Happy New Year! This is the time of year when people everywhere enjoy the pleasures of giving and of doing good unto others. The tradition of giving in connection with religious or social benchmarks seems to transcend culture, faith, geography, social strata, and even political party. Annually, at "the holidays," people become more empathetic, more understanding, more helpful to each other. We become more generous. We even give hefty tips to letter carriers and trash collectors and other people who serve us well all year long, whether or not we even see them. It has been said that the pleasure of giving can be intoxicating.

In this spirit, dear reader, heady with the joy of holiday giving, I gift you this—my inaugural column for the New Year. I call it a gift so that you will receive it smilingly. Had I dubbed it more honestly "free advice you probably don't want to think about now," there would be fewer smiles. So, please accept these words in the holiday spirit in which they are offered. If you are reading this journal online, please read this column to the end, as someone somewhere is counting how much time you spend reading it, and my journalistic future may hang in the balance. Thank you in advance.