New Year's Eve

Dear George,

It’s probably been 30 years since we’ve gone to a New Years Eve Party. Maybe 40. This might mean (a) we need more friends, (b) our friends aren’t the sort celebrate the new year with a party, or (c) both of these. In any case, I’m happy to not be going to a New Year’s party. There’s too much emphasis on doing crazy things and having an unattainably good time. I suggested to Katja that we celebrate with Ryan Seacrest, even though he’s my least favorite celebrity. It looks like we will join Ryan.

New Year’s resolutions are a lot easier this year since we’ve been deprived of so many things in the past nine months. First of all, I plan to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Then I will start going back to the gym and doing line dancing and zumba. I’ll re-enroll in OLLI courses at the university, and I’ll rejoin my “Underground Writers” group. And I can’t wait to travel to visit family members. Unlike most New Years resolutions, these are very pleasant and will be easy to follow.

We are thrilled that the inauguration will be held in less than three weeks. In some ways, the Trump era has been the most disturbing and depressing period in our lives. There’s not going to be a magical transformation however. Trump’s not going to disappear, the country remains deeply polarized, and Washington is likely to remain dysfunctional. However, anything will be better.

Most commentators suggest that 2020 was the worst year in memory, and I won’t disagree. However, there are always good things. One consequence of the pandemic is that Katja and I spent more time at home together, and that was enjoyable — a reminder of why we got married in the first place. Because of Covid, we had the longest Cincinnati visit of all times with J and our grandkids, and that was a treat. As they departed for New Orleans, they left their miniature schnauzer, Iko, in our care, and Iko has become my close friend, making sheltering in place much more tolerable. Although my poetry classes at OLLI were cancelled in March, I’ve spent more time at home trying to hone my poetic skills. Though I haven’t made any visible progress, I remain hopeful.

So that’s it for 2020. When you’re our age, every year is a blessing, and it doesn’t matter if one feels bored or short-changed. 2020 was catastrophic for many millions of families, and Katja and I are appreciative of our relative good fortune. Happy New Year to all!

Love, Dave