Goodbye 2005!

Well Folks, for me 2005 is finally over and I could not be happier. 2005 was not a particularly good year, but then again it was not a particularly bad year either. It was just one that I did not like. The entire year, I felt that a Bad Thing was going to happen. Now that the year is over, I guess it never really did. However, it did seem that a number of smaller bad things did happen that maybe all totalled up might make a big Bad Thing.

I lost both of my dogs this past year. I cannot say how much it hurts to lose a pet, especially a dog, since they love so unconditionally and always forgive and forget. 2006 will see our family with a new pet, and it will be good, because our house feels empty. The passing of these guys really taught my kids alot about Life, Love and Loss. It taught me alot too.

Earlier in 2005 I left the helm of the Cub Scout and handed over the reins to others. However, due to what I think are machinations by persons who like to stroke their own egos, the pack that I worked so hard to build up is being torn apart. The personal desires of those who are in any scouting organization should first and foremost be to give the boys a quality program. However, recently, my beloved pack has been beset with power hungry people that only want to make themselves look better and have laurels heaped upon them. As one of my good friends said about being involved in the scouts, "you better leave your egos at the door, or you are in the wrong organization." Hopefully 2006 will be a better year for Pack 35.

The comfy secure feeling that I enjoyed for so many years at my job was threatened in 2005 due to red tape, bureaucracy, and ever rising costs to simply exist. I find that I will be fighting hard for the existence of my job and the serivce it provides. I do have good feelings about it, but I do not like that unsecure feeling that I get when I think of the future. I never really felt that before and I can tell you it is not something that I like very much. 2005 was filled with too much of that feeling and I would like it to disappear in 2006.

2005 was the year that I finally saw my parents as old people. For so very long, I have never been convinced that my parents were getting older. And for good reason too. My parents have always been active hard working people and they proved time and time again that they could do more than some of my friends and neighbors half their age! However, this year I noticed that they have slowed down quite a bit. They require more help. And they have started to look old to me. It saddens me to see them this way but they do keep on keeping on and they let little get in their way. I think 2006 will be no worse or no better for them, and I suppose that is a good thing. I will do everything in my power to keep them independent and happy.

And my country took a beating in 2005. If you paid any attention at all to the media outlets, then you know what I mean. From shortcomings in Iraq to disasters here at home, it seemed that the good ole USA could not catch a break. It made me quite depressed to hear all the bad things either directed at the USA or happening to the USA. Alot of what really bugged me is how people began to pile on when it came to the bad stuff. It seemed that the news organizations were getting paid by the amount of shit they could come up with on the government and country even when most of it amounted to nothing. It was like a great big food fight with everyobody slinging trash everywhere all at the same time as standing in the middle of an earthquake. I truly hope that 2006 is a quiet year for this great nation of ours.

But some good things did happen in 2005! I foudn more free time in 2005! The photography business my wife and I run did very well! I bought a great new motorcycle! I got to play a lot of cool games with my son and friends! I celebrated the 15th year of being married to my best friend. I turned 40 in 2005 and found it to be a pretty good time! Alot of good things happened. But the glitter was dimmed by the over all pall that seemed to present in 2005. It was like living in a world where it was always overcast. It got depressing after a while.

I am looking forward to 2006. It sounds like I really am living in the future when I say 2006! I hope that it is a good year and I hope that it is good for anyone who might be reading this. Happy New Year!

Later!