2007 … Bring It On …
While private messaging JohnB of Blog Meridian, I started down a trail of thought that immediately felt like a year-end post. You know, one of those Goodbye 2006, Hello 2007 epistles. One of the first things I did was take a look at what I had said one year earlier as 2005 was disappearing. That post was titled Goodbye, Good Riddance, 2005…, which accurately sums my feelings and emotions one year ago today.
Reading through that post I was taken by how much of it applies today. Bush is still doing an admirable job of spiraling the US into moral, ethical, and financial oblivion. His shredding of the Constitution and attempts to solidify the bond between church and state, continue without serious challenge. The war in Iraq still rages, with more casualties each day, including US and allies (do we still have any of those other than the UK?) and Iraqis. However, there is one major difference today from one year ago — attitude.
The resurgence of the Democrats in the November elections, while unexpected, should restore some level of checks and balances, and provide one small chink in the armor of Bush’s strangle hold on the American people. Rumsfeld’s outing and the continued free-fall of Bush’s approval ratings are good signs that maybe, just maybe, our country can be salvaged after all. While there are many differing opinions on the execution of Saddam Hussein, perhaps that event will at least provide the Bush administration an excuse, a smoke-screen if you will, for an unexpected early pull back from Iraq. That would fit with other lies they have produced, but we should quickly and gladly buy into this one, since it will bring an end to the slaughter and our occupation of a country where we have no business being in the first place.
There was never an intent for this to become a political post, or for nobodyasked to be considered a political blog. Having drifted in that direction in 2005 and the earlier part of 2006, I very consciously pulled back after the November elections, electing to focus on the myriad of other important nonsense around us. But it is impossible to assess what kind of year it has been without taking a peek at the political side of things. Now we have done that, so let’s move on…
Personally it was another good year. Not great, but good. I moved my business, now 17 years old, to new space more ideally sized and situated. I had health all year — sometimes good, sometimes not so good. My hearing continued a slow decline and it is nearing the time for new digital hearing aids at a cost of about $6,000 for the pair. I have hobbled ever closer to a knee joint replacement ordeal but continue to delay since I need to work to support an addiction I have. It’s called eating.
Roomie published another book, this time as editor. She is also offering a new service of manuscript editing, for authors needing that professional tune-up prior to publishing. She has done well with all of her writing related ventures and I am proud of her.
My struggle to become a better writer, a more successful blogger continues. Your presence and your comments are tremendously heart warming, but an even greater reward comes in the self-satisfaction from the occasional rare post that I can step back from and say I did a good job on that one. The bonds and friendships we develop here in the blog world are every bit as important and significant as those in the non-virtual world. Some come and go, some stay awhile and then disappear or drift away for unknown reasons. Others we sometimes wish would follow. But by and large, you are a great group of loyal readers and friends. I strive to give back to you as much as you have given to me…
14 Comments so far
You did a good job on this one, friend.
“The bonds and friendships we develop here in the blog world are every bit as important and significant as those in the non-virtual world.”
I knew the sure truth of that when I started blogging, but I seem to have forgotten or neglected it somewhat in the last year or so. Yet during that time you’ve been a constant online friend to me, for which I am deeply grateful, and now is a good time to put that on record.
Happy New Year, Winston!
‘07 will be a good year. I just feel it. Okay I always feel that this night when the year will turn over in a few hours– and I won’t be awake to see it happen
Ah, Winston, my good virtual friend, it has been an interesting year indeed. May 2007 be one of continued good health, little hearing loss, and enough jingle in your pocket to buy an ice cream cone whenever you want one. Happy New Year!
I really liked this post Winston. It gives us a capsulized glimpse of who you really are as a person. Voicing your political opinions as you always do….heartfelt and humorous…but not offensive. And then of course your very personable and soft side. Yes Winston…you have a soft side….one of your assets that I find so endearing and wonderful. I hope this next year is every bit as good to you and Roomie as this past one. Even better….I hope it holds some wonderful surprises for you…”specialer” moments that you never anticipated. Good health, much love, and sweet peace to you dear friend…
I feel richer for having attached myself to you, via Twitter. May this richness prove to be bidirectional.
Wishing you and yours health, wealth and creativity, from the other side of the world, Winston!
Winston,
You and I have not met; we may never meet; but I must say that I and my blog do not have a better and more gracious friend than you. My attempts at reciprocity feel positively inadequate by comparison.
Best wishes to you and yours–and to this community of readers that visits here–for the coming year.
Winston. Thanks for hanging in there with me through thick and thin and diverse thinkings! What a great bloggie planet it has become for us all.
Happy New Year. This was a great post!
Well, blow me over… This post is only a few hours old and most of that was overnight on Noo Yeer’s Eve. It is now just past 8 AM Gods Central Time and I am surprised and so very pleased with not only the number of comments, but also by the quality of them. Not one respberry in the group… Yet… There’s still plenty of opportunity for that as the day wears on.
It is especially rewarding to see so many of my “olde” friends here. And lest ye object too quickly, I am speaking, not of chron-age, but endurance age here in BlogWorld.
Best of everything life has to offer, to all of you, this year and the ones to follow…
You’ve done a good job here too, old-blogger friend, (metaphorically speaking of course). Life is made up of the good bits and the bad bits and hopes and achievements and failure too, all of these little difficulties.
Someone once said to me, when I was grumbling on about personal dissatisfactions: “So life is not the way you want it, do you think it every will be?” That gave me food for thought. So I try to struggle less against what is not the way I want it and work with what is.
Happy New Year Winston and Roomie. We go into 2007 with some hope that the Democrats can get into office soon. Best regards hope this year brings what you hope for.
Wishing you good health and every happiness throughout 2007.
Thank you.
Winston,
I will definitely be a return visitor!
It was a treat to read that post. I, for one, feel that I could learn many things from you.
*chuckles*
Least of all because you have so much more life experience
All the best for 2007 to you and Roomie. Many wishes for good health, love, laughter and contentment, increasingly more and more hard to find nowadays
[...] At the start of the 2007 … Bring It On… post, brief mention was made of an exchange with JohnB of Blog Meridian that had started the thought process leading to that post. JohnB had recommended a great little fun piece, 100 Things We Didn’t Know Last Year, from the BBC, that is laced with jewels of slightly askew British humor. Highly recommended for those with a keen penchant for trivia, lovers of Brit humor, and for the terminally bored. [...]