Intelligencer

After the Ball Drops

Good riddance, 2005! A random survey of 100 midtown pedestrians on what they’re hoping the New Year will bring them.

Published Jan 1, 2006

100-Person Poll
Are you making New Year’s resolutions?
Yes…56
No…44

What are they? (Choose as many as you want.)
Lose weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Exercise more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Work harder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Read more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Quit smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Get out of debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Find a man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cook at home more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Quit my job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Stop drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Other: “Give up French fries.” “Get rich.”

Did you successfully keep any from last year?
Yes . . . . . 38
No . . . . . 27
Didn’t make them . . . . . 35

If you’re making resolutions for ’06, are they new ones or the same ones you failed to keep last year?
New . . . 31
Do-over . . . 24
Combo . . . 3
N/A . . . 42

What resolution would you like your significant other to make?
“Get a job.” “Play less video games.” “Be faithful.” “Leave me.” “Be more romantic.” “Stop being jealous.” “Pick up your dirty clothes.” “Commitment.” “Be less critical.” “Be less sensitive.” “Just chill out.” “Be a little less rigid about gender roles.” “Work less.” “Quit chewing tobacco.”

Is the city better off than it was a year ago?
Better . . . 80
Worse . . . 11
No change . . . 4
Dunno . . . 5

Are you better off than you were a year ago?
Better . . . 84
Worse . . . 14
No change . . . 1
Dunno . . . 1

What are you looking forward to most in ’06?
Getting a better job . . . 36
The Winter Olympics . . . 16
Getting married . . . 11
Leaving town . . . 5
Having kids . . . 3
Retirement . . . 3
Midterm elections . . . 2
Other....24, including “peace in Iraq,” “meeting a smoking-hot chick,” “graduating college,” “getting divorced,” and “just surviving another year.”