In 2010, I am going to…

A9467-11/27/5

It’s that time again – where we ambitiously try to set ourselves goals for the New Year and then for many of us, less than two months in, we wipe our hands together, drop our head in self-disgust and then give a big *sigh* for having failed again!

In 2009, one of my New Year Resolutions was to keep a day-to-day diary. Whenever I travel I do this, and manage to keep up my entries quite well, but after a day at work or a late night, it’s just not going to happen!

So, in preparation for this blog post, I decided to find out what the most common New Year Resolutions are to see if there is any way I can reignite the momentum and motivation needed to see our readers (and myself!) through to completion – by turning to some of the objects in the Museum’s collection for inspiration! And, as you will see, keeping a day-to-day diary isn’t in the top ten for popularity, which indicates that the majority of people are far too sensible to even include this one in their sights!

1. Spend more time with family and friends

97/92/11-1/2

This is a good resolution to have, and I think we should add pets in here too (whether it’s your dog, cat, bird, fish, cow, bull or…ox!).

Above is a black and white photographic print of the Croker family taken by Amelia Eve Wong and/or Henry Hackney Wong in Amyville, New South Wales, c.1890-1918. It is one of 237 photographic prints taken by the Wong family in the late 19th to early 20th centuries which document community life, the goldfields and the retail trade as perceived through the eyes of Chinese immigrants.

2. Exercise more

Jane Fonda was a source of inspiration for many in the 1980s with her workout video and as you would see in many fashion shops now, this look can be easily replicated! While this mannequin is currently on display in the 80s exhibition, the Museum has an extensive collection of other aerobics wear that will be sure to get your feet moving, such as Adidas trainers, swimwear, photographs and glass negatives of muscle men(!), an Olympic superbike, Speedo archive and collection…the list goes on!

3. Lose weight

91/391/39

The very thought of having to wear this surgical support or corset to curb an obese stomach, I would imagine, is enough to make anyone want to lose those extra pounds! This particular support, made for a man, was produced by S H Camp & Co in America around 1956-1957 and formed part of the reference collection for Berlei Ltd underwear. It buttons up at the front and can be tightened by pulling the straps at the sides.

4. Quit smoking

2001/75/31-1

This poster is a clever marketing tool designed and produced for the ‘Quit’ anti-smoking campaign by the NSW Department of Health in the 1990s. I always find these advertisements very powerful and it leaves little else to be said!

5. Enjoy life more

A9467-11/26/2

This lady knows how to have a good time and it is fittingly titled ‘Happy New Year 1953’! It shows a model wearing a hat decorated with a champagne glass and was taken by Mr John Inc. in New York. I think “enjoy life more” has a very loose meaning and this photo, in light of the next resolution, should perhaps not be taken too literally!

6. Quit drinking

2006/8/7

There are many reasons to quit, or at least go-easy, on the drinking – but the use of alcohol breath analysers has certainly become a major contributing factor to limiting, or preventing at all, alcohol intake with motorists. This apparatus, ‘Alcotest 0.3’ was made in Victoria in c. 1985, around 20 years after the first breath tester was introduced by the New South Wales police department. When a breath test is to be carried out, the end of an indicator tube is snapped off and fitted in one end of the plastic bag and a fresh mouthpiece is fitted to the other end. The motorist is then told to ‘blow in the bag’. After ten uses the measuring bag is discarded.

7. Get out of debt

95/101/1

At this time of year, I’m sure a lot of us have credit card bills to pay off, which we are all now feeling rather sorry for ourselves about, but as the letter above indicates – the more things change, the more they stay the same! This letter, written in French and dated to 1587, makes reference to a debt for “40 Ecus d’or” (the French currency unit at the time) owed by two well-known violinists, Calistre di Affri and Constantin di Affri to a woman, Anne Le Fort. The di Affri’s were violinists to King Henri III of France.

8. Learn something new

2007/12/1

Do you have any idea what this is? How about a kankles or a zither? Ring any bells? Well, the kankles is a plucked string musical instrument from Lithuania, related to the zither. This particular kankles is made from timber and is strung with 14 metal strings and dates to around 1930-1945. Kankles were traditionally used for playing folk melodies, to accompany folk songs and dances, and were sometimes also played at rituals.

9. Help others

2007/56/68

This screen print poster on paper promotes the Women’s Health Centre in Chippendale, Sydney and dates around 1972-1979. This health centre was a drop-in information and resource centre for women, which also offered craft, needlework, sewing, health care and ESL workshops. Perhaps I should add after ‘Help Others’, volunteer some of your time – it’s a very rewarding thing to do!

10. Get organised

 

And finally, what better example for being organised than Ettore Sottsass’s ‘Carlton’ Room Divider made in Italy in 1981? A classic of Memphis design, it is made of wood and plastic laminate and is currently on display in the 80s exhibition. Always a lot of fun to marvel at, the Room Divider challenges the notions of high art and popular culture.

So, what are your New Year Resolutions for 2010? Have you set your sights on any of the above? Or, perhaps you are actually going to try and keep a day-to-day diary – in which case, I want to know some tips on how to keep one manageable!