So a new year is well under way. Of course a new year doesn’t mean that all the old problems of the past just immediately disappear. That applies to national, local and personal problems. There’s probably a much better chance of solving those personal problems with the focus that a new year can bring than the problems looming in all those governmental institutions. Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Joe Biden and Barney Frank aren’t going to disappear overnight. Sadly. Neither will our esteemed governor or any of the other corrupt and crooked, or just plain moronic, folks that populate the halls of Congress, the State House or other government buildings. So for 2010 we just have to try and vote out as many of those errant souls as possible and make as many changes towards common sense and realistic thinking as we can. The hope for a more conservative and intelligent governance is still here but it dims. It dims.
I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. They are promises made to be ignored so I don’t bother. Oh, I could resolve to lose weight, exercise, be more charitable, and do a better job of yard maintenance and a hundred other things. But I won’t. One year, a long time ago and far, far away, I made a few resolutions. And that year I actually stuck to that resolve for most of the year. But the Holidays came around and everything went to hell (or heck, for you sensitive types) in a matter of days. The weight came back on like magic, the over-spending was fast and furious, the beating of the wife started up again. All those resolutions were like clouds blowing away on a summer’s day. You probably know I didn’t really beat my wife. And I never made a resolution not to. That’s all fiction. But the rest of it is true. So the following New Year’s Day I decided to scrap the resolution idea for good. And I’ve stuck to that for years now. I guess I can keep one resolution after all.
Looking back at 2009 I must say it was a pretty good year in many ways. A new granddaughter, continued retirement, many opportunities to enjoy our little place up North have all been bright spots. Continued family stability has also been nice. My wife and I celebrated our fortieth anniversary and came out of it unscathed. We stayed in touch with many more members of our extended families than we had in the past and that has been a big plus. My wife’s job has not made her any crazier or crankier than she normally is so that’s been nice. I’ve gotten pretty well adjusted to her normal levels of craziness and crankiness. My Mom turned eighty-eight and is still doing pretty well. Somehow all of my siblings have either lost their hair or are using extensive chemical treatments to keep it looking young while I have kept mine and relish the silvery grey look. My writing has become more directed towards poetry which has greatly diminished my readership while allowing me the freedom to put sexy stuff in my work without worrying about offending relatives and friends.
Of course there were sad events in 2009 as there are in most years. We lost our brother-in-law, my wife’s sister’s husband, a fine and funny fellow with a unique personality. Some of the older members of the family faced tough battles with medical problems as did some of the younger family members. It was a normal year, I guess, although it was a little tougher economically for many of us. There’s a whole political rant waiting to be written about the detrimental personal effects that government policy is causing but I’ll save it for another day.
We’ll plug along through this year as we have in the past, taking one day at a time and making the most of what life brings along. Wow, I put three clichés in one sentence. I should be a news reporter. Anyway we’ll do okay and we hope you all do as well. No matter what happens we hope you…
Have a fine day.
