Some Year-End Reflections (and a Toast)

Been taking the easy way out-cutting and pasting from other sources just to put something up. Seems every one wants to give a fishing rod as a Christmas gift, but they don't get around to thinking about it until December. For godsake, folks, I'm not a machine. I've literally had fishing rods turning day and night for two weeks. At lunch, I'll wrap some guides, apply some epoxy or glue up a handle so it will give me a shot at finishing one that evening. I'll slap on a coat of finish before trudging off to work, so that no waking hour is unused in getting these things out on time. I'm down to four right now-one will be done tonight, one done tomorrow night and the other two have no holiday deadline so it appears I'll be freed up somewhat by Wednesday. All court will be over for the year tomorrow and I'll be glad for that. I love our local lawyers (a really good group), but this time of year, I'm just tired of dealing with them. The arrival of the new year, however artificial a demarcation it is, for some reason does wonders for my attitude-like someone turning over and shaking a cluttered Etch-A-Sketch- clearing up all the old crap from the previous year. Maybe it's related to the dreaded holidays finally being over or perhaps it's the knowledge that the daylight is increasing in tiny increments or maybe it's knowing that in not too many days, that day will come when you realize that spring is here to stay.

It's been a fantastic twelve months-full of laughs and birthdays and weddings and new friends and live music and boats and saltwater and cold adult-beverages and a few fish (almost all released to be caught again). If I tried to thank everyone who made it so great, I would leave someone out and always regret it. It was also a year of introspection, realization and discovery and some very deep thinking about friends and friendship. One thing I realized is the fact is my true friends don't have to be told who they are-they know it and they will never be in doubt about it. They know to a moral certainty that there is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for them or give to them if they needed it-nothing! My intense loyalty to these fine folks also makes me a completely intolerant, inflexible bastard in their defense-I will not tolerate those (some of whose "friendship" I used to care about)-who stab my friends in the back, or try to f%@k with their psyche or emotions, or talk badly of them or try to lob monkeywrenches into their relationships or our friendship. I've seen that pathetic act trotted out this year and it will always get the same result-a severe tongue-lashing and a quick toss on the dungheap of folks whose "friendship" ran only in one direction-theirs. Good riddance!-I'm glad to have discovered your true colors before wasting another nanosecond of my precious time and goodwill. I propose a toast for the new year:
To my friends-"Here's to another great year ahead!"
To my sworn enemies-"No problem, I know who you are!"
To backstabbers and monkeywrench throwers-"Bite Me!"