Month: December 2009

Thinking about endings.

Yes, yes, I know — there is no “year zero”, so 2010 is technically the end of the decade, not 2009. Same argument that got trotted out in 1999. To which I say bullshit, for three reasons:

1) The whole Western dating system is arbitrary as fuck anyway. (I’m looking at you, Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar…)

2) No, there was no “year zero”, but last I checked, we lived through 365 days in 2000, which makes 2009 the tenth year of the decade.

3) There’s no way you’re going to convince me that 1980 was part of the 70s.

Anyway — I have to say that I’m extremely happy to see the ass-end of the “Aughts” or whatever-the-hell-we’ll-end-up-calling-them. It was, all told, a fucking gallstone of a decade.

With some very notable personal exceptions (marriage to , getting my business off the ground, The Minion’s successful launch into college), it’s been ten years of some pretty bad shit — kicking off with a nasty custody fight, then Bush’s election, 9/11, the all-too-rapid dismantling of my country into something nearly unrecognizable, moving away from NYC, the loss of my Grandmother, financial struggles, Cancer, a growing sense of personal and professional stagnation, the economy kneecapping family and friends, and finally the death of one of my closest friends.

Not exactly the best decade ever. Of the four I’ve had, it’s easily been the worst. I’m very much hoping for better.

I feel like we’ve arrived at a turning point — with the potential for either outcome, really. 2010-2019 could turn out to be the decade when the course was reversed and the promise of the 21st century began to be realized, or it could mark our descent into economic and political meltdown, rife with fanaticism and conflict — the 1930s redux. Personally, despite my nature, I’m hopeful. I feel like things will get better — we just need to shake off the dust of this first decade, and move ahead.

I leave you with the following musical tidbits to mark the day:

The first, I’m happy to report, represents one of my Holy Grails, finally found — a track which some of you may recall I’ve been looking for, for AGES. I suspected that I’d finally find it as the year approached, and I was right. Here is the radio single from the soundtrack to the 1984 film, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, one of the only solo works by the Police guitarist to get radio play: Andy Summers – “2010.”

…and, a track which I still think represents U2 at their very best: U2 – “New Year’s Day.”

Thanks for reading, folks, and have a great 2010.

This is a brilliant idea, so I’m passing it along: A movement underway trying to convince Americans to hold accountable the mega-banks that got us into this economic mess, and yet are supposedly “too big to fail” (which conveniently lets them off the hook for playing roulette with the world economy), by moving our money from accounts in those banks, to small, locally-owned banks that had no part in the meltdown (or the ridiculous bailout payments).

Watch the video:

…and then visit MoveYourMoney.info to find high-rated locally-owned banks near you.

Um, yeah.

Lawrence got “between 4 and 10 inches” — nobody’s quite sure, because 40 mph winds blew everything around, leading to areas like on our lawn where you can see patches of grass sticking up through the snow, sitting next to 4-foot-high snow drifts.

It’s still snowing, and blowing. Expecting another 2 inches tonight, maybe another inch tomorrow before we’re done.

Everybody here is snug and safe — we’re going to eat our WHO FEAST within an hour or so — waiting for side dishes to finish — Turkey(s) (not Roast Beast) are done. (We have 2 12-pounders, since the store was out of larger birds, and we have 5 hungry people here, a couple of which are teenagers.) Probably watch Doctor Who – The End of Time, Pt. 1 later this evening (Yes, I already have it — this is me we’re talking about).

Laura’s family postponed Christmas gathering due to the roads — although I’m not sure we’re going to be able to dig out and go tomorrow, either (no plowing yet around us — although Ian did a stalwart job of semi-clearing the driveway).

Anyway — Loot summary over the next couple of days . I’ve got feasting to do. (Both turkey this evening, and footy tomorrow, during the Boxing Day matches!)

Gawrblezzus, evrywun.