Sandy Strate

Last year, Sandy Strate, 58, of Revere, resolved to take an Excel class and study Web design in a bid to sharpen her tech skills.But Strate's 2003 pledge fizzled within days after she made the resolution.

"When New Year's rolls around, everybody is hyped about making that resolution," said Strate, a document support specialist at Robinson & Cole, a Boston law firm.