2017: Sometimes Bad, Usually Good

Dear George, 

When I was 21, I didn’t spend nearly as much time on New Years Day thinking about what had happened in the previous twelve months.  Probably I started doing this around age 60 or so (when it dawned on me that I had fewer years left than I used to).  My first thought this morning was that 2017 was the worst year politically that we’ve ever experienced.  On reflection, though, there are a lot of other contenders, e.g., 1963 (JFK’s assassination), 1968 (RFK, MLK Jr., nationwide riots, Vietnam outrage and despair), 1973 (Watergate), 2001 (World Trade Center).   Fortunately 2017 has been much more pleasant for me on a personal level.  I’ve settled fully into retirement and am appreciative of a relatively stress-free and at least mildly enjoyable existence.  Here’s my summary list for 2017.

Love,

Dave

Worst day of the year: January 20 (guess why) 

My most reliable source of cheer: baby hippo Fiona at the Cincinnati Zoo 

Big birthday: No. 80 

Best one-day outing: the Ohio State Fair 

Best junk food: gigantic Bloomin’ Onion (at the Ohio State Fair) 

Favorite movie: Lost in Paris (Paris Pieds Nus) with Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel

Best new activity with Katja: Israeli folk dancing 

Sweet out of town visitors: J, V, and L drive up from NOLA in June 

High Culture: Linton Chamber Music, Cincinnati Opera 

Favorite hiking place: Miami Whitewater Forest 

Favorite TV show: Ray Donovan

Tastiest dessert: Putz’s Creamy Whip chocolate sundae with peanuts

Most aerobic exercise: Zumba  

Sport thrills: Roger Federer wins two grand slams

Sad restaurant loss: Clifton Subway (where we regularly shared a footlong each week)

Most esoteric expedition: Victory of Light psychic fair 

Best local thrift shop: Valley Thrift Store

Irritating condition: sluggish hearing  

Funniest book: Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen 

Overhyped natural phenomenon: the wimpy eclipse in Cincinnati 

Favorite Lean Cuisine: Swedish Meatballs 

Grandchildren accomplishments: V and L’s success in changing schools

Big loss: our friend Donna moved to Nashville in December (happy for Donna, sad for us)  

Made me nervous: J signing Katja up for Amazon Prime 

Museum show: Iris Van Herpen fashion exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Best trip: Caribbean cruise with V, L, K, and J 

Guilty pleasure: Spider solitaire 

Favorite Cincinnati Restaurant: Jean-Robert’s Table 

Favorite OLLI class: Poetry Writing Workshop

Temporary disability: strained Achilles tendon (two months recovery time — yuck) 

Something I like, Katja hates: Lawrence Welk show on PBS 

Best flea market: Flea ’n Tique (Dayton fairgrounds) 

Worst newspaper: the Cincinnati Enquirer

Neighborhood excitement: Clifton Market opened in January (after 5 years with no local supermarket) 

My biggest Amazon purchase: a home haircutting kit 

Happy Christmas celebrations: with the Minkarah family

New Years Eve dinner at Postmark: at the waiter’s suggestion we added a few truffles to our entrees (I hadn’t heard him correctly — they cost $36).  Such a start to the New Year.  

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS 

Sit less; get back to 10,000 steps a day

Take more camping trips 

Read one book a month

Clean up my junk room   

Cut down on Ambien 

Be less grumpy and picky around the house

Be less obsessed with Trump horror stories in the newspaper 

Plan a big trip 

Talk more by phone with loved ones 

Drink more water (I could actually accomplish this)

Lose ten pounds (fat chance) 

Get my blood sugar down (lots of luck)