By Staff
Locals look to the future for health and happiness
By BRANDIA DEATHERAGE
Staff Writer
As 2009 is born, the global family looks to the future. Whether this year will bring better tidings than the last is, in large part, up to the people. At its conception, this year has many of the trappings of a newborn babe: a new leader of the free world, the optimism of many market watchers and a fresh, clean calendar.
While few predicted Wall Street would plumb such depths in 2008, it is hoped that by 2009 markets have already hit bottom, and the world will be able to begin making baby steps from recession to more prosperous times.
But as 2008 did not completely floor Wall Street, it hasn’t wholly intimidated those on Main Street either. On New Year’s Eve, along the downtown streets of Washington people stared this new year in the face, and asked of it what they’ve been asking for hundreds of years — to lose weight.
Yes, despite the recession, the value of physical health still outweighs that of financial health. People in Washington realize that it doesn’t matter how much money you have if you are not alive to enjoy it.
Kurt Schneider, a construction project manager whose home base is in Washington, said his resolution is to try to live more healthfully when he is on the road.
Lindsay Nall, a sophomore at N.C. State University, is also struggling to eat a wholesome diet away from home. She revealed that her goal for 2009 is “to stop eating fast food so much.”
Ben Townsend of Bath anticipated the popularity of this resolution and joined the bandwagon.
Others confessed even more light-hearted goals for self-improvement.
Katie Powell of Washington is looking forward to starting a new hobby in 2009.
Linda Brown, also of Washington, has probably the most unique outlook on turning over a new leaf in the new year.
Many people are expected to fail in their goals, reports financial-comparison Web site Gocompare.com. The problem is that 44 percent of those who make resolutions set their sights too high, while 26 percent simply make too many resolutions.
Barbara Rodman, a minister at Paradise Outreach Ministries in Washington, seems to be aware of these figures.
Even though the most fashionable New Year’s resolution is, as always, to lose weight, everyone agreed they are looking for serendipity in the financial department. For luck, some are sticking with tradition — eating bowls of black-eyed peas and hoping that their first visitor of the new year is a tall, dark-haired man, bringing good news.