Anything is possible with a new year

Happy New Year.

It seems crazy to think that it’s 2013 already. It was just 1997 a couple weeks ago it seems. But then life moved into hyper drive and suddenly … bam! 2013.

As much as I want to think it’s still 1997 sometimes, I’m constantly reminded that I’m getting older. Some examples: I hurt my back a week ago — putting on my shoes. And I wrecked my knee on Sunday — sledding with my family.

Yep, I’m definitely not getting younger, that’s for sure. Of course, to be fair, I distinctly remember being rather accident prone in 1997, too — when I nearly cut my finger off with a spatula.

I don’t make resolutions for New Year’s. As my oldest put it the other day (she was born in 1997, by the way), if you want to improve something about your life, why wait until the first of the year to do it?

But we’re fascinated by calendars. Just ask all those people who stood on rooftops on Dec. 21 waiting for the world to end. And I’ve been drawn to dates for a long time. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is an easy one to remember. I remember where I was, with who and what was said, even. Mostly good memories, but not all.

I’m hoping that 2013 is filled with good memories. Last year was kind of a mixed bag. I did some things right and I screwed some things up in a manner that only myself and Clark W. Griswold are capable of. Look kids! Big Ben. Parliament.

It seems that at the end of every calendar year, we have a tendency to look back and smile at the things we did right. And plan to do better next year with the things we did wrong. Just like we did in 2011. And 2010. And 2009. Etc. Ad nauseum.

Who knows though. Maybe this is the year I win the lottery. If so, I should probably start buying tickets. Maybe that could be my resolution: to waste more money buying lottery tickets. Sounds like poor planning to me, though.

Maybe this is the year the Bills make the playoffs. Maybe this year the NHL will decide they actually want to play some hockey. Maybe this year … anything is possible.

That’s what’s so interesting about changing the calendar from December to January. Anything is possible.

Scott Leffler is an optimist and a dreamer. He shares his hopes on Twitter @scottleffler.

Some heavy thoughts for the new year

Another Christmas has come and gone. I hope you got everything you were hoping for. Santa took care of pretty much everything on my list — aside from world peace … but I remain hopeful for 2013.

I’ve never been one to make resolutions for the new year. Sure there are things that I want to improve about myself, but I try to take things one day at a time rather than putting all my hope into the new year and then realizing in December that I still have a lot to accomplish that I said I was going to do in January.

This year was a good one, though, in terms of resolutions I didn’t even make. For one thing, I lost a significant amount of weight. At one point, I was in the 220-pound range and quite unhealthy. For years, I’ve hovered right around 200. And now I’m just under 180, which has been my goal for at least half a decade.

Dropping the weight was good for my sense of self worth — and not that I feel better because I am my target weight, but more so because I feel better because I was finally able to do it. Although to be honest, weighing 180 also just FEELS better. I have more energy. My back hurts less. And the guy looking back at me in the mirror smiles a lot more readily.

Losing weight has resulted in some funny conversations, though. Very few people tell you when you’re gaining weight. No one wants to offend you. But they’re quick to say something when you’re losing it. Of course in my twisted mind what they’re really saying is, “Hey, I’ve been meaning to tell you that you’re fat, but I kept forgetting.”

I was at a local watering hole last week putting weight back on — 16 ounces at a time — when I was introduced to a woman who refused to believe I am who I say I am. Comparing my photo that runs with this column to who I appeared to be in the flesh, she said something to the effect of I must have lost 80 pounds.

That made me feel good … and bad all at the same time.

This past week has not been good for trying to lose weight, I’ll tell you that. I feel like I’ve done nothing but eat. Pizza. Cookies. Crab. Cookies. Ham. Cookies. There’s a lot of cookies this time of year.

Fortunately the cookie well will run dry just as soon as I finish the plates on my kitchen island. I’m inclined to eat them all right now - just so I won’t be tempted later. Sometimes my logic is riddled with holes. Which is why it’s good that Christmas only comes once a year.

Scott Leffler is skinnier in real-life. And he’s practically weightless on Twitter. Find out for yourself @scottleffler.