Gurgle gurgle to the great wind-down

Gosh, how many times have I done this in my life. I'm guessing this is my 61st bidding of adieu to one more calendar year. I'm guessing the first time about all I had to say about 1947 winding down was "Gurgle, gurgle." I don't really remember cuz that was a long time ago.

So, why not revert to old ways?

"Gurgle, gurgle 2008."

I've been thinking all morning about what should be said on a day like this as we see the countless reminders on TV of what did happen in 2008 and who among the rich or famous died. In some cases, I looked at those photos and thought they had already died during another year. That same phenomenon happens to me here in my hometown too.

While gurgling on with the subject of "good byes" to a year, I must issue the annual "thank you" to my former student, Bryant Jones, who keeps me in calendars. No Ya Might Be a Redneck special this year, folks.

Instead, a beautiful calendar, called "Beyond the Woods" and featuring wildlife art by Minnesotan Michael Sieve, arrived in yesterday's mail. It's sitting on the kitchen island, along with all my 2009 Co-Op Country Store supply.

Sometime today, I'll have to put them all up on walls in various rooms so we oldsters will know it's 2009 and what day it happens to be. Bryant's calendar for this year is too nice to put next to the commode where the this year's Redneck special has made me laugh many times.

I'll probably put Bryant's gift calendar on the wall behind my computer, where I spend just about as much time as I do at the commode. There's just a different mind set when you're at the computer, and to walk into the room and see those beautiful wolves, bear and deer will set a nice tone for sitting down and working---if there is any work in 2009, that is.

Actually, I do have two deadlines to mark on one of the calendars. One's my River Journal deadline for January cuz Trish is still hiring me to write "Love Notes." The other is April 11 when I'm going to talk about memoirs to a group of Coeur d'Alene writers.

And, speaking of memoirs and remembering things, how about that second hoax launched on Oprah.

Would folks please tell her to read "Lessons with Love," which has insignificant memory lapses compared to the Jewish couple with the apples and the guy with all the million mental problems! There IS a difference between forgetting and inventing when you're writing your memoirs.

The only lapse in my books involved a "clouded memory" when I talked about the number of pies consumed by David Jones in the drill team pie-eating contest and about all those pies falling off from Lucy's assembly line, which were actually chocolates. Nancy Gerth, why didn't I believe you when you corrected that in my manuscript. Shame on me!

I saw in yesterday's paper that I can spend 42 cents to be reminded of my mistake, once the Lucy stamp is released in early 2009. Maybe I ought to buy a bunch of those stamps and stick 'em over the mistake in my book.

We've got a lot to think about if we spend time reviewing the events of 2008, and there are some aspects---maybe even many---aspects of the year we would love to forget or possibly invent a better outcome from what really happened. Wouldn't it be nice if we weren't ending the year with so many "ain't it awfuls?"

Well, like any year, this one has had its ups and downs. Outcomes are always relative to each person's individual experiences. For some, this has been a phenomenal year; for others, maybe it's involved too many personal disappointments and sad moments.

The nice thing each Dec. 31 is that we can put it all behind and tack up some new calendars with relatively empty date boxes, open to endless possibilities. And, wouldn't it be nice if on this day next year, we can reflect on 2009 and think about what we did to make life better for ourselves and for the world around us.

Not a bad goal. Gurgle, gurgle.

Reminder: Check out my brother Jim's "Lifespan - A Resource- and Energy-Efficient Multi-use Bridge Concept."

You can read and vote for the idea by clicking on the following link: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/lifespan_-_a_resource-_and_energy-efficient_multi-use_bridge_concept

You will have to register to vote. Thanks.