Starting with the obvious it is a new year, 2025. I haven't been waiting for it and so it arrived rather quickly. What's that saying, a watched pot never boils. I recall my time in the Navy and how slowly time moved then, twenty years seemed like a lifetime, in fact, if you stayed past six years you were called a lifer. It's been thirty years since I retired and it sure doesn't seem like it at all. I'll become a great grandfather in a couple weeks. The kids have that scheduled, Bailey goes in the hospital on the 16th and plans on giving birth on the 17th. Apparently that's how it is done in these modern times. I wasn't aware of that option.
I'm old enough to remember when the changing of the year caused some issues, namely writing the correct year on your school papers or writing a check. I remember writing checks for everything and mailing them. Of course I remember when you had to go in the bank to get cash or deposit funds into your savings account. It was satisfying seeing those entries in that little book. Remember how you could post date a check? Getting the year correct was a problem for most of January anyway. That's how long it usually took me anyway. Once we reached 2000 that was another issue. It still just doesn't sound right. Many people thought the banks were going to crash, computers failing and it was going to be a disaster! Y2K was the buzzword. Kids today wouldn't know what that meant.
Being born in 1953 the number 53 stands out. 2025 isn't that far away from 2053. In 2053 I'll be a hundred years old! Now those numbers get my attention. Hopefully I continue to pay attention and so the time will go very slowly. I'm in no hurry to reach the end, or start again for that matter. The older I get the more ridiculous things seem to get. Non-binary, gender fluidity and being a survivor top the list for me.
It does make me want to see what's next. I recall my mother wearing a campaign pin that said, "I like Ike." She told how that was the first time she voted and IKE was Eisenhower. He was president in 1953. In 2025 we will have Donald Trump for the second time. I'm already wondering, who is next? Today there is talk of just allowing everyone and anyone to vote, no citizenship requirement, age 16 is good enough, five if you just want to choose your gender, and illegal migrants can also vote. Like I said, ridiculous stuff. And there is this.
I've always wanted to be a really old guy for a very simple reason. You get to say exactly what you think or feel and no one says a thing about it. At least not to your face. I do have to rethink that however, as in todays world age doesn't guarantee safety or respect. It's 2025 not 1965 when my great grandfather would sit in a chair outside the local gas station and make his comments on everything and anything. He would say whatever to those men working there and they would just smile and say, yes sir. When they were out of earshot they had a different opinion. But gramp just sat there, chewing on his cigar dispensing advise and wisdom in what can only be described as a forthright manner.
They say what goes around comes around. I'm hoping that time will come around again. A time when things made a whole lot more sense than the do today. Back when everyone agreed there were just boys and girls and you had to work for a living. You respected your elders and respected each other, even when you felt the need to just punch someone in the face. A fair fight was a good thing, held you accountable. Yes, they were the good days in America. What happened? The politicians decided to increase our "quality of life." Yeah, that's what happened.
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns" In other words, life is whatever you make it. It's on you. If you rely on others for your "quality of life" you will always get second best. Make this year the best year for you. I'm reminded of this saying I heard often growing up, "good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better is best." Sounds a bit hokey but it's great advice.
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