8 Hours and Counting

It’s that time of the year again – the END. For many days, even weeks, much has been written and verbally expressed about the demise of 2009 and

Party like it's 2009, er, 2010

the new millennium’s ‘aught’ or ‘nought‘ decade in general. (Pick your phrase, American or British). There are those who argue it isn’t even the end of the decade, just as Jan 1, 2000 was not the beginning of it.

Any way you look at it, it’s been a hellish ten years. Really. I’m not nostalgic by nature – I look forward to future and change – so it’s not that I’m thinking of a happier time before recent memory. But thinking about ‘pros’ versus ‘cons’, or ‘achievements’ versus ‘breakdowns’ – the past decade is sadly more weighted in the catastrophe column. If I were a more dedicated statistician, I’d run this in a spreadsheet to prove it, but you can check it for yourself at places like World Disasters Timeline, or USA Today Decade in Review (count the positive vs negative), or by viewing ITN News (British) well-done video.

I’m going to have to side with those giving a sigh of relief, sort of. So now that we are wrapping up the Noughties – which spawned at least 3 major wars (if you count the War on Terrorism), tsunamis, hurricanes, market collapses, pandemics, general collapse of African nations, pitiful reality-TV, increased social rudeness (hello – texting at the dinner table) -  it’s time to take them to the curb for the garbage collectors to remove.

Then wake up and it’s a BRAND NEW DAY!! Tomorrow morning we’ll have no excuse for complaints other than hangovers. Better get yourselves charged up, because 2010 will need to be a ‘get it done’ year. No more whining or commiserating with each other over how hard things have been. Get on with it. Really.

Tonight I’m going to party like it’s 2009 – the final hours. Tomorrow I’ll be smiling while I drink my coffee and begin to execute the strategy that has been put in place the past few months. If you haven’t figured out your 2010 strategy, maybe you better start thinking about 2011.

Happy New Years! Really.

To all – Auld Lang Syne

–Donna