Dear 2009;
Will you respect me in the morning when I leave you behind in my wake for a bigger, better New Year called 2010? In reality, I’ve never been a fan of odd numbers and you were cetainly an odd one. You weren’t so good to me, although I did have some great times meeting new friends and reaquinting with old ones. Plus the music was good, with some great albums from Pearl Jam, Visqueen, Gina Villalobos and many more.
Oh dear 2009, you brought us a cool African American President, but you took away a former black man who called himself the King of Pop. You took a Dirty Dancer who was also a Wolverine. You took one of Charlies’ Angels, and Liam’s wife. You took Johnny’s side kick, the newsman named Walter and the final Kennedy from the house.It seems like you took more than you gave us. Les Paul, Jim Carroll, Vic Chenutt, not to mention taking my friend Jay Bennett. And shame me if I forget the over 450 American soliders we lost in the “War” in Afghanistan and Iraq. Thank you all for fighting and representing the United States, although I still have no idea what we are fighting for and why war seems to be the only answer.
For the life of me I can’t think of too many more great things that happened in your year 2009. Yes the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl again, but my sports icon Brett Favre went to the much hated Minnesota Vikings, that was a very bad thing. The New York Yankees bought themselves another World Series and a lot of overpaid whiny athletes bitched about something or another and cheated. Seriously, the older I get, the less I like sports. No one, I mean NO ONE deserves that much money to play a game.
So this is it, 2009. I remember when I was a kid they promised Jetpacks, flying cars, a cure for cancer, and so many more good things, but those things never arrived. In retrospect it looks like we, as Americans and people as a whole, have taken steps backwards in our pursuit to take things forward. We began this decade (2001) in dire fear for our safety as a nation thanks to terrorism and the worst President to ever take office. And here we are a decade later and we are still in fear for our safety thanks to terrorism, a busted economy and a health care system that would shake the foundation of the healthiest man or woman.
Yes, 2009, as I get older I feel less safe in this world and as I get older I discover myself finding out who I truly I am, but if the last year is any indication of my future, our future, that adventure of discovery will be one rocky road.
So I raise a toast to you, 2009, not as a thank you or in celebration, but as in I am glad you are leaving us behind. You gave a little and took so much, so you will not be missed. This time it is you, not me and no, we still can’t be friends.
Happy New Year, bring on 2010.
Love one another and be safe.
Troy