Comments on: My New Year’s Intentions

By: Terry Wall, Winchester, UK

Terry Wall, Winchester, UK — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:04:44 +0000

11. Finally get around to looking at stanleybing.com after reading his Fortune column for so long (Done, 1/1)

12. Continue to give up smoking (40 years so far, Done, 2/2)

13. Stop pretending there’s anything I want to do that I can stick at for more than 30 minutes at a time. 45 years in school and business tried to teach me I could do something effectively for 8 hours a day 5 days a week and they were WRONG.

(so far so good, 20 days and counting, 3/3)

14. Spend 29 minutes at a time on my short game, get down from 5 handicap – or at least stay there.

(pending until Spring)

15. Never envy the guys who kept working past 50 and have to manage the investments I don’t have – how many golf balls can one man hit/beaches can one man lie on at one time?

Time’s up, half-an-hour.

(too easy – 4/4)

By: Bing

Bing — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:04:17 +0000

People’s sense of self-worth and their reason for being in the world, in this society, is often tied up with their status. Their idea of who they are is defined by what they possess. When they lose all they possess, they also lose their identities and see themselves, perhaps for the first time, as we all really are, stripped of ambition, hope and wide-screen television sets. The pain of the discrepancy between what they thought they were and what they are, what we all really are at bottom, is too painful to bear. There is also the shame of those who have always been right suddenly being wrong. For egotistical narcissists, the only way to take control of all this is to perform the ultimate act of selfishness and anger — and jump.

By: Mike, Spokane, WA

Mike, Spokane, WA — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:26:57 +0000

The recent spate of financially induced suicides by the ultra rich completely amazes me. It’s not like they were going to end up living on the street. These guys were ‘the Champions’….’the Titans of Industry’… are these human scarecrows the same giants the business world aspired to emulate? (Yes Bing, I know it’s slightly off topic, but since it doesn’t involve very much in the way of pseudo-swearing or personal attacks, perhaps you’ll indulge me).

Maybe my New Year’s resolution should also involve continued thankfulness for my hardscrabble blue collar origin. The thought of ‘offing’ myself because my net worth fell from billions to a few measily millions (should I be so lucky) would simply never occur to me. I would merely readjust my tastes; Pabst Blue Ribbon is as capable of getting you sh*t faced as Maker’s Mark.

Maybe my life has been a suitable training ground for luxury, squalor, or whatever comes between, but I’m not ever willingly checking out because my wallet gets a bit thin.

By: Tom Turner, El Paso, TX

Tom Turner, El Paso, TX — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:48:29 +0000

Correction on my last comment: people in Mexico can live with a wage of $10.00 A DAY, I can do the same for minimum wage working at McDonalds, or something similar, but living in Mexico, even if I rent in Mexico I will be better off than working and living in the USA!!!!!!!

By: Tom Turner, El Paso, TX

Tom Turner, El Paso, TX — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:45:22 +0000

Being that we are in for a very depressing period of time and God only knows how worst will it get, I’m planning this year to:
-Take those long vacations I have been postponing.
-Organize a really big, “Animal House” style party.
-Buy a condo on a border town in Mexico, it is cheap, I can work for peanuts in the US and cross the border and live in Mexico, Hey, if they can live for $10.00 an hour, I can easily do the same for minimum wage in the US working in McDonalds.

By: Robbie P, Endicott NY

Robbie P, Endicott NY — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:20:08 +0000

Hey JC, thank you, from the heart…

I must comment on the Powerpoint slide “Presentation Magic”…it is great in its cheesiness…I’m in awe…in fact if I hold my Blackberry under my nose, I can swear I smell the limberger aroma…very nice…

By: Charlie Los Angeles, CA

Charlie Los Angeles, CA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:14:53 +0000

Tony Robbins eat you heart out! Yadgyu thanx for cheering me up one more time.

By: Bing

Bing — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:02:30 +0000

Thanks, Yadgyu. You always make me laugh.

By: J.C.Martini, Reseda CA

J.C.Martini, Reseda CA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:04:35 +0000

Thank you Robbie and I didn’t use dictionary.com I think I can still use my heart for this.

By: T, Jville, FL

T, Jville, FL — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:15:45 +0000

Well, you know what they say…the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

So, I think I’ll just continue to take everything in moderation (food, booze, chocolate, etc.) and not take anything too seriously.

By: Josh, Huntsville, AL

Josh, Huntsville, AL — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:50:12 +0000

Bing,

I’d like to help you out with #9. They’re not as formal as necessary for an office, but I’ll recommend Birkenstock sandals or clogs, depending on the weather. Great stuff.

I too would like to be on board with #5, but in the engineering world, I’d be punching people all day.

I’d like to change my drinking habits too, but that could get in the way of achieving #1.

Happy New Year everybody. Oh, let’s add another.

#who knows. Will the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 10,000.

By: Yadgyu, Harkeyville, TX

Yadgyu, Harkeyville, TX — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:15:33 +0000

I’m not changing a thing.

Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean that I should be any different. In fact, trying to be different would be a lie. People make the same resolutions every new year and go back to being the same old losers by April at the latest.

Life is about failing and losing. Trying to put a positive spin on misery and depression is a lie. People just need to accept themselves for the wretches they are and continue down the path of least resistance.

By: Robbie P, Endicott NY

Robbie P, Endicott NY — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:17:05 +0000

Well I’m gonna stick with the brown spirits and beer, but that totally blows my intention to be less fat…

I also intend to quit using words that make people go to Dictionary.com so they know what the frig I am talking about…

And I will continue to try to be couragous, stand upright and be strong…

May you all stay forever young…

Love
Robbie

By: J.C.Martini, Reseda CA

J.C.Martini, Reseda CA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:54:55 +0000

You know what Bing…Let’s forget about New Year’s Intention 456. Cheers!

By: Bing

Bing — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:59:21 +0000

I did. Then I didn’t. Soon I will again. Then I won’t. Feel much better, though.

By: Isaac, Culver City Ca

Isaac, Culver City Ca — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:39:49 +0000

11-Oysters and crab instead of caviar.
12-Richard Hennessy instead of Louis XIII.
12-Trade my Bentley for a Lexus
13-Mingle more with snob people (already started, that’s why I’m writing this comment on this blog!!)

By: Insert Name Here, New Jersey

Insert Name Here, New Jersey — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:49:03 +0000

Bing, I thought you quit the Goose?

By: Roger, Raleigh

Roger, Raleigh — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:22:06 +0000

Well, I’ve been working on my soup recipes. Got my creamy winter squash soup, my mushroom-potato soup, minestrone, and vegetable soup. My 2009 intention is to perfect one made from old shoes so I can make it through the rest of the winter.

By: Fedworld, DC

Fedworld, DC — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:06:38 +0000

11. Be a better father to my infant son, not just a better breadwinner.

12. Be a better husband.

13. Make sure my parents and in-laws (all in various states of age-induced disrepair) get all the opportunities they want to see said infant son.

14. Bring in some more bread, too.

By: tony nj

tony nj — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:32:04 +0000

Resolution?
I am going to make my life better. One baby step at a time.