Stake It. Now.

Well, my non-participatory holiday plans were nixed by the intervention of my mother. I told her I was going to stay home alone. She began to cry. Excellent.

Instead I went to my aunt’s house. Had some food, some wine, some conversation. After that I dropped in at my friends’ open house—they took up the slack left by my unwillingness to have anything to do with Tree Day. They also had a much nicer affair than I have ever managed because, well, they are better hosts. C’est la vie.

This weekend I finally get to put a stake in the heart of 2006, a year notable for its marked downturn in the second half. The year started out in such a lovely, promising way. Now, on the other side of 12 months, I am left with a feeling I would liken to that of someone who has just been the victim of a long and clumsy ass-kicking.

2007? Not holding out a great deal of hope, really.

I don’t really go in for resolutions. I disappoint myself and others often enough without going through the unnecessary fuss of a formal declaration of what will, undoubtedly, be an upcoming failure. I figure there are 365 days a year to let down self and others. No sense in trying to make one day feel all special in its good intentions that will, certainly, come to naught.