Happy New Year!

to one and all. May your weather be mild, your tires nail-free, your lenses unfogged and your students above average.

2008. I know it's been said before and better, but weren't we supposed to have flying cars by now? Or at least moon colonies, right?

We do have dark chocolate M&Ms though. That's a wonderment that Asimov or Verne couldn't have possibly predicted. Maybe Da Vinci though. He was pretty sharp, I hear.

No real profound thoughts here, but there are some earthly concerns rattling around in my head, so here goes.

A bit of cleaning for the new year is good, yeah? So I did some vacuuming. Needed to change the bag though. I took out the trash and headed out to get a new bag. It seems that the bag I need (the oh-so-coolly titled 'Z-type') doesn't exist locally. Three stores, no Z-bags. Now I've got a vacuum cleaner with no bags, 'cause, natch, I threw out the old bag. (too many commas? tough) Also, I should mention that the vacuum cleaner was rescued from the trash room. Is that tacky or clever? It's a really nice one except for the fact that it uses vaporware bags. So far, I've picked up a nice vacuum cleaner, a dresser (not so nice), a couch and a coffee table all from roommates. If I cared to, I could get more. Up the street, there's another couch that just got put out since I got home, a mattress set and a TV. Reaping the fruits of a disposable culture, eh?

I did find the bags on Amazon. I'm not sure how I feel about being a guy who buys vacuum bags from Amazon on New Year's Day. Best not to think about it too much.

All that vacuum stuff seemed a lot funnier in my head when I thought about it while doing my morning run looking at the stuff on the side of the road. There was a dead squirrel, too. I don't think I'm making things better here.

Everyone is wondering what to do about the 365 blogs now that the 365 have technically passed. I started on January 5 and made it to 338/365 (with a little bit of fudging at the end), but I'm pretty happy with that. I think I'm going to keep going with it. Not so much focused on the one-a-day thing, but more as a way to keep me focused on looking for photos. I'm not sure how it'll turn out, but we'll see.

Boar-ing

Just a quick note to wish one and all a happy year o' the pig. It's a golden pig, so it's supposed to be a great year for having babies, making money, just about anything. I know, I know, they say that for every year, but I'm sure this time they really mean it.

Just remember to change the year on your checks (does anyone use checks anymore?) - it's the year 4705, in case you hadn't been keeping track.

I've checked, and we oxen are supposed to have a great year - fortune, love and happiness and all that, and all I can say is that it's about time.

Check out your upcoming year here or here, I have no doubt that either site upholds the highest credibility that can be given to any astrology website.

It's also worthwhile to go and see a chubby new-year space baby handing flowers to the moon-rabbit with a panda in the background. He's here about halfway down the page.

Memo Re: Wishes, Good. (On the Occasion of New Year (2007))

I'm confident that I am not the first to do so, but let me offer you a sincere and hearty dollop of Good Wishes for our upcoming new year. I herein disclose my hopes (A note must be made that the entirety of my hopes for you in the coming year are boundless and cannot be contained in simple blog form, or for that matter, within the conception of the human brain, my own included. The following is simply a very brief outline of the highlights):

1. May you find the love of your life, whether embodied in:
   
1. a new person you do not currently know but within the next twelve months is fated to cross your path,
   
2. a boy/girl (and by that I mean a boy or girl of any age, not a "boy/girl" amalgamation. Unless you are into that kind of thing. Which is cool by me.) you've been darting furtive glances toward in the lunch hall or other suitable gathering arena (alternatively, giving eyes and then panicking in Dr. Scott's science exam is also acceptable),
   
3. someone who you already are and have been close to
1. If you are already convinced of your love for said person, I hope that you both mutually discover that previously you did not know love and only this year discover the true depths of your devotion and happiness together
   
2. If you've been hanging out with this person but have been on the fence as to the L-word (love, not lesbians. Unless you are into that kind of thing. Which is very cool by me.), I hope that you discover within your partner a heretofore unnoticed germ of love that blossoms much like the dandelion - uncontrollable and all over your yard. Also, like dandelions, I hope that your partner turns your chin yellow when rubbed up against it, and that you try this. Often.
   
4. Yourself. Included as a legal catch all for all you do not wish to find love in others in the coming year. Which is cool by me.
2. That your friends are friendly, in all that entails
1. If you have no friends, may you get one or some. In case you feel you don't want any, I'm sorry, I still hope you get some, because, come on.
   
3. That you find success and fulfillment in your profession/studies
1. May your theses/articles/dissertations/monographs/furious densely-printed diatribes to the editors at the New York Times/ultimatums flow bounteously from the fecund well of your mind to the page and/or word processing software of your choice, and be received with respect and success, and in the case of the ultimatums, trembling fear.
   
1. I also hope that you avoid the imagery of the 'fecund well,' because it sounds kind of gross
2. May you achieve beyond the expectations of your supervisors and yourself. Especially if your supervisors have the authority to grant juicy bonuses and/or promotions.
3. May you find the work that you do is not a 'drag.'
1. Unless your work involves cross-dressing. Which is cool by me. Hey, we've all been there.
2. If you are willing and happy to trade a 'drag' job for oodles of cash/access to the corridors of power/free meals/lobbying junkets, then I wish that you work as little as possible and order the tortellini. I hear it's delicious.
4. May you find personal growth and intellectual stimulation in your work.
5. May the people you work with/for not be assholes.
   
1. This goes double for the self-employed
6. If you currently have no job:
1. May you get a good one
7. If you don't want a job:
1. I append to my wish that you find the love of your life that said love of your life be disgustingly rich and happy to let you laze around the house all day claiming that you'll finish that novel one day, you swear.
2. That you've got a bitchin' RV to live in next to the beach and a restaurant that throws out perfectly good half-eaten entrees. Oh, and that they give spaghetti dinners to lovable cartoon dogs.
   

As mentioned above, this in no ways encompasses the totality of my wishes to you, dear reader, for the upcoming year. In fact, I could probably narrow it down quite a bit. Let's try:

I hope that you will be well and not get hurt. Unless you are both into that. Which is cool by me.