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TheThe South Marysburgh MirrorMirror New Years  By George Underhill As The Mirror usually comes out during the first week of the month, you will probably be reading this in early February of 2015. This will be more than ade- quate (cid:415)me for your New Year's resolu(cid:415)ons to have disappeared like ground fog on a hot summer day. This is par(cid:415)cularly true if the resolu(cid:415)ons were big ones. "I will exercise regularly. I will go on a diet. I will drink less." You know, the big ones. I avoid breaking resolu(cid:415)ons by resolving li(cid:425)le things. One year I resolved to stop pu(cid:427)ng sugar in my coffee. This is something a person can actually do, and today I s(cid:415)ll have my coffee without sugar. I confess that lately I've made no resolu(cid:415)ons whatso- ever. I guess I'm just that close to being perfect. A friend of mine, just prior to Christmas, con- fessed that his gi(cid:332) to his wife would be for her to name something about him she would like him to change. He would comply, and that would be his gi(cid:332). Not a bad idea, because when you get old you don't need anything. I asked, "What if she wants your legs not to be so skinny and chicken-like?" He said that wouldn't qualify. "What if she wants you to be more though(cid:414)ul and caring," I asked. He opined that would be tough to do but that he might give it a shot for a few hours. Not a great gi(cid:332) if he's going to put a (cid:415)me limit on it. "I'll be though(cid:414)ul for the next half hour, and by the way, I'm heading out to the liquor store." In the Globe & Mail, a group of authors was asked about their New Year's resolu(cid:415)ons. What we got was a lot of self-serving blathering about their published or soon-to-be published works. "I will not read the cri(cid:415)c's comments about my upcoming nov- el." What self-aggrandizing pap. They should do be(cid:425)er than to retail their books. That's what publish- ers are for. I have resolved for many years not to go to New Year's par(cid:415)es. This isn't difficult because, (1) I'm not invited to any and, (2) the only par(cid:415)es I dislike more are Halloween costume par(cid:415)es. I dislike New Year's par(cid:415)es because at midnight you are forced to hug and kiss, or to be hugged and kissed, by people you don't especially care for or even know. I once had to go to a Halloween party where my wife dressed as The Jolly Green Giant and I went as The Li(cid:425)le Green Sprout. The only guy dumber was Billy Skinner who dressed as a TV set inside a cardboard box. He was unable to move his arms up to his mouth to eat or take a drink and people kept res(cid:415)ng their drinks on the shoulders of his TV set. He could- n't eat, drink, or even dance. Hell of a party for Billy. So, in summarizing the benefits of New Year's Resolu(cid:415)ons, I quote from the philosopher and author Tara Brach, "Perfec(cid:415)on is not a prerequisite for any- thing but pain." That summarizes the benefits of res- olu(cid:415)ons. 13 South Bay U.C.W. Maureen read the minutes of the Twenty-five sick calls were made by the la- President Sandra began with U.C.W. purpose, Seven members and one visitor answered roll Alice's devo(cid:415)onal, (cid:415)tled The Man Called Je- U.C.W. met at South Bay United Church hall on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:30 p.m. theme hymn and the Lord 's Prayer. sus was a synopsis of Jesus' life. call with a Christmas memory. last mee(cid:415)ng with one change being made for the lunch- eon pertaining to the group Women Around Noon. dies. A(cid:332)er Joyce reviewed our finances for the group, a mo(cid:415)on was made to give a dona(cid:415)on to the Missionary and Service for 2014. Collec(cid:415)on was taken and dedicated. The ladies made a list of the people who are to receive Valen(cid:415)ne cards from U.C.W. for February. Schedules were brought up to date (cid:415)ll the end of April. U.C.W. prayer. Sandra got us all busily making cards with needle fel(cid:415)ng which could be presented to anyone we wish to receive them. delicious lunch that (cid:415)ckled out palates. Karen thanked Maureen and Carol for the The mee(cid:415)ng proper was closed with our U.C.W. & Milford Friendship Circle Coming events: Wednesday, February 11th - U.C.W. will meet at South Bay United Church hall at 12:00 noon for a pot luck lunch. Devo(cid:415)onal: Brenda Minaker; Roll Call: wear red; Program: Alice Miller; Objec(cid:415)ve: collec(cid:415)on to Heart and Stroke. There will be no February mee(cid:415)ng for the Friend- ship Circle. The March mee(cid:415)ng will be held at Marg Crouse's new home on Thursday, March 5th.