Year of the Skunk

So, I have officially been disinherited by my father for the Merle Haggard comments.  I stand by my statements.  Freedom of speech and all that!!
The more I think about 2012, the more I believe it is a year that will go down as having a stinky start!!  First, Dave has to have open heart surgery, then I leave Roche without another job and do the unemployment thing, then Chelsea has to start the kidney transplant process and THEN she has to get her tonsils out.  And I was promised tickets to Zoobilation by my ex-employer which are now out of the question.  AND my baby boy will be a Senior next school year!  So I am old and it has been a crappy year so far.  Other cultures have years named for animals - year of the monkey, year of the snake, etc.  I deem 2012 the Year of the Skunk for its stinkiness.

Maybe the second half of 2012 will be the year of the Puppy, (everyone loves a puppy - right - cute, cuddly, fun, happy!).  I mean there have been some signs that things are changing...I almost have a job, (still waiting for that paper offer letter.  My new employer uses Taleo as Roche does and are awaiting approval of the requisition in the system.  Apparently the Finance approver is on vacation and has no system proxy).  And I have read a lot of books that had been collecting dust for years.  And I have an awesome tan - sitting outside drinking my iced tea has become a ritual for me.  My kids are gorgeous and I no longer spend time in the underbelly of the Fishers Library, (BTW, one of my contacts from the underbelly has informed me that Laqueesha is back.  Apparently her ability to do good hair was all in her mind.  I might go back into the underbelly and do a documentary or short story featuring Laqueesha).  Oh, and all of you have been so kind and helpful that I realize "you like me, you really like me!"  (For those youngsters in the audience, that was a Sally Field shoutout).

Well, I have to go back to my latest venture - online college courses that your tax dollars pay for me to take!!  I am studying Philosophy.  It makes my brain tired to try to keep up with all the arguments people spend time making up in Philosophy.  And the questions on the weekly assignments are really not meant to be answered...What's the meaning of life?...Who is God?...What is most real or ultimately real?  What the heck!!!  I should have taken HR 101!