(Some) Locals Set Personal Goals For 2008

SEBRING - Charles P. Cooper already made up his resolution for 2008, and it seemed pretty routine as far as resolutions go.

"I only put in my mouth what my wife says I can," the "semi-retired" 67-year-old auto transmission shop owner promised himself. What led to that resolution was not a weight problem or even just the diabetes he was diagnosed with earlier this year.

After the cascade of unexpected health problems he had since July, Cooper said his wife was just happy to have him around for Christmas.

It went downhill since July, when he said he was diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol in one doctor's visit while getting blood work for his angina. In September, doctors determined he needed a quadruple bypass surgery, and that wasn't the end of it.

Four days after the Sept. 30 surgery, one of his lungs collapsed, he developed pneumonia and he returned to the hospital for another six days.

Looking back on the experiences, he's optimistic 2008 will be much better than that if he takes care of himself.

"Pain is weakness leaving your body," Cooper said, with a laugh as he quoted a military saying. "So I ought to be in good shape."

While 2007 was good on some and tough on others, Highlands County locals are looking to clean up and lighten up. Mark Thompson prefers to just make it up.

Thompson and his 9-year-old son, Trace, were sitting back at a Starbucks inside the Lakeshore Mall Thursday afternoon, waiting for the rest of their family to get out of the stores so they could all head to Cypress Gardens. That was more on Mark Thompson's mind than his resolutions for next year.

"I'll wait to the last minute and then throw one in," he said.

He meant that literally. His family writes down their resolutions, throws them in a hat, and then they draw them out New Year's Day to read them to each other.

"It's a surprise instead of just saying something," Thompson said. Beyond that, he only had one hope for Trace. After he got injured playing football for the youth league, he hoped in 2008 he could play a full season and enjoy it.

A lot of people were even less clear on a resolution. What will Nancy Viveros, 14, set out to do?

"Um ... be more happy?" was all she could think of as she took care of her baby brother.

A few others were looking more toward their homes.

Milt and Marie Krom hoped to "un-clutter" and donate their extra stuff. The Avon Park couple, who frequently travel in their camper, said they had too many pots, clothes and an excess of practically everything.

"I'm tired of moving clutter from one place to another," Marie said. "We emptied a small apartment in Connecticut, we emptied our camper. ... Tired of looking at it."

Allison Dailey, on the other hand, did not have too much of a resolution because she already had something big to work on. She just moved to a new house in Sebring and was still repainting it, with a lot of the heavier work already done.

As she hurried out of a Wal-Mart, she said she wanted to get more furniture and curtains by next year.