In with 2012

I started 2012 in grand fashion with a party at the home of my best friend, Mike Callen.  Food and drinks were consumed in abundance, with the youngsters (mostly under 25) congregating on the patio around a fire and the oldsters (mostly older than 50) sitting around the kitchen table.  Our conversation was wide-ranging, with a bit too much insurance talk for my taste, but later in the night we gravitated toward religion, either because it is one of my favorite topics or because Callen, who studied for almost four years to be a Jesuit priest, enjoys pointing out some of the finer points of Catholicism.  Among the questions discussed – is there a significant difference between Baptists and Catholics?  What about Catholics and Muslims?  Is Gandhi in hell?  Does God earthly perform day-to-day miracles?  Suffice to say that our discussion of religion has primed me to follow-up my “Out with 2011” posting with an “In with 2012” posting.    

Two of my three major concerns with 2011 were (a) my personal lack of productivity and (b) my diminished personal relationships.  I mention them together here because I think they can be solved together – through politics.  One of my principal interests in life is politics, and although I have concluded that I am not cut out to be a politician, I think I can serve in some sort of support capacity.  So in 2012, I intend to find a political job, probably as a volunteer for a politician or a cause/movement.  That sort of work will enable me not only to be productive, but also to connect on a personal level with other people.

My third major concern with 2011 had to do with finding a special person that “I can’t live without.”  As I noted in my posting, “I do think that woman is out there.”  Sometimes, however, the world doesn’t beat a path to your doorstep, and you need to go looking.  I once read a book titled, “Emotional Availability,” and I need to heed some of the lessons it taught me.  Soulmates anyone?  

2012 – let’s get started.