Sunday, January 01, 2006

(Happy) New Year

Well, here it is. Another year. I have a confession to make. I don't see New Years Day as anything to celebrate. It's just another day to me. I go to bed and when I wake up the next morning, nothing looks any different. Everything is the same as it was the day before. The only difference: I am one day older.

So last night, I was laying in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness, waking long enough to turn the TV back to The Sci-Fi channel's "Twilight Zone" marathon. My son kept taking advantage of the fact that I was drifting off by turning the station back to VH-1 or something every time I did. (We have a rule in our house, that whoever is on the computer gives up rights to the TV remote control)

I was just dozing off again when there came a most God awful racket from outside, and I could just see, through the diaphanous curtains, flashes of multi-colored lights in the sky.


Midnight in Clear Spring.

I suppose I should consider this day as representative of a new beginning and a fresh outlook on life.

But it's Winter. I hate Winter. It's cold and bleak and depressing. It brings snow and ice and I hate driving in snow and ice. But I have to. It is my job. Actually, driving in snow and ice isn't too bad in itself. It's the idiot other drivers who don't know how to drive in snow and ice, but insist in doing so, that aggravate me.

Anyway, I think they should move New Years Day celebration to the first day of Spring. Spring represents to me a new beginning much better than the beginning of another calendar year. Spring is the time of year that brings new growth. Growth of flowers, grass, leaves.

And hope.

Hope for a brighter, better future. Hope that bad times are over. Hope that bad situations will turn themselves around. Hope that the unfortunate becomes fortunate. Hope that maybe this year, my finances get straight and I can finally get caught up. Hope that maybe this year, this cycle of bad luck I have been experiencing for 53 years will miraculously turn into good luck.

Maybe this is a good time to explain. I am exactly like my father. He articulated this phenomena better than I could. He always said:

"If it was raining soup, and I was starving, I'd be outside with a fork".

Conversely, my brother, who is closest to me in chronological age, has an overabundance of luck. This is what I say about him:

"He could fall through the hole in a privy and come out smelling like a rose."

He once told me (true story) he has never met anyone who has as much bad luck as I do. And I have never met anyone who has as much good luck as he does.

Isn't there some Chinese proverb or religious philosophy that describes this? Ying and Yang or something?

Anyhow, now that I've thoroughly depressed myself, have a Happy New Year.

9 comments:

Francis Lynn said...

I've been told that luck is a reward for the skillful. I guess you're not..skillful. lol. And you're right about winter - it's an evil, hideous joke nature plays on us sun people. Feliz New Year.

tugboatcapn said...

You're a regular little ray of sunshine today, aren'tchya?? :)

Well, Mark, they tell me that misfortune builds character, and you certainly are one...

Have a Happy New Year, whether you want one or not!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark,
I feel the same way about New Year's as well... we just went to bed last night and didn't bother with the television... it only makes you realize what you don't have... and if you don't realize it, life is much better...

We realized this morining the only thing New Year's is good for is getting drunk, making out, eating way to much, blowing up fireworks, and acting like a general fool. And Polly replied..."Sounds like a good holiday to me!"

Maybe staying home, eating pizza, watching Home Improvement DVD's and drinking...hot tea and going to bed early is a good way to ring in the New Year. For the next morning there is no hangover!

That way, the only ringing in my ears is from a mispent youth at loud concernts and not the stupdity of drunkenness...
Blessings

Anonymous said...

High-five to Tug! LOL

What I tell DH, a warm-weather person if ever there was one, that I get to have my half of the year. He's just lucky that in southern California he gets more of his favorite type of weather than I do.

A friend of mine used to say, "If it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all."

Oh well, Mark. You can only go up from here! :) :) :)

Goat said...

Faith and family Mark, you have both. Life ain't easy , it was not meant to be from the challenge of Eden to today. It is up to us as individuals to stand up and be counted.
Tim and I agree here, it is another day with an excuse for licentiousness, it ir our choice to join in or abstain . I went to bed before the ball dropped on NY.
I am however exilirated by american conservatism and its recent growth. This is no time to waiver or wax despondent, it is time to mount up for the coming battles and their are many on the horizon. As Doug Giles puts it, we can choose to be a bulldog warrior for Christ or a lapdog poodle of modern moral equivalency. Take heart my friend you are far from alone, we are here as well!

tugboatcapn said...

Hear, Hear!!

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Happy New Year's Day, Mark! Whether you're ready for it or not!

Marie's Two Cents said...

Well Mark I know all about bad luck also my friend. The last New Year I ever spent in California I went to sleep just before midnite. Fortunately for me I was not in a deep sleep, I awoke to the sound of bullets whizzing by, it was a warm New years eve and had the windows open. My children were very little. I went ouside (Some may say I was stupid at this point in time) But I am glad I did. There was a girl down the street and all I saw were boys and she was yelling help. I called the police and they put a stop to it whatever it was. I figured she was getting raped but I still have no clue what was going on down there I just know it didnt sound good.
Then something flaming hit the side of my house and caught it on fire, had to hurry and put that one out myself. Well needless to say that was the last New Year I ever fell asleep again before midnite whether I wanted to or not. And is now one of the many reasons I am in Oklahoma. But I make it a point these days to stay awake and watch someones New Year celebration. I think back on that nite and wonder what if. Now I appreciate every single New Year.

Pamela Reece said...

Happy New Year, Mark. May 2006 bring you nothing but fulfilled dreams!