Goodbye 2007, Hello Uncertainty

Well here we are, the last day of 2007. I suppose I should write something profound, but I never feel all that profound this time of year. While others are busy making resolutions, I find that I have never been the resolution type of guy. Actually, I don’t think that that is 100% true, I think it’s more that I don’t like NEW YEARS resolutions. Why? Frankly, when you decided it’s time to do something – whether it’s lose weight, save money, quit smoking, or whatever, just do it. Why wait until an arbitrary date. Frankly if I decide on December 4th that you’re going to quit smoking on January 1st, that means you’ll probably smoke more for the rest of December, making it that much harder to quit on the first.

I can’t say I’m not sad to see 2007 go. It wasn’t the best year on a lot of levels, and I have a lot of hope for 2008. 2007 started off with the deaths of my Aunt and Cousin in January, and while there have been no more deaths this year, there have still been challenges. Outside of the loss of loved ones, I think the biggest disappointment for me is the fact that as I write this year-end remembrance, I am writing from California rather than Iowa. Cindy and I put our house on the Market in March and we were hoping to be in Des Moines by the time Madison started school in the fall, but you all know what the housing market is like right now, and it looks like it may be another couple of years before we get back to the Midwest. For twenty-plus years I’ve been pressuring Cindy to move the family back to Iowa, and now that she is as excited as I am about that idea, the bottom falls out of the housing market.

Not that everything went wrong in 2007. Blake graduated from high school and is now in his first year of college, and he was recently promoted to a management position at his job. Madison started Middle School this year, and she is doing very well in school. Cindy started a new job at a high-end quilting shop and she is really enjoying that. Cindy owned and operated a fabric store for more than 15 years, and now she is getting to do all that she loves without the burden of being the boss. As for myself, I would say the highlight of the last year was first reconnecting with a couple of old high school and college friends that I haven’t seen in over 20 years, and secondly starting this blog. Which of course means that I am truly grateful for you, dear reader. Oh, I’d still probably write the damn thing even without any readers, but it’s nice to have a few of you out there – and hopefully a few more in 2008.

Speaking of 2008, I am looking forward to what the next year will bring. As something of a political junkie, I am thrilled that the caucus/primary season is mere days away, and I look forward to our electing a new president in 2008. Frequent readers to this site know that I am fighting hard to keep that from being a Clinton presidency, but it looks like it’s going to be a tight race, a tighter race than we have seen in many, many years.

I guess I do have a New Years resolution after all. Actually, I guess this would be a 2009 resolution, but I’ll throw it out there now: In the event that either Hillary or John Edwards (I fear them both) is elected president, I pledge to respect that fact that this man or woman A) is president, and B) is MY president. That means while I may be critical of some of their actions, I will do my best to not show petty personal criticisms, and even though these individuals represent very little that I stand for, I will give them my prayers and hope that their presidency is a successful one.

Look, I’m no fan of George Bush, and as a conservative I have been very disappointed in his presidency. However, I have been more disappointed in my fellow Americans who have ripped this man at every opportunity, and totally fail to see anything successful coming out of his eight years. Sure, those successes didn’t come as fast or often that we would have liked, but if you listen to a “typical” voice from the left, Bush has an I.Q. below 50, and his administration has done nothing of any positive value. Nearly every liberal I know takes every opportunity to call Bush every name in the book, while at the same time accusing him of every crime imaginable, but of course with zero solid evidence.

Look, one of the things I am looking for most in the coming year is the end of the Bush era – and hopefully the end of the “Bush-Clinton” Era, an era that began before my college student son was even born. But if that era does not end, I will not follow the path that so many on the left have gone down (and yes, a lot of people on the right went down that path during Bill Clinton’s years in office). I respect the office of the President of the United States of America, and the occupant of that office deserves my respect. Not necessarily will I agree with their beliefs, but I will not humiliate myself with grade-school name calling. Over the last several years the rhetoric from the left has gone from being annoying, to boring, to laughable. Many on this side – including many formerly distinguished lawmakers – have gone from critical opponents to cartoon figures, using words like “Neo-con” to such a degree that they have totally taken away any meaning that word had by applying it to anyone with a viewpoint different from their own.

In 2008, and more importantly in 2009 and beyond, I resolve to not be that person.

Happy New Years Everyone!!!