As we approach New Year’s, there are three predictions I can make with absolute certainty. First, the internet will be filled with “year in review” articles. Lots of bloggers will write “year in review” posts and some will coordinate these posts with another certainty—their “predictions for 2013” post. Finally, I predict a spate of “New Year’s Resolutions” articles and blog posts.

Count on it.

I won’t be writing a “year in review” post. My brother is writing his “books in review” post and it will be good reading; I’ll link to it here when it’s posted. Each year, he summarizes the books he’s read as a way of saying “reading is important” and encouraging others to read more than a few tweets and Facebook posts every day.

I won’t be writing a “predictions for 2013” post, either. There are a few social critics and bloggers I follow and I will read their “predictions for 2013.”

I plan to keep my “New Year’s Resolutions” to myself.

No, I’m going to just keep writing as I’ve done for the last year and see what happens. There may be a few changes; I’ve been thinking about using a different domain name and writing one less piece per week, but all in all, I am enjoying this practice of writing and telling stories. I think I’ll continue, springing forward.

Speaking of stories and springing forward, I had an interesting incident last week which reminded me of the power of fear and how it sometimes keeps me from springing forward. It was Monday and I was heading into The Big Corporation. I had loaded up the Jeep with my travel bags and was planning to drive west on an after work car trip. A light snow had fallen overnight and there were two inches of the fluff covering everything. It was lovely to look at, even if the lines in The Big Corporation’s parking lot were invisible. I was early, hoping for an equally early departure, and parking was plentiful near the door. Even though I normally park as far from the door as possible to add walking to my day, on this particular Monday I decided to park close to the door.

I even decided to “back in” to a spot so I could make a quick departure “get away” style.

Unfortunately, with the snow covering the lines, I overcompensated how close I was to a smart and shiny car with a glass-like bumper and the inevitable “crunch” stopped me. Darn! I got out and predictably, the Jeep was fine but the other vehicle’s bumper was busted up a bit.

Luckily, the vehicle’s owner was one of my co-workers at The Big Corporation and apparently, this was the second time in three months his bumper had been crunched so he didn’t seem overly upset. I told him responsibility was my policy and I placed a call to “responsibility” to report the incident. The whole crunch was documented and springing forward in 10 minutes.

It shook me up a bit. First, the act of exceeding the boundaries of my own personal property and damaging someone else’s personal property felt uncomfortable. I felt crappy about it and I knew it would be an inconvenience for my co-worker.

Then, I slipped back into New Age thinking; maybe “the Universe” was trying to tell me not to venture west on my car trip? It was “a sign.” I was afraid!

I texted my brother and asked

“You don’t think this is an omen, do you?”

My brother was quick to respond and said,

“No, unless you plan to drive to Syracuse in reverse. Keep it going forward; no backing for the JAB!”

If I were planning to make some predictions for 2013, I would predict the year will bring a string of big brother jokes about avoiding the scourge of going backwards. He began in earnest yesterday with a snow day driving tip:

“Be safe and once again, no backing–I repeat, no backing!”

What’s your policy for 2013? Are you backing into glass bumpers and getting stuck or are you springing forward to make the best out of uncertain and unpredictable circumstances?