For example, 2008. I’m not sure how long it’s going to take me to remember to write 2008 instead of 2007 on documents.
Last year at times I was still writing 2006 when it was already several months into 2007.
Why?
From what I have read, we are creatures of habit. When we do repetitive things, mechanical or thought, we set up a pattern or habit.
Studies have shown it takes 22 repetitions for something to become a habit. However, if you sleep between those repetitions, the numbers increase.
What’s my point in all of this?
I want to remind myself that anything that I want to change or make into a pattern or habit, I’ll need to do it at least 22 times to take effect.
That number is an average. It could be more for some and less for others.
The point is, it’s going to take effort.
The question is, am I willing to put forth the effort to make the new start or to make the change.
Will the effort be worth it?
Something that makes a lot of sense to me is the Seymour Community putting effort into becoming a city. The City of Knoxville is just three miles away. Do you think they won’t jump county lines to gain the huge tax base Seymour would provide them?
There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t get a call or a visitor at my office that asks how many people live in Seymour.
When I tell them the US Post Office has over 8,000 addresses they deliver to. If you take an average of 3.5 people per address that would total about 28,000 people that call Seymour they’re home.
Their next question in amazement is, “Where’s the downtown”.
My response is, there is no downtown. We have no local government. We don’t even have a county office to serve all those people. We have to drive 16 to 25 miles to pay our taxes, buy takes or get licenses.
Then they ask, “I thought that government was created to protect and serve the people”.
Only if the people demand it, I responded.
Seymour isn’t going to become a city unless a few people get together and make it happen.
From the talk and actions of the NKCC I originally thought they had the leadership to make it happen. It appears that their lives are too busy to deal with the effort it takes to make the changes.
I don’t blame them.
Still, I’m hoping that a group will step forward and share the effort to make Seymour a City and start providing the services to the community that it deserves.
Don’t let the people who cry that your taxes are going to go up so much that you’ll be sorry, lull you into believing it. It’s not true.
Look at the figures. I did. We, as a City would be far better off with local government and representation rather than having four ineffective commissioners out of 25.
We can’t even get a park established without the permission of commissioners that live in Pittman Center or Gatlinburg. Does that make sense?
I believe the effort would be worth the gain to become the masters of our own destiny.
This is a new year and we could have a new start.
If there is any group out there interested in putting forth the effort to become a City, give me a call. I’ll help in any way I can.