Some people make resolutions on the New Year. I seem to make them on my birthday. This year’s resolution was a recycle of a perennial favorite namely, getting in shape. My traditional approach to exercise tends to follow the French model; there is a cream or lotion that takes care of every problem. That approach not producing sufficient results, however, I have been forced to search for more…shall we say… American… methods. My problem with exercise is not so much that I hate it, although that is not to be discounted, but that I have no time to do it. Enter the 6:00 am pilates class. On some level, this is perfect as it just so happens that my overcrowded schedule is usually devoid of conflicts at that hour. The only thing I usually have, in fact, have a standing appointment for, at that hour is sleep. Sleep, according to some, being overrated, I am willing to try this. Day one was yesterday. It was good. Early, but good. The best part was all of the energy I had—for about two hours. Then it was nap time. Maybe there is a lotion for that too.