The New Year

So far this new year, stagnant things have been moving at breakneck speed. Yes, that's about the best I can do to describe the current motifs running through my life. I wish I could say more - or had more to say. This will have to suffice.

In the meanwhile, I suddenly am finding the Republican primary race interesting. The debate yesterday morning on "Meet the Press" was really good. For one of the first times, I saw why Texans like their governor. I was disappointed when I didn't wake up this morning until most of "Morning Joe" was over, and ended up missing much of the commentary. (That still means before 6 a.m., you Easterners.) (And yes, I'm watching "Morning Joe" again.)

I also feel slightly optimistic - just oh, slightly so - because the unemployment rate keeps lowering. I worry about people, hoping they are making ends meet. This employment news makes me feel slightly better on their behalf. I do understand some of what they are going through. (One gift of having had financial struggles during this lifetime - I can have a real sense of what it means to worry about whether to spend that five dollars on a non-essential item.) But what must it mean, to wonder if your children will be fed today? Or housed in a warm place?

Oh, and I watched football this weekend - well, not so much on Saturday, but on Sunday, I watched. What a game that was, between Denver and Pittsburgh.

But mostly I'm hanging in there, watching and waiting for 2012 to unfold. I think it will be a very good year.

And on that note - having written the above, I keep hearing this song in my head - Sinatra's voice. The only live performance I can find of it on youtube is this one - it's long - but then I watched it - magical - to watch the evolution, the work in progress - what a song - and this will be the theme for me for 2012.