This week I’m thinking back over the year just ended. I’m pondering the lessons that I’ve learned in 2008. Last January 16th I awoke to discover I had succeeded in turning 66 years old. I was very glad for this because for the past few years, I have enjoyed very bad health. Yes, “enjoyed bad health” is what I said. As you dear, faithful readers know, I have often written about my travails. I have learned that moaning and groaning brings considerable pleasure to the complainer if not to the reader. Long after all your family and friends are totally disgusted with your complaints, still you can grumble on with a peculiar kind of satisfaction. I can’t say I fully understand this but it is a fact.

     I also learned some things about politics last year. Now, I am not a Republican, nor am I a Democrat. I am registered as “Unaffiliated.” I like that term because I am too ornery simply to be an Independent. At times through the years I have been registered as both a Republican and a Democrat. But eventually I decided that I have too many friends on both sides that I would like to gently annoy. I enjoyed the great speech by President-elect Barak Obama at the Democratic Convention. And, of course, I was intrigued by the Republican’s nomination of Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President. I learned some things from her. I was especially surprised to hear her say, in a television interview with Katie Couric, that she reads this column. Well, she didn’t exactly put it that way. What she said was that she reads ”all the papers.” I reckon that would include these ubiquitous utterings. Learning this, I plan to add a little more class to this column in the coming year.

     I learned this year that just because you are the governor of a big state doesn’t mean you can’t be stupid as a shoe. This, I learned from Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich. The Governor seems determined to demonstrate that personal corruption can’t hold a candle to plain old dumbness when it comes to interfering with political leadership. He wins the award. Maybe the Illinois legislature will rename the “Dumb Crook of the Year Award” the “Blagojevich Boob Prize” and retire it forever.

     This next learning is on the legal front. In October, Emert Wyss of Alton, Illinois retired after a long career as an attorney. His retirement was of little notice in the big-time media. However, back in 2005 he made a few headlines when he accidentally sued himself. It is too complicated to explain here, but, in short, he owned several businesses. One of his law clients had a complaint against one of those businesses and hired Mr. Wyss to represent him in a lawsuit. Presumably Mr. Wyss eventually settled with himself. This is just a reminder that sometimes people are their own worst enemies. This was not a new learning but an important reminder to us all.

     Finally, I am back where I began. I went on the last day of 2008 to have my new pacemaker/defibrillator checked and to see my cardiologist. In the course of his comments, the doctor used the phrase “in the years ahead.” I expressed surprise at that and he asked why? I replied that 5 ½ years ago I was told I had a few weeks to live and nothing could be done for me. He replied, “That was then and this is now.” Then he said something he has never said to me before. He said, “I’ll see you next…a year from now!” I danced right out of his office! It’s amazing what learning something new can sometimes do for you! I take back all the moaning and groaning I’ve done over the years! Happy New Year!

• Back to Archive
• Back to Media Gallery