Yes, it’s New Year time, and you’re thinking about resolutions. Or how you’re going to get home after a night of drinking. Or maybe a baby in a diaper pushing an old man out the door. Whatever.

We’re thinking about how the New Year is a bit of a tabula rasa, a chance to start clean and fresh. What better way to get a new lease on life than to think about getting some good karma?

Robert Blender, an abbot at the Indianapolis Zen Center (www.indyzen.org), describes his view of karma as similar to the New Testament statement about reaping what we have sown.

“Each action has consequences,” he says. “Be careful and thoughtful and compassionate about what you do.”

With that in mind, here are some ways you can improve your karma in 2009.

— Jenny Elig

Good workplace karma

“Neil Postman would turn in his grave if you could see you now, people of earth. You have IMs, 8e-mails, Twitter feeds and SMS. You have your cell phone, your iPhone, your smartphone.

“Yet the lack of engagement among you is stunning. To an alarming degree, it has become acceptable — even expected — to avoid communication, either direct or technological. Our inboxes and voicemails are full, but our hearts are empty. Want to increase your good karma? Try not screening any calls for a month. Try responding to every single e-mail for a month. You’ll feel better about yourself, I guarantee it.”

— Konrad Marshall

Good neighborhood karma

“Shovel an elderly neighbor’s walk. Take some dinner to a needy neighbor. Give someone a jump in the parking lot.”

— Michelle Pemberton

Good kitty karma

“Cats breed like rabbits with girl kitties capable of producing several litters of kittens in one year, so ending the cycle of breeding in these unwanted cats is the only humane solution.

“Besides, female kitties only live to be 3 years old, maybe 4, when they’re homeless and unsterilized. On top of birth being tough on their little bodies, fending off 8stinky un-neutered boys, hunting for food, finding shelter and protecting kittens takes its ugly toll on them.”

— Mary Lee Pappas, Feral Bureau of Indiana, www.feralbureau.org.

Good financial karma

“Give to a charity. Giving to others gives you a sense of abundance. If you’re giving your time to a charity or your talents, that’s just as good at developing that abundance mentality.”

— Peter Dunn, aka Pete the Planner and founder of GreenCandy.com.

Good green karma

“Plant a tree with KIB and NeighborWoods, our initiative to plant 100,000 large trees in Indianapolis in 10 years. Plant daffodil bulbs and your year will be yellow and sunny. Nurture the landscape and the landscape will nurture you.”

— David Forsell, director of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, www.kibi.org.

Good shopping karma

Buy homemade and local. You’ll be buying something that’s representative of your community, yet different from everything else. Visit www.Etsy.com for local salespeople. On the flip side, declare every other month “buy nothing month” (save for necessities), and help put an end to thoughtless consumerism.

Good food karma

“Imagine your grandma and grandpa opened up a restaurant and try to find that place and eat there. Go support somebody that runs a restaurant you think your family would have opened — whatever that might be.”

— Clint Smith, culinary instructor, Central Nine Career Center.

Good technical karma

“I’d support NPower Indiana (www.npowerin.org) because their mission is to help out nonprofit organizations with technology. These days, without having a presence on the Web and an understanding of how technology can be used to serve clients and the community, it’s very difficult to be successful.”

— Ben Neff

Good mentor karma

“Mentor karma:There are many people in this world who don’t care a whit if you succeed in your career, and even a few who will try their best to make sure that you don’t. Then, there are those who selflessly give you their time, expertise and insider knowledge to help you reach your potential. Write a letter to one of those people — a professor, a boss, a co-worker — and give them the credit and appreciation they deserve. Then, help someone else develop their talent.”

— Amanda Kingsbury

Good booze karma

“Though it’s a major sacrifice, offer one night to be the designated driver .”

— Arthur Black, National Wine and Spirits.

Good sexay-times karma

“So, you’ve had your annual exam — Pap, prostate, breast. That’s great! When was the last time you did a check up on your relationship health? Does your relationship include respect, trust, honesty, humor, fairness, equality and good communication? Remember you have to give those things to get them.”

— Leslie Montgomery, programs director, Planned Parenthood of Indiana.

Good music karma

“Don’t purchase any music that’s been AutoTuned for synthetic effect. Bring back untreated and authentic vocals in ’09.”

— David Lindquist

Good spiritual karma

“Practice (spirituality) at the Zen Center. Pursue a spiritual practice that makes sense to you.”

— Robert Blender, abbot at the Indianapolis Zen Center.

Good fashion karma

“If your pal is wearing something that is unflattering, tell them. Don’t be cruel, and make sure you’re not just speaking from a different style viewpoint. But for goodness’ sake, tell them.”

— Jenny Elig

Good year-round karma

“Volunteer — everyone does the Thanksgiving soup kitchen thing, not everyone does the second Saturday in June soup kitchen thing.

— Neal Taflinger

Good happiness karma

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

— The Dalai Lama, in 2006.