Hello everyone! It’s time for my annual New Year’s rant. Pull up a chair, grab some space by the fire, and add some marshmallows to your hot cocoa whilst Old Man Barcia tells everyone to get off his lawn. 😉
So I had drafted this rambling manifesto about 2017’s outrage, division, absolutism, double standards, lowering of intellectual discourse, loss of humor, and decline in common courtesy. But I backtracked, realizing how most people are just trying to earn a dollar’s work for a dollar’s pay, look after their families and enjoy what they can out of life. I also revisited some obvious but often ignored conclusions: just because the Internet says something is true, doesn’t mean it’s true; facts can easily be manipulated; nuance and context matter; and none of us are right 100 percent of the time. Additionally, sometimes we can watch a movie, hear a song, go shopping, head to work, attend an event or take a stroll through the park without having to address an agenda or social issue . . . and instead just enjoy the moment.
Therefore as we enter 2018 I want to celebrate the good in life. Following the lead of Louis Armstrong, who 50 years ago asked people to see a wonderful world despite turbulent times, I will pause to appreciate the positive things in this world . . . things we can see when we look away from our screens and take in what’s around us:
1) I see heroes rising to the occasion in situations of great stress.
2) I see people acting like heroes on a daily basis in ways we often fail to acknowledge.
3) I see rolling hills, snow-capped mountains, gentle seas, turbulent oceans, open plains, clear skies, flowing rivers and majestic forests . . . reminding us how well nature will bounce back after we’re gone.
4) I see The Simpsons still going strong after all these years.
5) I see a day at the ballpark and an evening at the movies.
6) I see simple gestures changing the course of a day.
7) I see people offering to hold the door when I am wheeling my Dad into a building.
8) I see wide-eyed kids learning to debate issues, present evidence, listen to counterpoints and even play devil’s advocate.
9) I see someone handing a person the glove he/she dropped.
10)I see people raising a glass, breaking bread together, buying their rounds and remembering to tip the bartender.
11)I see people smiling at the laughter of a child.
12)I see teens in the park retrieving the ball the got away from us.
13)I see two sides to most stories.
14)I see a pat on the back improving someone’s mood.
15)I see how a good song can lift your spirits.
16)I see the power of a simple, “Oh, sorry.”
17)I see many people celebrating differences, rather than using them as a wedge.
18)I see the cashier worn out from a long day smiling when you crack an innocent one-liner.
19)I see summer sunsets strolling with a chocolate cone in hand; winter evenings curled up in a blanket with a cup of warm cocoa; spring afternoons watching the flowers bloom; and chilly fall days with colorful leaves painting the landscape.
20)I see people comforting crying babies.
21)I see a baby’s warm snuggle comforting a troubled adult.
22)I see someone giving up a seat for an elder or young child.
23)I see people turning to others for help.
24)I see a long drive on a clear day.
25)I see the contagiousness of laughter.
26)I see people getting together to watch the game.
27)I see kids trick-or-treating on Halloween.
28)I see a puppy wagging its tail.
29)I see quaint houses, welcoming shops, imposing skyscrapers, sprawling complexes, giant mansions, humble abodes, landscaped parks, combed beaches, wide boardwalks, mapped trails, well-kept streets, lively storefronts, and busy sidewalks.
30)I see cars commanding the streets, ships sweeping the oceans, and planes soaring in the skies . . . all hopefully less intrusive on the environment one day.
31)I see someone helping another carry a stroller up the subway stairs.
32)I see a guy with his daughter and a full carriage of groceries letting me go first on line since I only have a single item.
33)I see a sense of sanity returning in 2018.
34)Lastly, I see my son growing up into a wonderful little boy.
Monthly Predictions for 2018
· January: Thousands protest the existence of cold weather, demand action
· February: Russia somehow wins more gold than anyone else at the Olympics
· March: Trump tweets something ludicrous and the news talks about him 24 hours a day
· April: Kim Jong Un threatens to kill us all
· May: Congress announces a rewrite of the Capital Building tourist brochure, celebrates a legislative win
· June: In remembrance, Trump tweets about his heroism on D-Day as he single-handedly won Omaha Beach
· July: During an interview Hillary laments how Lee Harvey Oswald cost her the election
· August: Pot smokers sue marijuana producers over their addiction to pot
· September: A glitch caused by a drone disables 4G for 10 minutes; worldwide panic ensues
· October: Halloween deemed offensive; now called “Giving Day”
· November: New app delivers holiday ads directly to your brain, even while you sleep
· December: Democracy finally collapses on itself and we discard the nonsense currently occupying our minds in our fight for mere survival
Happy New Year everyone!!!
Memoirs and Reflections from a Quite (un)Remarkable Life 