On January 1, 1943 Woody Guthrie wrote 33 New Year resolutions – or rather, ”New Years Rulin’s.“ Click on the above image - via woodyguthrie.org - for a larger view of what was on the Dust Bowl troubadour’s mind 70 years ago:
- “Change socks”
- “Write a song a day”
- “Read lots good books”
- “Wash teeth if any”
- “Make up your mind”
- “Wake up and fight”
Resolutions are a fine line. To lead to impact they must be practical (“change socks” is do-able) but are also the perfect opportunity to think big…
…. like Tim DeLaughter – frontman and mastermind behind the Polyphonic Spree and Preteen Zenith. Ever-ambitious, Tim recently discussed new years resolutions with MTV Hive:
“It’s a great way to wipe the slate clean and start over. After all, you are the one holding the eraser. You can make it happen.”
“I have this goal that I want to do. I want to build the world’s largest band.”
“I have one of the largest touring bands but I want to make it bigger.”
”To start I’d like to get every member that’s ever been with Polyphonic Spree, which is over a hundred people, and play a huge show. But that’s just the seed-planting. The big goal, the big plan is to get as many singers and musicians as I can to come to Central Park, to be in the world’s largest band, which I will conduct and orchestrate from a hot air balloon floating overhead.”
Here’s some more ideas for the new year from the start of 2012:
New Year's Resolution: Turn it upside down!—
grasshopper (@mercuryrevvd) January 01, 2012
Brendan Benson:
“Somebody wise once said, ‘a New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.’ I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I like to make my resolutions on a daily basis.”
My new years resolution is to eat more goats cheese—
Yuck (@Yuckband) January 01, 2012
Bear in Heaven’s Jon Philpot
2012 New Year’s Resolution: “Clean my apartment.”
2011 New Year’s Resolution: “Write new songs.”
Did you live up to your 2011 resolution? “Totally, we made a new record! That’s why my apartment is so messed up.”
2011 has been our best year yet. Thanks everyone. No reason why 2012 shouldn't be better—
Dawes (@dawestheband) January 01, 2012
Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith:
“2012 New Year’s Resolution: To learn how to play piano like Dr. John.
… I’ve never been great with New Year’s resolutions.”
Happy New Year everyone! Imagine all the people living life in peace bit.ly/sW6coA A dream we dream together is reality. love, yoko—
Yoko Ono (@yokoono) January 01, 2012
சமாதானத்தை நினையுங்கள் ཞི་བ་སྒོམས་ BARIŞI DÜŞLE IMAGINEZ LA PAIX KÉPZELD EL A BÉKÉT Happy New Year! lots of love, yoko—
Yoko Ono (@yokoono) January 01, 2012
წარძოიდგინეთ ძშკიდობა STELL DIR VOR ES IST FRIEDEN חלום שלום शान्ति की कल्पना करें Happy New Year! lots of love, yoko—
Yoko Ono (@yokoono) January 01, 2012
احلم سلام 想像和平 IMAGINE PEACE ILARAWAN ANG MUNDONG MAPAYAPA KUVITTELE RAUHA Happy New Year! lots of love, yoko—
Yoko Ono (@yokoono) January 01, 2012

UPDATE – January 1, 2013
Here some more resolution suggestions for the new year:
My new year's resolution is to tweet less—
chilly gonzales (@chillygonzales) December 31, 2012
Anyone else doing this New Year's resolution where you don't drink any liquids?—
Jon Wurster (@jonwurster) January 01, 2013
My new New Year's resolution is 4k : )—
reggie watts (@reggiewatts) December 29, 2012
New Year's resolution: do not remain silence in the face of violence ever again. Each and every abuse is a scar on the World's cheek—
Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) December 29, 2012
I shared my New Year's Resolution with @nypost, check it out here: bit.ly/VksyQ0—
Lisa Loeb (@LisaLoeb) December 28, 2012
Happy new you.—
ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) January 01, 2013
9 Apps to Fast-Track Your New Years' Resolutions on.mash.to/WYdlGb—
Pete Cashmore (@mashable) January 01, 2013
happy new year:
youtube.com/watch?v=z7eOOJ…—
Beach House (@BeaccchHoussse) January 01, 2013
Hangin with Beach House!! http://t.co/oKdG6fmU—
The Flaming Lips (@theflaminglips) January 01, 2013
Yes, definitely tweet less—
chilly gonzales (@chillygonzales) December 31, 2012
…and here’s this year’s message from Yoko, and a Happy New Year from The Breeders:


More than excited!
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