Sunday, January 1, 2023: Catch Your Breath
2022 was a tough one, remember to take care of yourself
Happy New Year!
You may soon find that it’s incredibly similar to last year, with some slight but noticeable differences. It could start when you first address a letter or write the date on a check, realizing the ‘22 is now a ‘23, but the changes are bound to run deeper than we realize.
The nature of change is that it can be extremely unpredictable, so it’s good to learn to roll with the punches early. My advice to myself in 2022 was to keep my chin up, look people in the eye, and listen before I make any assumptions. I believe it’s sound advice for any year and at any stage in our lives.
In 2023 you might make a new friend or two, you could even fall in love! Maybe you’ll move to a new city or land that new job you’ve been trying to get. You might be expecting a child or planning on getting a pet, but sometimes those things can happen without planning as well.
It’s likely that not everything will go your way in 2023, you’re sure to face some challenges as well. Hopefully they’re manageable emergencies, nothing that requires breaking the bank for bail money or driving cross-country involuntarily. If things do get tough and you’re close to a breaking point, don’t ever be afraid to reach out to the people you trust.
Even if none of these things happen, even if you look back on December 31, 2023 and find that you weren’t able to make the changes you wanted, I’ll still be proud of you. Smashmouth wasn’t lying when they said, “the years start coming and they don’t stop coming.” Simply making it through the year is hard work, and as long as you do your best, I’ll be proud of you just for trying.
Side Items
Ugandan Tragedy: At least nine people, including a 10-year-old boy, died as crowds rushed to see a New Year’s firework display in a shopping mall near Uganda’s capital Kampala. People were trapped in a narrow corridor in the Freedom City Mall just after midnight when a fireworks display was announced
Illinois Presses Pause on Cashless Bail: One day before it was set to go into effect, the Illinois supreme court has halted the elimination of cash bail under the landmark SAFE-T Act law. The court says it ordered the delay to maintain consistent pretrial procedures throughout Illinois while the justices prepare to take up the matter. In his decision issued earlier this week, Circuit Judge Thomas Cunnington in Kankakee County stated that when the state legislature tweaked the judiciary’s ability to set bail it violated the separation of powers clause in the Illinois Constitution. Lots of work to ensure that those accused of a crime in Illinois suffer as much as possible
Brazilian Swearing In: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be sworn in as president of Brazil today, thus commencing the difficult job of cleaning up the mess left behind by Jair Bolsonaro. Protecting Brazil’s rainforests, as Lula pledged to do during his campaign, may well be the defining issue of his presidency. But he faces an uphill battle. Lula will need the world’s help to rein in illegal loggers, miners and land grabbers, and he’ll also have to build coalitions in a divided Congress and among rural elites who are skeptical of Brazil’s environmental commitments
Reminder: In 2023, you have to go the way your blood beats. If you don’t live the only life you have, you won’t live some other life, you just won’t live any life at all.