Archive: Opinions

After years of struggling I have finally created a simple plan to fulfill all my New year's resolutions this year.  I am confident in this plan -- it is really foolproof.  Every year we all think of things we would like to do, or things we'd like to do better.  Lose weight.  Be kinder.  Make more money.  Keep the kitchen a little cleaner.  Give more back to the community.  Win the lottery.

Predictably, a topic of conversation throughout the year is how we've failed to meet our New Year's goals.  Which leads me to believe in a practical world that the actual hidden purpose of making resolutions at the start of each year is to guarantee a topic of conversation when small talk is required.

Not that this year will require superfluous topics of conversation.  After the inauguration we can expect a period of frightening unpredictability that is new. 

Many times we have a shift in power among the major political parties.  History more or less repeats itself with minor changes this way or that.  But nobody is really worried, because we know that in four or eight years it will shift back.

Today we are faced with a new president who isn't actually of either party.  Himself an unpredictable figure, he has managed to upset everyone, and he hasn't even begun shaking things up yet.  During the majority of my life when I have thought about such things I have wanted a shakeup in Washington, and just about everyone I know on either side of the political spectrum has said the same thing.  Business as usual.  Partisan politics.  Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Now it looks like we have it.  If we all wanted the Washington swamp to be drained, we should all be happy.  Instead we are all freaking out.  I can't remember this level of freaking out after a presidential election in the 12 presidents who have reigned so far during my lifetime.

A friend has lamented on Facebook (who is an actual friend as well) that she has lost cherished friends because of the viciousness of their posts as they tried nastily to sway her to their political views.  I have friends on both sides who think it is OK to proselytize fervently on politics and religion online, and that seems to be emboldening some to do so in person.  That is fairly new -- I seem to be a chameleon in this sense, so my friends have always done their proselytizing under the assumption that I obviously agree with them.

This has caused me some discomfort from time to time, but mostly I smile and nod and get through it until we get past politics and onto an actually important topic like the latest CPU capabilities, music, evil autocorrect, NASA, the latest Big Bang Theory episode, and pizza.  See?  There is plenty to talk about, so we don't need failed resolutions this year at all.

So, while I do hope to get my political rants under control, be kinder, keep my weight down, and all that, I have decided to follow my new foolproof system for 100% resolution fulfillment.  I didn't make any resolutions this New Year.  I do have a vague hope it will be a good year for everyone, and that I can be part of making it good.  But, nope, no resolutions.  As much as I hate to let it go, that includes that lottery resolution.

That guarantees 100% success.

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