Happy Holidays! As we are nearing the end of another year, I think we need to discuss being bold, making decisions, and keeping resolutions.

So let’s talk about resolutions, since it is that time of year. Intellectually, I completely understand the appeal of making resolutions. To do lists are helpful for focusing on what you want to accomplish and for keeping you on task when there is so much other shiny stuff to look at on the Internet that can derail your best intentions of not procrastinating and really getting whatever it is done this year. Resolutions are also, to me at least, a symbol of optimism that you can actually make the world or yourself (or both) a little better through sheer will and determination. But on the flip side, broken resolutions can fill you with guilt and angst. So is it better to make resolutions and cut yourself slack when you inevitably fall short of perfection? Or is it better to not make resolutions? I don’t have the answer, although I find zen habits rather helpful for living life well and not full of too many lists of things to do.

As for me, I haven’t made any new year’s resolutions for quite a few years now. I might make some this year, who knows. Do you make new year’s resolutions?

But even if you are not into making resolutions for the new year, it is good to resolve to being a person who is bold and willing to make decisions. I was talking with a friend the other day about being the one to make decisions in a group and then read this post from Seth Godin, Just Looking. Sometimes real life and the blogosphere are just in sync; I don’t ask why. So go out there and be bold– actually make a decision. Sitting on the fence doesn’t do you any good and doesn’t move either you or your work or the library forward. Speaking of being bold, check out Engaged Learning’s post, Are You So Bold? Then, go and do whatever you know needs to be done or said that you’ve been putting off. You’ll feel better and it will be easier to be bold the next time you need to be.

So, if you feel like you now need to do something to be bolder in the new year, check out the call for bloggers at Midwinter. If you happen to be going to either ALISE or ALA Midwinter (or even both), do say hello. I’ll be in San Diego for both conferences (probably tweeting and blogging about some of the sessions too). Also, in conference traveling news, check out the TSA Status website to find out the status of the new body scanners at various airports’ checkpoints.

And, because it is that time of year, we must end with a list: check out Lifehacker’s Most Popular Explainers of 2010. We also need something fun, so enjoy a couple of photos of my family’s cats having fun with the wrapping paper…

Cheetah in Wrapping Paper

Fey with Ribbon

…and an awesome video about the Tenth Doctor and Donna because it is so fun that it must be shared.

Happy New Year, dear readers! I hope it is a fantastic year for you. I’ll be back next week with posts from ALISE. Allons-y!