Photo credit: Quentin Leal (Vivian)
People usually like the end of December. Not that because they have accomplished a lot but New Year is coming with a message of Newness. We hear a lot of common expressions in these days that Time flies, getting old is scary, resolutions are insane but unavoidable, and what a year! ah!?
I love December. For me, the month which celebrates the end of the year is more important than the month which celebrates the beginning of the New Year. January makes me feel uncertain. It makes me feel I am challenging my principles on the power of now. I have all reasons to love January (even I was born in January 23rd). Though, I am not ready to let go 2011 yet. It’s not over. Because I am counting a day – not a year!
As confused I am. I don’t want to take you to other stories of Lists (or the way around – lists of stories, doesn’t matter for now). Lists pretty confused me in the last few weeks. Yes, a lot of things happened in 2011. The death of Osama Bin Laden and Mohammed Gaddafi haven’t influenced my year that much personally. People’s revolution in Egypt, the protest that I followed so alertly – because I care and I believe in power of people – doesn’t make me feel like making a big list. Dictators keep killing innocents. No (!) I am not ready to celebrate the New Year in their presence. In the East part of my country, children died with hunger. Who should be in my list? The name of (and unnamed of) children who died with hunger, or the name of ignorant people who don’t care about food management, or the photographers who secured their job for 2012. Japan stricken by tsunami (like in the movie 2012). Shall I post, top 10 courageous video shots from the disaster or the top industrial countries which caused the global warming?
Or just me! List of Top 1. I am even TIME’s man of the year.
What are my top 10? 25? 1,000,000?
I am not giving up. I know I am taking 2012 for granted with my unlisted list. But I also know a lot of innocent people are going to die in 2012, minorities discriminate, children hunger, new HIV infections, and mistreat people because of their race, skin, and gender and so on… because no one does anything about it anyway.
Career wise, I know I will accomplish better. My network expands, Barcamp 2012 hosts, I blog, I collaborate, meet great people, and represent what I believe is right and my business.
Lists are so confusing. Let me get up and do something nice, TODAY. After all, even New Year is represented by a day.
Happy January 1st!
eweket 
my my Mark once more you have sailed the rough waters! i do enjoy this and making the list……..well lists confuse me too…the only place they r helpful is when u go grocery shopping! even that needs alot of work sometimes harder than the shopping itself!
Thanks teo.
Ya….I also don’t believe in long lists either…making long unrealistic resolutions would only make you feel bad when u actually fail to enact them…so I usually have one goal every day(like u said)…to do my best in terms of becoming a better person in every way. So, that I can be happier with myself…..and have some peace of mind.
Funny thing, I also don’t trust the future much. I actually can’t believe I am still here(pretty and in good shape:))) considering all the disasters the world have seen and been though this past year..so I try to focus on the now.
Anyways, this is not even the Ethiopian New year…so who cares:)( Mark does…lol).
So, my resolution for this new year might be(don’t worry it is not a list) to have some input in this interesting blog of urs..
Tsega
So this is supposed kick my post’s ass, huh?
Regardless, Mark, this must be your best blog post yet. Wow, since I first met you and your blog, you guys have evolved into this cutest couples…. (OK I’m getting carried away – back to my point)… 🙂
Oh my goodness, seriously, I love it.
Arif entry! 🙂
Just so you know,
I’ve nominated you for both the Liebster and the Candle Lighter Awards!! 🙂
http://kweschn.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/liebster-and-candle-lighter-blogs/
Happy 2012!! 😀
Cheers