Resolved for 2011: A stiff upper lip

“May you live in interesting times.”

That supposed Chinese curse certainly applies to our past year. What with war, terrorism, unemployment and more, the closing of the decade looks a lot different from its promising, pre-9/11 start. And we've moved on, too, to a more responsible, less pretentious, more, well, less-is-more way of life.

Haven't we?

In case we still need a little nudge, here's a resolution for 2011:

Suck it up. Stiff upper lip and all that. While no one cares if we wear sensible shoes, the times call for living a sensible life.

Some suggestions:

Get beyond yourself. Government's no longer flush with cash, so it's time to look at the big picture on publicly funded perks for people who aren't in economic distress. Yes, we all like our free public transit rides for seniors and our subsidized school extracurriculars, but at the price of government bankruptcy? Maybe not.

Save money. True, that's not doing the economy any good. But then again, it won't help the economy much if we're all destitute in retirement either. If you've got an income, stash a good chunk of it away. Because now we have proof — rainy days do happen.

Stop whining. No one likes the airport screening procedures. But it's necessary. Take a deep breath and let it go.

Use your name. Anonymous rants and accusations are for cowards or political saboteurs. If you can't sign it, don't say it, online, in print or anywhere else. A corollary: If it isn't signed, don't believe it, forward it or quote it as fact.

Prepare but don't panic. Bet you remember that weird-sounding government pronouncement of a few years ago to stockpile plastic sheets and duct tape in case you had to seal yourself inside during a chemical attack. Bet you don't remember anything else you're supposed to keep handy in case of an emergency of any kind — or if you do, the canned food long ago expired, a mouse ate the candles and the spare batteries have gone dead. Check www.ready.gov for how to face extreme winter weather, a long power outage or the aftermath of a terrorist strike.

Go retro. Clotheslines? Vegetable gardens? Even chicken coops? Some things the suburbs used to frown on now have an earth-friendly chic. You might not be ready for the chickens (and all but a few suburbs still cluck in disapproval), but the garden catalogs start coming soon after the New Year. You can dream away the winter planning your spring planting.

Smile. It doesn't take any more effort than a frown, it makes a difference on your outlook and on the outlooks of those around you.

There. Doesn't that make us all feel prepared to plunge into 2011, whatever it brings?

We'll hit Jan. 1 ready to follow the motto of those determined World War II-era Brits:

Keep calm and carry on.