Another New Year. I contacted a diverse collection of our town's citizenry to ask for their resolutions for 2009. Here are their collective wit, wisdom and good intentions.

Nobody said they'd lose weight. However, Mayor Mufi Hannemann did e-mail to say: “;I resolve to grow five inches to make up for my loss in height over the rail issue.”;

HECO's Peter Rosegg did a spirited job over the radio during the blackout. He has not a resolution, but a hope for 2009: “;Not to have to spend 12 hours in a small room with Perry and Price.”;

Mike Perry said that as the “;voices of disaster,”; he and Larry Price “;resolve to be completely, utterly, 100 percent prepared for lightning strikes, tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes - which means Hawaii will be spared those calamities.”;

Improv actor and teacher Shannon Winpenny's new Laughtrack Theater was unaffected by the power outage because she'd already chosen not to perform that night. “;Apparently,”; she says, “;when we go dark, the whole town goes dark, so we resolve never to do that again.”;

Former news anchor Dan Cooke lamented the fact that, having moved to California, he didn't get a chance to dress up as Gov. Linda Lingle for the annual Gridiron show. His resolution: “;To be more flexible (like my adjustable rate mortgage), but firm (like my mortgage broker who denied my refinance request). I seek enlightenment and resolve to read everything I can (excluding column drops mentioning my habit of dressing up as a woman).”;

People wanted balance. The Halekulani's Erika Kauffman would like to balance “;gratitude, boldness, compassion, audible laughter and fitness.”; ESPN1420's Bobby Curran wants to balance work and family time, especially coaching sons Max and Finn.

Nightlife impresario Flash Hansen wants to balance work and the rest of life, or at least to make work more enjoyable. Already, he throws parties for a living.

You might wish to hang around speaking coach Pam Chambers, who resolves to do a secret good deed each week. Similarly, you might seek out Danny Kaleikini, who is “;going to continue sharing aloha at home and with the world. Aloha kekahi i kekahi.”;

Or look up Wally Amos, who says that instead of making New Year's Resolutions, he resolves each day to be 100 percent positive regardless. Plus he'll probably give you a cookie.

KHON's Joe Moore resolved as follows: “;I will faithfully and regularly participate in the attitude adjustment plan recommended by leading medical experts - consuming one to two glasses of red wine a day.”;

Tracie Mukai of Yuri's Florist insisted, “;This will be the year that I actually stay on top of the financial records for the flower shop. Then maybe, just maybe, I won't have to cram at the last minute to get the books in order for the CPA. Or maybe I'll just drink more good wine with good friends and my hubby.”;

Andy Baker, the Beer Dude, has gone from organizing beer events to making the stuff. He took over Kauai's Keoki Brewery, where he also makes draft Primo, and tomorrow flies off to Hilo because he's merged with Mehana Brewery. His goal for 2009: “;Get people to drink better local beer.”; Natch.

Happy Birthday to the Duke of Uke, Bill Tapia, who turned 101 New Year's Day. At 101, you don't make resolutions, says Tapia. “;But life is good,”; including a whole slate of 2009 ukulele concerts, “;because concerts are where the money is.”;

Jimmy Borges resolved to mentor young singers. “;Look at me, I'm 73 and singing as good or better than ever. I teach them to take care of themselves and their voices.”; Among those he is mentoring are young songbirds Yvette Nii, Shawn Jones and Angela Crandall.

Not only was Angela Crandall nominated for a Na Hoku award last year, but the Georgetown sophomore also climbed 15,100-foot Mount Kilimanjaro. Her New Year's Resolutions include learning to cook, putting together a group to gig in Washington, D.C., and researching water management in Tanzania's Lake Victoria. The ambition of youth.

Crandall's father is noted jazz pianist Rich Crandall, who said he doesn't like to look ahead. “;I'm stuck in the past here. I better take time to thin out old music, old photographs, so I can make room for the rest of my life, not to mention the ever-expanding life of my daughter.”;

Don Murphy of Murphy's has resolved to keep his prices as affordable as possible, so people can still afford to go out in 2009.

TV Chef Chai Chaowasaree resolved to drink less soda. Since he drinks soda night and day, is he going to quit entirely? “;I don't smoke or drink, so you have to give me something, a little soda, please.”;

Starwood's Suzy Ford, on the other hand, has decided to keep all her bad habits. “;I never quit at anything,”; she says.

Back in the old days Wayne Harada's bosses at the Advertiser forbade any mention of Honolulu Magazine, which I was editing at the time. Often Wayne would sneak me in his long list of New Year's Wishes anyway. I'll return the favor. I miss reading Wayne, who retired from the Advertiser Dec. 22. I'll mention, even though it's a rival paper, that he's resolved to write a weekly column in 2009.

People asked me what my resolution was. I'm with Pam Davis, publisher of Oahu Concierge, who wrote: “;I made a resolution a long time ago not to make any New Year's resolutions. It's much safer that way.”;