2014 And 2015

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Last year, at this time, I made a series of New Year’s Resolutions.

1. Keep up my personal log/diary as well as writing my blogs - I had ignored my personal log/diary since 06/25/11|
2. Be less anal to the extent I can wear sweats in public, store DVDs out of chronological order, etc…|
3. Call friends more|
4. Treat people better|

The first one is a habit I’ve been pretty diligent about.  I sometimes amuse myself by picturing people pouring over my journal, after my death, and thinking, “That’s what he thought?  Man…”

Number two is one I apparently nailed better than I’d thought I had.  While I’m still particular about the filing system for my movie collection, I’ve become known for appearing publicly in sweat pants, something which was UNTHINKABLE pre-2014.  I can be certain of my success in this endeavor since more than one person felt I needed new sweat pants for Christmas.

The third & forth goals are ones I still have to work on.  I have the bad habit of focusing on projects and forgetting about the outside world.  Thus, I’ve lost track of a number of people I shouldn’t have.

2014, like most years, has been a mixed bag of ups & downs. 

Best Part of 2014:

Even with the myriad of publicized glitches, “Obama Care” has helped 10,000,000 people get access to health care.  I personally know one lady who’s finally receiving help for her chronic back pain, after years of suffering with no way to get relief.  If only 10% of the newly insured have similar stories, that’s 1,000,000 people who are suffering less, today, than they were suffering one year ago.

Worst Part of 2014:

Thanks to a few careless officers, and some even more careless rulings, many hard core liberals have vilified the police.  This, to me, is sickening.  99.99% of police are men & women who put themselves out there in order to help others and do the right thing.  Yet, many of us have allowed a few bad apples to spoil the reputation of the collective whole.

2015:

Taking both the good and the bad into consideration, I have high hopes for 2015.  At our best, our society, or the majority of it, has made helping the medically needy a priority.  At our worst, even though we’ve demonized a few too many public servants, it’s, at least, been made clear that citizens can’t be victimized, by abusers of authority, without the public taking notice.

Next year, our society has some work to do.  Not only do we need to protect the progress we’ve made in assisting the neediest among us, but we need to learn how to curb our reaction to travesties by making sure we only blame those who are directly responsible for such crimes.  Of course, once such offenders are identified, we need a system which will hold them accountable.

On a personal note, I have my work cut out for me too.  Like last year, I resolve to keep in better touch with people and to treat people better.  Additionally, I need to research the possibility of self-publishing my novel, write SOMETHING everyday, and find a way to cope better with my physical pain.

No one knows exactly what 2015 will bring.  However, with a bit of concentration, hard work, and luck, there’s every reason to believe it will be a good year.
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