2012 in About a Week...

Since I have been off work for a while and had plenty to do, but also time to reflect over the year's personal events; it has been some year.  There were many things I wanted to do that I didn't get to.  There were also things that I didn't want to do that I had to.  I watched a number of people get RIF'd (laid off). Some were friends and some were not.  A few of them had more time racked up that I do, but they went anyway.  I kept remembering what a wise man once said to be flexible, resourceful and not to wait for work, but to seek it and not make it a secret.  I tried my best to keep busy doing whatever was needed.  I wanted to travel more, but didn't.  I resisted the temptation to buy the latest technologies, which allowed me to watch them get replaced a month or even a week later.  We all kept up our health and lost unneeded weight, but I was supposed to get a physical examination and I let a whole year skip by without scheduling one.  I managed to find many excuses, some were good, but most were just excuses.  I volunteered a bit more than usual, but not enough.  I have to give back more and appreciated how lucky my family is.  I wanted to be more patient and more tolerant and I believe that I achieved that.  Unfortunately, I am still opinionated- maybe too opinionated.  This year brought so many topics to be opinionated about- especially politics and privacy. Those are two of my hot buttons.  I have resolved to drink less alcohol, but that was easy as I have weaned myself to the point where I really don't desire it.  I gave up soda and replaced it with iced tea.  This was a good thing; not because of the sugar (I always drank the diet), but I didn't need the citric acid or all the other undesirable contents.  I broke the habit of ice cream every night while I watched TV.  In fact, I may not have ice cream once a week now.  I miss it, but I don't miss the extra pounds and cholesterol.  It got replaced with nonfat yogurt and oat bran.  That doesn't sound very good, but it is better than the alternatives.  I stopped having cereal and milk in the morning.  In fact, I may have some cereal, dry, as a snack, but don't really drink the milk anymore.  There was probably a lot of sugars that I didn't need there as well.  I wanted to go fishing but another year went by when I didn't make time. Under the category of "Believe it or not": my mother made the best fruitcake [if anyone cares].  I was brought up having it each Christmas season.  I have seen many for sale, but nothing that looks good enough to buy.  I guess I wanted to make a "good" fruitcake for my family to dispel the myth that they are all bad and why would anyone eat one....so far I haven't.

I had been teaching my three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings, at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer.
Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer:
"Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us from e-mail. Amen."

Will I Live to see 80?
Here's something to think about.

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age. (I just turned sixty-two).

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer, wine or hard liquor?

'Oh no,' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued Ribs?

'I said, 'Not much... my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lots of sex?'

'No,' I said...

He looked at me and said,.. 'Then, why do you even give a shit?

Seasons Greetings

Being from Canada (the land of political correctness). Where we no longer have Christmas trees, but instead we have holiday trees. (honestly no bullsh**)
So I met with my lawyer yesterday, and on advice I wish to say the following:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012, but not without due respect for the calendar of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/ him or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. The wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher .
Best Regards (without prejudice)
Name withheld (Privacy Act).
 

OH PISS ON IT!!!!!!! I want to wish everybody the best that the season has to offer. I hope that you enjoy the Love of Friends and Family. I hope that the special present you wanted is under your Beautiful Christmas Tree, when you wake up in the morning. I hope that you enjoy the day in whichever manner your faith wants you to enjoy it. I also hope that you have a prosperous 2012.
Merry Christmas and Best of Wishes.