It's a new year...

And I hope you understand that so far, I'm not feeling very optomistic...but I want to be.

Last year, we had to deal with a lot. This year we may have to deal with just as many problems, if not more, even with a new President at the helm of our country. I don't foresee Barack Obama being able to accomplish much at first, either, just as I wouldn't expect a lot from John McCain if he'd gotten the most votes. (It's important I state it in that way, in 'the most votes', because I don't see the election of one person or another in any office definitive unless EVERYONE votes...fat chance of that ever happening.) I see politics as creating more problems than they solve, anyway...but this topic is for another time. Maybe. I don't like talking about politics, either.

In the end, it's how we look at everything around us that ultimately affects everything. Perception of reality is just as important as reality itself. And what did we perceive? Not a lot of good, in the end. Whose fault is that? Is it the fault of our media outlets, in print and over the airwaves and online? Is it the blame of those who create the state of affairs as we must deal with them?

No.

In the end, it's our fault...all of us should be held accountable for how things got so bad in 2008, and in so many ways. Because in the end, we all didn't come together to actually solve anything. President Bush didn't create the problems, and in the end his successor President-Elect Obama won't directly be the one to solve them, either. Because it comes down to everyone getting together to make things better.

We haven't done that yet, and we may not...it might take the perception from those media outlets to show us good news to turn our outlook around, at least a little. But why can't we do that ourselves? Because we've been overwhelmed with what we had to deal with in 2008. The problems we faced, from recession at home to international uncertainty, seemed too big. We each can't find a sure solution...even Obama is getting together those he knows and trusts to form a strategy to turn the recession around. We all let doubt and fear get the best of us. We each think that we live in a bottle and that we each can't do much...and worse still, that a given problem that's affecting everyone won't affect us.

Let me make this clear: I hate fear and doubt.

What I believe in is common sense...that there can be solutions. I hope by saying that even though I'm not feeling optomistic I absolutely WANT to be to help us solve our problems, I hope at least that gets someone's attention. Whether it takes one of us or all of us, we have to rise above fear and doubt...neither of those things will help us solve anything, that's for damn sure.

I want to believe that this year will be much, much better than the last.

Maybe if we all believe that, maybe it'll be reality.

Happy New Year, everyone.