Merry Christmas 2008
First, an enclosure I received from
the governor of Alaska:
Well, we had
some gladness and some sadness here in the Palin home this year.
Along with our
newest arrival, most of you have heard by now about Bristol's good news, and
the family just keeps growin’ and growin’.
My energy
reforms and tax credits have been goin’ great guns up here in Alaska and I
think if things had gone just a little differently, I'd have been able to bring
that kind of success to the rest of the country when I was in charge of the
Senate. Oh well, better luck next year, that's what I say.
The RNC
couldn't have been nicer about those clothes, but they're a little impractical
now that I'm back home, here, so I'm gonna raise a little money for the party and
put 'em all on eBay.
So anyway,
from Tracksuit, Bristol, Mango, Hammer, Mildew, Willow and Surge, and
especially from me and Todd, you all have the best Christmas ever, and thanks
for all your support!
Personally, I
couldn’t be happier with the way things went, but as the transition continues
and people get all excited on one side and all paranoid on the other, here’s my
take on it: Nothing is going to be as wonderful, or as terrible, as people
think it will.
As for me, I
think I’m doing all right. This year has been an especially challenging one for
me. Without boring anyone with the details, I’ve had more sick days and money
troubles this year than in past years. But through better planning, medication,
diet and exercise I’ve managed to address the worst of it. As everyone knows
well enough, it’s not the stuff you plan for. It’s the stuff you don’t.
Computers break down, air conditioning conks out, medical bills are completely
out of hand even with insurance, and despite a lack of travel or conspicuous
extravagance, I’ve encountered so many shortfalls this year I’m convinced 2008
had a 13th month called Penury.
But the sad
truth is that it’s no-one’s fault – or, more to the point, it’s just the
logical conclusion of bad policy decisions from the personal to the
international level, from individuals maxing out our credit cards and then
defaulting on them, to buying homes we can’t afford the mortgage on, to stock
traders compiling these bad decisions into really awful ones, to waging wars
with borrowed resources – seems everything’s affordable with other people’s
money, and everything’s cheaper with credit. The course correction at this
point will be painful and will require sacrifice. I hope we find the strength
and courage and political will to survive it.
Meanwhile, I’m
looking out on a snowy moonlit night, sipping cocoa. I’m warm. I’m comfortable.
As I write this I’m fighting a cold but I’m medicated and feeling OK. Life
could be so much worse in so many ways. I have a job I love. I had a chance to
completely reorganize my apartment this summer and I’m so much happier with it.
I took part in a production of Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” this fall and it
went very well. It was a theater group I haven’t worked with in seven years and
it was fun to reconnect. My folks actually got to come see the show, which was
great. Also, so much fun to see everyone at Aunt JoAnn’s
new condo over Thanksgiving, and at Jean and
Lester’s 50th anniversary celebration. What a great time, and the
pictures are still up on my site at www.tjaman.com.
So as a
difficult, contentious and historic year comes to a close, it seems it’s had a
few bright spots as well. My philosophy heading into 2009 is as follows: Life
is challenging, but I think we’re up to it.
Merry Christmas, and all the best to you and yours in the new year.