: False Dawns and Parrot-Eagles

Now I'm in a public place wondering why smoking in public places isn't officially banned in Nigeria. I'm being choked on every side by poisoned oxygen. *coughs* Somebody save me, somebody, anybody! Whilst you would advise me to scoot, scram, make a run from it (in this case), I desperately need my own addiction- mint sweets- and the exact one I love is on sale ONLY in this very shop. As they puff on their cigarettes, I remember my good friend who is one of this rather unfriendly lot. He isn't here smoking with them, but I can't help but class him together with them, after all, they all eager to meet their creator. He once said at the start of the year, "this year, I'll quit smoking" Hurrah! I said sarcastically at the time wondering if he could really go a day without a smoke.

After three days of no smoking, I was totally congratulating him - in my mind though - I began to feel he could really do this. I said to myself, if he made it through to Friday then surely he was off the stick. Friday came and went and he had still not lit a match in anger. Yes! Yes! Yes! He was done killing himself I rejoiced and congratulated him. Shaking his hand vigorously. 'How did you do it?' I asked
He said he read somewhere that if you wanted to stop an addiction, you needed to replace it with something else so he began chewing gum with caffeine. I shrugged how bad could that be right? He was done smoking, he had a resolution and he stuck to it. New day, new era, new dawn in his life. Next day, my now nonsmoking friend was smoking like his life depended on it. What?

This is a new year and everyone, yes everyone has targets, things they intend to accomplish. Many times, we start brightly and we begin to feel real good about our chances of accomplishing these targets. Many times, it is merely a false dawn 'cos 365 (or 366 in this case) days later we realise, we are not anywhere close to accomplishing them. The next year? We rinse and repeat. Why in heavens name Don't we ever make it?

I think most times people look at the big picture. This is both good and really bad. Good in the sense that you have a clear picture of your destination, bad in the sense that We see a daunting prospect and many times that scares the shit outta us. A wise man once said, if you want to build a wall, lay one brick at a time. This year, say NO to false dawns...
What are your plans? Next year, I'd love for you to tell me you accomplished them all...

Cheers and goodbye for now. I am still your one and only Sharpman.