Well, We've Got Another New Slate!

I have to tell you that I got my hackles all up in the air the other day. For lots of reasons.
First, because I heard on the television that people aren't reading books and magazines like they used to because of all the technology used now days...messengers, iPods, emails, Internet websites. Didn't we know when we created this stuff that this would happen someday? Of course, newspapers, books and magazines have been telling us this for quite a while now.
Then the second thing that got my hackles up was all the people who made resolutions on New Year's Day that they would lose weight in 2009. Why did they finally decide to do it on New Year's Day? Didn't they realize as they plodded through 2008 that they were getting bigger and bigger? Well, I did! Of course, it was the last of November when I finally got back on my Weight Watchers meals and started losing.
The next thing that stirred my hackles up was the fact that gasoline is going up again. Why don't they just leave the gasoline alone? About the time we think we're getting a little money back in our pocket, someone decides to take another chunk out and we only have change to jingle. And I was finally getting in my car to travel an hour and a half away to enjoy a day.
The last thing that raised my hackles was realizing I had to go back to work. You know, taking two or three days off is nice, but never long enough. When we had time off at Christmas and the library was closed, I got spoiled. I finally dug out some things I hadn't worked on in ages and realized it was fun to work on those long-forgotten projects. And I took a nap whenever I wanted one. And my cats decided to ignore me because I was around so much. Then I realized I had to go back to work. Kinda upset me. Raised my hackles 'cause I was so disturbed. But I also realized I'd gotten kinda lazy during my time off.
Anyhow...I was thinking about this while sitting at the computer this morning. I realized books and magazines are NEVER going to be gone. Look at all the new first-time authors on the market now. People are still writing, publishers are still publishing, and we, the public, are still reading books and magazines. Some of those published items are right here in our library.
I also realized people are always making resolutions. It doesn't take New Year's Day to do it. When I decided in November 2008 to lose weight, it wasn't because it was the first of a new year. Nope! It was because I got scared I'd get diabetes and heart problems and joint problems, etc. And I realized there are great cookbooks by Weight Watchers, the American Heart Association, and other organizations, as well as magazines to encourage me to keep that weight off.
As for the gasoline, I realized when I didn't drive so much, I got more done at my home that I really enjoyed. Who needs gasoline, except to get groceries, see family, go to work and church; stuff like that?
And time off...well, I needed to come back to work, because I really like what I do and where I work. I don't like being lazy. I don't like my cats ignoring me. I have another new slate to work with in 2009. I can do anything I really want to.
Besides that, if I keep going, I'll have to explain to someone what "hackles" are.