In Review

(Source)

I am taking a break from the book for a few days. The blog as well, I'll get to that in a moment.

Though I am still on vacation for another week, I'm only at Chez Nuke et Tuttle for just a couple more days. It's been a nice long vacation and being able to share in the newest member of our tribe's first Christmas has been awesome. He's a lovely little boy, curious about everything, and is growing like a weed! (He's four and a half months old now.)

As the year 2020 draws to a close, I am reminded of just how much I don't like celebrating the "new year." Never have, never will. The only thing I like about December 31st is that it's The Nuke's birthday. I don't begrudge other people their celebrations, it's just that I personally think it's no big deal. Never have, never will.

I'm not much for goals or resolutions and the new year is just the rolling over of the calendar from one year to another. Does anything change other than that? Is it any different from going from the 31st of May to the 1st of June? 

Nope. Not to me at any rate.

Your mileage may (and no doubt does) vary.

It also marks the end of the Christmas season, my absolute favorite holiday, so it's a bit of a downer on that count. I keep the holiday spirit alive until Epiphany, many do not. My Christmas candles in the windows are lit until the 7th of January takes over from the 6th, that being the last night for them to be turned on. Which marks the end of Christmas for another year.

While I don't really "suffer" from post-holiday depression, there is a sadness there. The season of light, the season of hope and good will passes from the Earth until another December arrives. I try to keep the holiday alive in my heart but when everyone else seems relieved that it's over, it's tough. (How about we stop equating the season with spending money and focus on what it's really about? As much as I like giving - and getting - gifts, that is most emphatically not the reason for the season.)

As to 2020 being a "bad" year and the "OMG, I can't wait for it to be over" attitude...

Are you serious, do you think changing the calendar is going to make things any different that they were before?

2020 was a good year for me, new grandson, new car, things could have been better, sure, but to blame the year? Nonsense, sheer and utter nonsense.

Yes, 2020 was a bad year for some. Any year in which you lose a loved one is a bad one. But don't blame the year. Blame government inefficiency and malfeasance. Not just our government for those who keeping score at home.

Do I think Covid-19 is a bad thing? Of course, it kills people. All diseases are bad by their very nature, is this worse than the flu? Probably, I don't know, I'm not a doctor. But don't blame the year for that. Blame somebody, but not a concept whereby we measure time.

Will 2021 be better? I don't know, but to tell you the truth, I think it's going to be far worse. Don't ask me why, it's a gut feeling. I hope I'm wrong.

At any rate, I'm done with blogging for 2020. Truth be told, I've spent too much time in front of a computer screen and not enough time experiencing life. I'll pick it back up when we get to 2021, which, God willing, will find The Missus Herself and I safely back in Little Rhody with the feline staff. (Who will no doubt chastise us for the 12 days we were away. I can't say I blame them.)

See you next year. Probably Tuesday. Maybe...

But I will be back in early January, NLT Epiphany, I'm sure.

For those who do celebrate the New Year, have a good time.

Responsibly, of course.