Happy New Year!

Welcome 2011 ! ! !

For the photo/visual interest for this post, I am including some photos of some of the drawings I have done.  In part, to try to give me a little incentive to start doing my art again.  I hope you enjoy them!  I'd be interested in any feedback you might have on them!

Anyway, for my post, I say out with the old and in with the new.  We say good-bye to a year that seemed to be filled with catastrophes and natural disasters.  The world economy is still struggling, unemployment/underemployment is skyrocketing, bullying is reaching new unprecedented heights and the weather has been really crazy.

The year started out with record setting snowfall on the east coast and seems to be ending with more deadly weather events throughout the nation.  And, in between, there were fires, floods, earthquakes, and tsunami's in many parts of the world.  I will recap some of the headlines over the past year here:

January - 12th - The devastating earthquake in Haiti

February - 18th - A man flew a plane into an IRS building in Austin, TX in order to commit suicide and killed another person in the building in addition to himself

27th - The earthquake and tsunami in Chili

March - 15th - TSA began using full body scanners - people who don't want the scan can opt for a 3-5 minute full body pat down with agents going up under clothing and into people's private areas in their search - if you refuse both and choose to try to leave, you are subject to an $11,000 fine

April - 5th - West Virginia mine explosion 29 people were killed

15th - Iceland volcano erupted forcing the cancellation of about 95,000 flights over Europe

20th - BP oil rig explodes - not capped until 7-15

May - 1st - There was an attempted bombing in NY Times Square - thwarted only because the bomber didn't know how to build the bomb correctly

June - 27th - two Russian spies arrested and deported from the US

July - Numerous fires in southern California 

Heavy monsoons flood approximately 1/5 of Pakistan's total land area killing about 2,000 people and affecting about 20 million others

25th - Wikileaks releases war documents

August - Did I miss something?  No major things to report for August?
  ooops!  correction: I received notification that I missed these important events for August . . .
  Three monsters were born: Colleen, Linda and Trang . . .     :-)

September - 9th - gas explosion in San Bruno, CA kills 9 people

October - 4th - toxic sludge in Hungary floods into 7 towns where 9 people are killed and 122 injured

13th - Chilean miners begin to be brought to the surface after nearly 70 days trapped nearly 1/2 mile underground

29th - more explosive devices found on two planes bound for US from Yemen

November - 23rd - N Korea shells S Korea - causing an extreme increase in tension in the area and threats of N Korea using their nuclear weapons

December - 14th - Florida gunman kills himself in city school board meeting after terrorizing the board

Dec - so much rain has fallen in southern California we are way over the usual season totals and are well on our way out of the drought we have been in for the past several years - over 17 feet of snow has fallen in the Mammoth Lakes ski area to date and there have been a lot of mudslides in the burn areas

Some of the notable people we've lost over the past year:

Barbara Billingsley, Tom Bosley, Jill Clayburgh, Tony Curtis, Dino de Laurentis, Blake Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, Eddie Fisher, John Forsythe, Al Haig, Richard Holbrooke, Dennis Hopper, Lena Horne, Art Linkletter, Rue McClanahan, Edwin Newman, Leslie Nielsen, Fess Parker, Lynn Redgrave, J.D. Salinger, George Steinbrenner, Joan Sutherland, Charlie Wilson and John Wooden

A couple of other noteworthy things that have happened this past year:

Joran van der Sloot was arrested in Peru on June 3rd, unfortunately it only happened after he had killed another young woman.  

One of the US hikers who were arrested in Iran for allegedly trespassing into Iranian territory on suspicion of spying was finally released.  At this time, the other two are still being held and there is no word on when, or even if, they might be released.

Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates have started a campaign to get some of the world's wealthiest people to pledge to give away most of their fortunes during their lifetimes or after their deaths.  Some of those who have already signed the pledge in addition to Buffett and Gates are: Michael Bloomberg, Barron Hilton, George Kaiser, George Lucas, Bernard and Barbro Osher, T. Boone Pickens, David Rockefeller, Denny Sanford, Ted Turner, Diane Von Furstenberg and Mark Zuckerberg.  The combined wealth of the thirty-some individuals who have signed this pledge would amount to the total wealth of some countries.

As I sit here writing this, the tune, Auld Lang Syne, is running through my head.  This year definitely won't be one of those about which I reminisce fondly.  I feel quite battered and bruised by this year.  However, it feels like a good way to close the year out anyway, so here are the lyrics (at least the standard English translation of the old Scots tune/verse as reported by wikipedia):

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of old lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since days of auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

I, for one, will be quite happy to put 2010 behind me and look forward to a fresh start.  I'm tired.  Totally exhausted.    I have a lot I want to do.  I want to not feel like I am battling the universe on a daily basis.  I want to finish getting my house painted (inside and out) and to get all the other upkeep that needs to be done done.  I want to finish putting my garden area together.  I want to get everything more organized so I can focus on other things.  I want to get home and feel like doing something.  I want to start painting with watercolors again.  I want to start drawing again.  I want to start crocheting again.  I want to learn to knit.  I want to start doing things for other people who need help.  I want to learn to do a million more things.  I know I won't get it all done in 2011, but I sure hope to put a big dent in my want list.  But, if I can just get to a more peaceful place, I will feel like I have made some good progress!

I truly hope 2011 will be a better year for me and for all of you, too. May it be a year of happiness, health and hopefulness for all of us.  

2011.  2 = 1+1.  It looks like it should be a balanced year, right? Anyway, have a magical and wondrous New Year! ! !