Happy New Year!
If you are anything like me, youve had a little trouble firing on all cylinders latelya little phenomenon I like to call the January Doldrums. They never concern me a great deal since theyre quite expected. After all, if you ride an emotional pendulum that swings to an extreme high throughout the holiday season, its only natural that the return trip might make one a little, uh, morose.
I also know that, given time, the January Doldrums will dissipate, and Ill be back to my old self again. (Ill leave it to Carol and select friends to determine if thats indeed a good thing.) Plus a few new toys from Circuit City wouldnt hurt either.
But as I sit and wait for this pall of lethargy to lift, I realized that this year is just a bit different from most, simply in that the January Doldrums have had a bit of a boost not present in prior years. This season, added to the expected comedown from the weeks of fun and frivolity, were the following:
I had cataract surgery over the holidays, the second time Ive gone through the procedure. (The first was about 10 years ago.) The good news was that, over the previous decade, the overall technique for such surgery has improved tremendously: in and out in an hour and no patches. The bad news is that I had to administer eye drops, the bulk of which landed anywhere but actually in my eyes. What can I say? I guess my motor skills werent honed very well during those preschool years.
One of our cats, Beans, has been sick lately, and we are faced with the question of how much testing is appropriate for a pet, even a beloved one, who already is quite old. (Not to mention, how many times can you scoop a litterbox in one hour?) Carol suggested it might be psychosomatic, since Beans probably heard us talking about perhaps adding a Golden Doodle puppy to our family.
I am fast approaching a milestone birthday. On Feb. 1, I will reach age 55. The ol double nickel. The former national speed limit that now seems slow by most standards. Lots of irony here, in that people who drive 55 are considered old geezersyet 65 (and 70, and 75, and 80) are for the young mavericks. Hey, did you notice that? I think I just caught myself rambling on about nothing of substance! Perhaps its just a sign of things to come. (Again, Carol and others will assert that theres nothing new hereIve been rambling about nothing of substance since at least the 1970s!)
Anyway, something about these particular ramblings has proved cathartic for me. I feel better already and up to the challenge of a new year. Heres hoping that we navigate it together. In fact, I again encourage you to drop me an email or give me a call and let me know whats on your mind. Your feedback is always welcome. (Otherwise, I might start to think Carols comments about my ramblings are dead on!)
And, as always, thanks for being there.
Charles Felix, Publisher
