2012 ... Is it over yet??

     Twenty Twelve has been an awful year. A truly, gosh-darn, terrible year.  I'm sure many folks would agree. Oh, it started out all right, joyously ringing in the New Year with a champagne toast, (then suffering the next day with a ringing in our ears and dry toast.)  It was all downhill from there. For most of my comrades, between the economy, natural disasters, a divisive election and abysmal reality shows, there has been little cause for celebration.

     For me, the ominous cloud came in the form of a broken appendage. Just a small one, the third toe on my right foot; not one I use a whole lot. Unfortunately, it was two weeks after I'd made the brave decision to take ballet classes. At the age of forty, I'd decided to pirouette into middle age and erase that task from my bucket list.

     What an embarrassment it was to explain, to those who asked, how I actually broke my toe. Concerned friends assumed I'd broken it quite romantically, or even athletically, "It happened while you were dancing? While you were doing yoga?"  No, dear readers, I whacked it while walking into the bathroom in the middle of the night. A grand old frontal SLAM of my foot into an open, and utterly invisible, door.  The obvious antics ensued: shouts, screams, tears and hopping around on one foot. Then, the gentle 'removal of the sock' which revealed a strange-looking and awkwardly bent toe to which my significant other remarked, "You're gonna have to pop that back into place."  ~swoon~

     So I hobbled about for a week or so. I wore ugly, soft flats instead of cute, high heels. I avoided ballet.  And... the year got progressively worse. No raises, no vacations, an unbearable summer with a daughter on the cusp of adulthood, a dog bite, a hurricane that knocked over our fence and a frightening car accident that totaled our Hyundai.

     For the record, I am fed up with 2012. And I am chucking my usual optimism. Why should we humans thumb our noses at the Mayan's ancient prediction that Dec 21, 2012 will be the 'end of it all?'  Or that there won't be a zombie apocalypse? All those folks purchasing survival bunkers may be on to something!

    Perhaps I'm being morose, or just cynically pessimistic. In any case, I still intend to take Rob's advice and buy LOTS of canned goods and water before December 21st (just in case.) But that is only half in jest, because underneath it all I am optimist, as most of us are. People are inherently hopeful, thank goodness. They've been through a lot worse this year than the silly things I complained about.

     We may be on the ropes, but I'm looking forward to 2013 - a better year. Cripes.. it has to be!
     See you all in January, folks ;-)