Exercise Yellowknifers' number one resolution
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Dec 28/00) - New Year's resolutions have earned a reputation as promises that will inevitably, most often quickly, be broken.
For that reason, this particular genre of promises is no longer as fashionable as it once was. Few people make public proclamations of their resolve to lose weight, quit smoking or do the dishes more than once a week, because saying it at New Year's generally means you will no longer be doing it by Valentines Day.
Of course, that doesn't mean some people won't make a public proclamation of their non-resolutions to reporters when they come 'a callin'.
Below, Yellowknifer serves up some of the non-resolutions and resolutions prominent Yellowknifers will be looking to keep in 2001.
Take RCMP Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy.
As the spokesperson for the RCMP during the force's crackdown on drug dealers in Yellowknife he became a face at the forefront of Operation Guiness.
Grundy said labouring over files at his desk, overseeing the rounding up of about 50 people and then making himself and his cell phone number available to media after the bust kept him too busy to ... guess?
"I stopped exercising and I love to eat," Grundy said.
Not one to really sit down and make New Year's resolutions, Grundy said zeroing in on the likes of a treadmill would be the one if he had to choose.
"I don't make New Year's resolutions, I never have," he said. "If I want to do something I just go ahead and do it.
"Last year all my friends said they were going to stop smoking so as a joke I said I was going to start ... but of course I didn't."
Joining Grundy in the ever-popular get-in-shape decision is Yellowknife Fire Chief Mike Beauchamp.
Too much authority and not enough sliding down fire poles perhaps, has turned Beauchamp into an "egg with legs," according to the crew at the fire hall.
"I don't know if it's a resolution but I have kind of resigned myself to the fact that I need to lose some weight," he said with a quiet chuckle.
When asked if he had any other 2001 resolution-type plans he responded in good-nature," No, other than that I'm perfect."
Like Grundy, Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee said she does not make New Year's resolutions.
"I stopped making New Year's Eve resolutions when I turned 30," said Lee. "There's too much pressure to become somebody new on January 1."
Lee said when she turned 30 she achieved the main goal of her life, getting into law school.
"Everything else was icing on the cake," Lee said.
Though she didn't call them New Year's resolutions, Lee said she has a few things she would like to do in 2001.
"I'd like to have more dinner parties, that's what I'd like to do ... have more time for friends," said Lee, adding getting thank-you cards out on time is another non-resolution she will be aiming for this year. Long-time Yellowknifer Jan Stirling has had quite an exciting year. In October she received a national citation for her efforts to make life easier for immigrants choosing to live in the North.
Stirling, commonly known as "Grandma Jan," said her New Year's resolution involves arranging years and years of pictures into photo albums, photos from as far back as the 1950s.
"My kids say all the time 'mom, slow down,' but I don't really think I can make a firm resolution to slow down," she laughed.
But, she said maybe she will slow down just a little bit and spend more time with her six grandchildren.
Premier Stephen Kakfwi said his New Year's resolutions fall into political and personal categories.
Speaking through his secretary, Pam Slater, Kakfwi said he hopes to, "develop and maintain a healthy balance between job, home, and constituencies," and "get on a good exercise program."
Shorty Brown, co-founder of Bellanca Developments, said he just wants to be a better man.
"I want to do as much good as I can while I'm on the earth and let the rest take care of itself. How's that?"
Brown, now 70-years-old, said he would also like to "try to keep in shape to live to be another 70 years," and promised he always lives up to his New Year's resolutions. Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem, like Kakfwi, is also looking to make 2001 a more balanced year.
"I'm looking forward to moderation in all things and more time for my family," he said.
- With files from Dawn Ostrem and Tara Kearsey.
