New Year’s Day Wild Card — 1/1/09

CindyH asks 4 questions below. I’ll answer them here. At midnight, I watched the ball fall in Times Square at Frito Ray’s house with my Oliveria relatives. I kissed Mrs. O and ate a Frito chip. Easily, the worst thing about 2008 was another round of layoffs at the SR. The best thing about 2008 was the joy Mrs. O and I felt at watching Junior defend his dissertation in neuroscience and earn his PhD before returning to his 3rd year of medical school; watching Amy Dearest graduate from University of Portland and land a solid job in public relations; and hearing how much daughter-in-law Sweet Stephie enjoys her life as a pediatrics nurse. I haven’t thought that much about the future. But I’ll be pleased if 2009 brought another year or health, life and prosperity to my immediate and extended families. I’ll turn 60 next November. Which means retirement isn’t as far away as it once was. Which means, God willing, that a new stage of life is around the corner — 2 to 5 years off. Above, Junior and Sweet Stephie enjoy themselves at Schweitzer last Friday. Now, for your Wild Card …