Now we are at the time of New Year's Resolutions, which almost everyone seems to regard as matters of will power. And most are happy to make them while being sure they won't be able to keep them.

Making New Year's Resolutions that work is NOT a matter of will power. It's a matter of technique, the results of which look like magick. Here's an overview to help those who want to do it again, but this time without failing miserably after a week or so.

Now we are coming up to the time of New Year's Resolutions, which almost everyone seems to regard as matters of will power. And most are happy to make them as conversation pieces, while being sure they won't be able to keep them.

Making New Year's Resolutions that work is not a matter of will power. It's a matter of technique, the results of which look like magick. Here's an overview to help those who want to do it again, but this time without failing miserably after a week or so.

I often get asked about this matter. Even the local fire department has asked me on occasion to give advice to those smokers, who, because of regulations imposed by non-smokers were going to have to smoke outside, in a Chicago winter, if they wanted a cigarette.

My approach to this matter is based on my smoking pipe, and up to three packs of British navy cigarettes a day, and sometimes rolling my own from cigar tobacco. I am not one of those holier than thou non-smokers who accuse the smoker- of lack of will power and try to frighten them into stopping. Because unlike the never-having-smoked I know how it starts and what goes on inside.