Every New Year we get a chance to start over. And to look forward to new possibilities, such as getting shot. Twice. Can’t wait!

As soon as everybody gets vaccinated for Covid, just think what’s on the not-too-distant horizon: scarfing down McDonald’s quarter pounders, going to church, getting hugs, holding babies, taking a bus, seeing a play in a theater, potlucks with family, going to Costco, a farewell to Instacart markups, wearing fog-free glasses, and using masks only for avocado-based facials or when robbing banks.

Of course, there may be some adverse reactions to the vaccine itself. And we’ll have to get all the Amazon cardboard boxes recycled, get a haircut, clean up the house for civilized company, and stop living like a slob, but such is the price of salvation from the biblical-like plague we somehow survived.

Jesting aside though, don’t know about you, but during the 2020 year just concluded, my family lost some loved ones and that pain can’t be blamed on the pandemic or politics or on our fears for our climate or our country, but it still underlined how unfriendly a year can be. I wish I could think up something profound to say about it and I would if I could but, regretfully, profundity never found a place in my toolkit.

Let’s look forward to our brand new 2021 year and do all we can to make this one a big winner. I hope yours will be healthy and full of peace and joy.

Meanwhile, when looking back at 2020, how about joining me in the world’s best therapy: LAUGHING. Every year the intrepid humor writer Dave Barry concocts his annual Review of the Year that appears in various newspapers. Some you can read without a subscription, and some you have to sign up for a few days of free reading prior to subscribing. This is his recounting just posted for 2020 as it appeared in the Miami Herald. It also appeared in the Washington Post and in the Telegraph Herald in Dubuque, Iowa so, alternatively, you could try either of them. Here’s the URLs to the both the Miami Herald’s and the Washington Post’s feature. It’s worth the trouble to chase it down every year!

https://www.miamiherald.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/dave-barry/article247890015.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/12/27/dave-barrys-year-review-2020/?arc404=true

It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald