Top New Year's Resolutions for Cincinnatians in 2009

Cincinnati is a wonderful city with a rich history that is often overlooked. If you are a Cincinnati resident or visitor, make these your Top Resolutions for a New Year in Cincinnati in 2009.

Eat more Skyline

Ok, a coney (a delicious chili cheese dog) is not exactly the healthiest food in the world, but Cincinnati is known for its coneys and they are hard to resist. The battle between Skyline Chili and Goldstar Chili is well known by Cincinnati residents, but if you ask me, it's not really a contest. Skyline coneys, with the hot dog, onions, cheese, and special chili, are just impossible to beat. If you have never eaten a Skyline coney, there is one thing you should know. The secret ingredient in the chili: chocolate!

Avoid the urge to become a fair-weather fan

The two pro sports teams in Cincinnati, the Reds (MLB) and the Bengals (NFL), are not known for winning seasons lately. Often, sports articles mention that Cincinnati is one of the worst cities to live in as a sports fan. But does that deter us? Nope. And we must resist the urge to give up. We must continue to cheer for our crappy sports teams no matter how much worse they get before they get better.

Take a walking tour of the city

All too often, the residents of a city get so used to living there that they forget to experience it. If you live in or visit Cincinnati, take a walking tour of the city to see its rich history. From the hills to the old German houses, Cincinnati and its sister cities across the river in Kentucky have a variety of natural and man-made sights to see.

Visit all seven hills

The original city was made up of seven hills, Mount Adams, Mount Auburn, Walnut Hills, Vine Street Hill, Fairmount, Mount Harrison, and College Hill. Take a trip to each neighborhood to discover each neighborhood's unique charms.

Walk from Ohio to Kentucky on the Purple People Bridge

The Purple People Bridge is pretty distinguishable, as it is the large purple bridge. Walk across the river from one side to the other. Start in Ohio and end up in Kentucky or vice versa.

Don't panic when it snows

It is amazing to me how badly people drive in this city at the slight vision of snow, sleet, or ice. We live in the Midwest; there is always going to be snow, sleet, and ice, yet people freak out when it happens. They either drive so slowly that it backs up traffic for three days or drive recklessly and cause accidents (accidents that back up traffic for three days). Just remember to drive carefully and the winter can go by painlessly.

Dance to the "Chicken Dance" at Oktoberfest

Cincinnati has a huge celebration for Oktoberfest. The festivities happen on both sides of the river, so you can enjoy the celebration in Ohio and/or Kentucky. With the abundance of polka bands, fresh beers, and the variety of food vendors, it is hard to not have a good time. But you have to take part in one of the "Chicken Dance" moments for it to truly be a complete Oktoberfest. And remember, Oktoberfest is actually celebrated in September.