To heck with making resolutions for myself! I thought I’d list a few items I’d like to see addressed by others:

1) I’d sincerely enjoy a societal switcheroo on prefixes that are getting a bit tired. For example, we see too much of “underemployed, underutilized, undereducated, underfunded, undermanaged, etc.” You get the idea. Of course, for balance, there’s always “overmanaged, overeducated, overspent and the like.” But aren’t these all just less painful expressions for something that’s been “mismanaged, misdirected, misprioritized and so on?”

I like the prefix “mis” since it more aptly conveys the idea that you or your group has missed the boat. I like responsibility. Using under or over feels too much like outward-directed blame or even a subtle statement of victimization on an individual’s or group’s part.

2) I’d like to see a new word championed. The word? Moxymoron. Think about it. This would be a word that is ultimately an anomaly unto itself. Example? Easy! Think of the word “government.” When is the last time that a government managed to even govern itself? It beats the heck out of undergoverned, overgoverned, or even misgoverned.

3) Then there are associative problems with words and word combos that are commonly used in conjunction. For example, linking “job creation” and “government” puts us on an endless treadmill. If only we let government do it, cost be damned, all will be fine is the mantra. Perhaps it would be useful to first define what a job is before we automatically assume an actionable connection. But I forget. We now have government that signs bills they haven’t read.

Thinking about it, I guess I’d be better off with a more traditional resolution to lose weight. It’s much more likely to happen. Now where did that fruitcake get to?

Albert Chukitus, Kirkland