Used New Year

"Nothing changes on New Year's Day."--U2

It is 2011.  The New Year is scarcely 90 minutes old. 

Perhaps I judge it too harshly and too soon.  Perhaps I do not give it time enough to "breathe" as we say in wine tastings. No matter.  I cannot hedge my suspicions.

We have a used New Year.

I hope we got  good deal for it, for it is no different than any of the others.  The way that we bargain for at antique sales, flea markets, or used book stores.  I hope that's how we came into 2011.  During this oh-so-hallowed time, we wonder.  We ruminate.  We grasp at straws, trying to divine hope from within it all.  Binging on hope, tricking ourselves into believing that this year will be somehow magically different from all of the rest.  Or we use New Year's Eve as an excuse to get drunk and embrace our journey into moronhood.  Great.  Have a mojito for me.

I cannot help but foresee that our "new year" will be no different from all of the rest.  Republicans will continue to "investigate" the "wrongdoings" of the Obama administration while our economy continues to falter and the gulf between the rich and the working poor continues to grow.  But then that's our fault, isn't it, Republicans?  If we just worked hard enough, there would be no poor.  We and our spouses would all have jobs.  Yeah.  Right.

On the flipside, the Democrats of Congress will continue to be a divisive bunch of wealthycats, unable to determine just who they are or what they stand for.  There you go.  I'm an equal opportunity political hater.

I predict that we will continue to struggle in 2011 with the impending environmental disasters that await us.  Amazingly enough, that is no different than 2007, 2008, 2009, and so on and so forth.  Is there any hope for the developing world in 2011?  Such as for anyone living on the continent of Africa?  For those who don't know where their next meal is coming from and have no roof over their head?  Is there any hope for my friend Howard, living on the streets of Chicago?  Oh Lord, I am sorry.  We have an extra room.  I should have asked him to come live with us.  If you don't know who I am talking about, go to http://jonnicholsbooks.blogspot.com and do a search for "Howard."  That's the easiest that I can make it.  And if you think that there is anything wrong with caring for your fellow human being, if you woefully believe that there is something amiss for one who CHOOSES to pick up a book and grant themselves knowledge, and if you take solace only by reveling in a mundane day job and then crawling into a bottle on weekends, not attempting to envision the world as it could be...then you have my pity. 

I place all my hope in tomorrow.  I pray it is not too late. 

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