Happy New Year

I am entering the new year with a lot of optimism about my life and those close to me. I wouldn't exactly say that I have made up New Year's resolutions for myself; they are more like long-term goals for self-improvement, as well as for attaining certain milestones over the course of the year. So the concept of "breaking resolutions" early in January doesn't apply to me.

"A man's got to know his own limitations" was the mantra of Clint Eastwood's tough-cop character Harry Callahan in the movie Magnum Force. And when setting goals for myself, I need to be realistic regarding my own limitations. After all, I wasn't born yesterday and am passing through my mid-fifties. I have all kinds of constraints on my life, and many of them deal with my valuable role in society and family as a responsible, mature, and caring adult. It is within these recognized boundaries that I want to make improvements.

I also see good things happening around me in the world. The economy seems to be picking up and there is a hope (albeit slight) that the government will resume functioning as a collaborative effort among its members for the public good. But maybe I'm just fantasizing here. I am one of those poor fools who actually believes that politicians should compromise and be pragmatic. Oh well, maybe on SOME issues that will happen. After all, a man's got to know his [politicians'] limitations!