Still, I’ve been told that if you share your resolutions, you have a better chance of keeping them. Official self-reflection every year can’t be that bad, right? What did you accomplish last year? Are you better or worse? Happier or sadder? More fulfilled or more empty?

I guess I’m uncool enough that I think it’s worth it. Besides, it makes me feel good to keep any of them. You should try it. Self-satisfaction tastes a little like  an artichoke heart after nibbling away the leaves one by one by one.

To all the bearded, tight-pant, checkered-shirt, scarf-wearing  hipsters out there, here’s 5  resolutions from my 2010 laundry list:

1. Read 36 books. That’s 3 a month. I did 23 last year. I have 18 lined up already. Everyone should have a reading goal. Reading books will make you famous.
2. Picture a day. One photo from each day of the year. I got through February last year. You’ll look at the world differently if you do it. You can watch my flickr stream to see if I’m keeping up.
3. 2 marathons, 2 triathlons, 2 ultras. This, of course, means I’ve got to figure out what’s up with my knee and build my mileage up again. The hundred mile run will be in October. That’s plenty of time to get ready, right?
4. 50 blog posts. It’s all about building your brand, or in my case, continually figuring out what my brand is. 50 posts makes sure that I am writing everyday. Lucky for you, I don’t post everything I write. Otherwise, you might be reading about little, bearded men talking to me from my grandparent’s bushes.
5. 3 months as a vegetarian. I seem to try this one every year and forget about it during some stressful day in February when I attack a plate of buffalo wings.  This year, I’ll shoot for at least 90 days (for month long stretches). I’ll start in January and decide what happens after that.

I’ve got at least 6 more, but believe me, you’re better off not knowing what they are. These are the good ones. The others will give the tight-pant hipsters out there a little too much ammunition.

Now go, be uncool, and make some of your own.

Your muscles need oxygen to work. You probably use your muscles a lot when you swim. Sometimes, when you swim, it’s impossible to get oxygen (like when your head is underwater).

So, you basically have three options when you swim (if you want to go any considerable length in the water): you can figure out a way to get more oxygen, you can figure out a way to use less energy, or you can do both.

I’ve been watching other people at the pool in between my own laps to see who’s doing what. I’m trying to learn because I still can’t swim the distances I’d like to. Most of the swimmers seem to go with the figure-out-how-to-get-more-oxygen option. Instead of taking a breath every third stroke, they go with every second (or every one). Meanwhile, they get a hell of a workout kicking their legs and swinging their arms and slapping the water. Splash splash splash slap splash splash slap. Some of them manage to compensate for the less-than horizontal position they’re in by *really* kicking their legs. I have to admit, I’m impressed by it. I don’t like swimming next to their personal tsunami in the pool, but I am impressed.

I asked an ex-water polo player at work (who also happens to be the guy that turned me on to Swedish goggles–which are amazing) about this turbine engine approach and he confirmed my suspicions: it’s not the really smart way to swim. Your legs kick to keep balance and help your body rotate from side to side–that’s it really. If you keep your head down, looking at the bottom of the pool, your body should go horizontal in the water. You don’t have to kick like a crazed banshee to keep afloat and gliding forward.

Which means: more oxygen. More oxygen = less freaking out. Less freaking out = you’re more relaxed in the water. More relaxed and in the zone = the longer you can go.

How do you learn the form and learn how to relax? Try this:

• Practice with a pull buoy. It will help you understand rotation and balance and teach you to minimize your kick.
• Use Training fins. To use them, you can’t can’t really bend your knees. You’ll kick less to maintain your speed. Your arms will move faster, you’ll breath more often.
• Practice TI swimming. Man, TI swimming can make you a ninja in the water. Study the videos for this on YouTube. Buy the book.

All three of these ideas will improve your form and help you get more comfortable in the water. Swimming doesn’t have to be that hard. It’s supposed to be fun, remember? If all else fails, just try to imagine that you’re swimming to the rope swing at camp in your old cutoff jeans. See? Fun.