Happy New Year!

I started to get the feeling near the end of 2006 that some brightness was finally on its way. I certainly hope that is the case for us all, especially in terms of our physical and mental wellness, our ability to provide for those who need us, and how we are living out our democracy.

The wife and I decided to “ring” in the New Year differently than we had in the past (it’s always so tempting for me to say “bring in the New Year”). Our local PBS television station carried Garrison Keillor’s New Year’s Eve Special. It was special for what it included and what it did not.

Ryan Seacrest – not included! No promotions for “The Apprentice.” No personal appearances by Donald Trump promoting “The Apprentice.” No claims that I should be jealous of all the fun that people were having in Times Square. No commercials. No Mariah Carey.

One particularly cool thing that was included was Cowboy Jack Clement. I had never heard of him, but learned that he worked at Sun Studios. He wrote some songs for Johnny Cash and performed one of my favorites on the show (Guess Things Happen That Way).

Another cool thing was a rockabilly/bluegrass group called The Old Crow Medicine Show.

http://www.crowmedicine.com/

I am guilty of using the cliché “watching the ball drop” to refer to how New Year’s was spent, and am now forced to stop myself from saying it this year. I imagine I’d have mixed success explaining to people that we stayed home watching Garrison Keillor count five, four, three, two, one, and then shrug his shoulders. I do think though that the shrug hits closer to the truth for me at this point than confetti does.

Four more days until our second child is brought into this world. It’s always so strange discussing how periods of time relate to newborns. The baby will be home with us for three days before experiencing its first Friday, and will be less than twelve hours old for its first Sabres game, against the Leafs, no less! Hopefully it’s a better outcome than the Bills/Patriots fiasco that Syd experienced as a two day old.