An Inauspicious Start

Disarray, chaos, puppy poop, a wandering dog. Is this any way to start 2008? Let me begin by wishing you a fantastic new year, fulfillment of all of your dreams and aspirations (the doable ones, anyway--if you can't sing, winning American Idol is out of the question), peace, prosperity, good health. Peace on earth, good will to men. May old friends, particularly me, be not forgotten. Yada yada.



I've cleaned the poop which, to be sure, is only the first of the day. The dogs are banished to the backyard. Fixed a hearty breakfast--sausage, potatoes and onions, rolls, and coffee. Feeling very full and very sleepy--a feeling that I fully intend to act upon.

Had the opportunity to catch a little of Dick Clark's annual new year's countdown. What a tremendous recovery he made from the stroke he suffered. Can you imagine the hours of speech and physical therapy he endured? But, Dick, it is time to pass the torch. Watching him was pure torture for me. Perhaps because he will always be the youthful Dick Clark from American Bandstand.

Also undergoing an overdose of news pundits opining on the Iowa race. Who proclaimed these people as experts? What course did they take that I overlooked? First, the campaign is toooooo long. Too much money being spent. Send some of it to Feed the Children. Send some of it to help rebuild the ravaged Gulf Coast, still struggling after 2 years. Send some of it to the Restore Serendipity Fund. Expand the term of the presidency to 6 years so that they won't spend the first two years in on the job training and the last two running for reelection. And make it one term, only. Eight years of incompetency is eight years too many.

Now that I've ranted, what resolutions did you make? I've already disregarded one. Are you doing any better?