2009 has slipped away and we are on the brink of the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Astounding. I am once again preparing with delight for my annual New Year's Eve Costume Party where we honor the year gone by with the ceremonial swapping of our most hilarious gifts of the season, and we usher in the new year with costumes apropos of its number. This time the theme is of course "10" or "X". Don't tell a soul, but I will be "Ten Lords a-Leaping". Images of Buddha, Jesus, Ganesha, and Madonna's daughter, magically joined with the lower halves of leggy dancers captured in midair. You can imagine. But please don't.
This year we added to our family the delicious Nugget puppy and the completely lovable baby S, but we lost our dear friend Eric, whose joyous, jolly, kind, and brilliant energy will be missed especially this New Year's Eve, as he added so much happiness to our celebration for so many years.
The new decade promises some very special changes. I will retire from the corporate world this decade and will be able to dabble in at least a few of the million other things I find fascinating. I will move to a new home in a place as yet unknown, and I look forward to meeting new friends and continuing to hold dear my old friends. With more free time I will be able to visit all of you, so you may not welcome this transition as much as I do.
And perhaps, if we are very lucky, this decade will bring some measure of peace in war-ridden corners of the world, less suffering in the harshest neighborhoods of our cities, better schools and more respect for teachers, greater support for artists and creators of all kinds, and eight consecutive hours of sleep.
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!
