New Year resolutions: they’re everyone’s hope and bane, the annual cosmic do-over that allows us to set all counters and timers and standings back to an unblemished starting point. January 1 is when everyone begins at the top of the standings, with a perfect record, resolved to make this year count (“damn it” optional). For those who make them, resolutions are the Damocles sword of every new year, hanging there with a glint worthy of the snidest grinch, so ready to drop on January 2, or 3, or any one of the 364 days following that ideal first. Resolutions are the dares that spin your bottle of personal-vintage fate, the dry hang-over in the making, the January joy of every psychologist and psychiatrist waiting to catch the sword’s victims on the other side of the crash.
One solution is not to make any resolutions. But that takes the fun out of failure. Resolutions are made to be broken. To make them is to embrace life’s eternal renewals. To keep them is to reduce life to a military regimen, Roman Empire style. There’s more to life than resolutions. Besides, there’s always next year, assuming cosmic cooperation with everyone’s universal resolve–the resolution-averse included–to make it that long.
Charlotte Marten went around town and asked a few people whether they intend to have one or more resolutions come Saturday, and how they intend to keep them. Watch the report immediately after the week’s recap. Feel free to tell us about your own in the comments. We have just one: to make it till next year, even after Cobra runs out.
FlaglerLive’s weekly video recap appears every Wednesday. Charlotte Marten can be reached at [email protected]
See Also:
- Last Week’s On Point
- On Point: Dec. 15
- Video: Christmas Parade in Town Center
- FlaglerLive Welcomes Its New Reporter, Videographer and Anchor
- Dueling Seafoods and Surfers: Video and Photo Gallery
Orion says
I’m assuming by “Cobra”, you are referring to the expensive continuation of your health Insurance, from your prior employer? I’d suggest getting some quotes from BC/BS of Florida, as their premiums are more reasonable, but they may want to ask first about your or the famiy’s health history, unless OBama Care has already done away with the Pre-existing conditions limitations….Welcome aboard.
Dorothea says
Orion, you need to check the new law. Your former employer now picks up 70% of your COBRA costs.
FlaglerLive says
Dorothea, the former employer doesn’t pick up any cost at all. To the contrary: employers profit to the tune of 2 percent on the premiums we pay (they charge the 2 percent as an “administrative” fee, which is bunk). The 70 percent subsidy is actually a 65 percent subsidy–which the federal government–that is, your taxes and mine–not the employer, pays. That subsidy was part of the Obama administration’s original stimulus plan (the February 2009 package), and as far as I know it was extended in the latest little folly that also extended the Bush tax cuts for everyone. The subsidy is one of the rarely mentioned benefits of the overall stimulus package. But it’s not permanent, though it ought to be: without it, there’s no way an unemployed person could afford health insurance, especially in Florida, where unemployment compensation amounts to less than premium costs alone.
Dorothea says
The actual funding for the healthcare continuation is from the government. The employer pays up front and gets the money back in the form of a tax credit. However, my point is that, if you had employee health insurance when you lost your job, you are entitled to a 65% reduction in the COBRA premium. This would probably be less expensive then hunting around for new healthcare coverage. The reduction was extended in the new package..
Jesse says
Happy New Year! It’s interesting to hear from residents. Keep up the good work.
J.J. Graham says
Damien I miss you and Gary! My New Year’s Resolution is to make out to Hammock Wine and Cheese more often!