the old year passes...the song is running in my head. Now I'll bet it's humming in yours.

I was going to do a personal year in review, but the most eventful parts have been at work--situations and crises not mentioned here, because the axe has come down on other employees who wrote specific items not complimentary to management in a public arena such as this.

Suffice it to say that my project was wrenched away from me, mangled beyond all recognition, put under the aegis of someone whose sole aim in life is to get himself promoted. He will brook no discussion; he will micromanage everyone; he will administer a program he doesn't even understand very well, rejecting all expert input if it does not come from trusted minions.

Does this sound like anyone in Washington? Very discouraging; however, we keep on truckin'.

At home this time last year was very different from today. Since January 2004, I have refinanced my home and the financial situation is greatly improved thereby. My husband's health has stabilized--he shakes more, but his mental acuity seems to be returning, for which I am deeply thankful.

My daughter just left for another contract in the Seattle area, so she's self-supporting again for the nonce.

And I just keep on keeping on. My resolution for the New Year is to remain in adult mode at home no matter what happens. I've turned into a punitive parent too many times--when the doors have remained unlocked overnight, when the trash hasn't been taken out, when meds haven't been taken, etc. etc. Well, no longer. My poor attitude has been ruining my home life to the point where I no longer wanted to go home at the end of the day. Since it was my problem, I'm determined to fix it.

It's not as easy to remain an adult as it is to describe it. But I will make the effort to stay in the present and deal with the facts. The trick is, you have to do it mentally as well as verbally. If you feel like an angry parent, it will come out, no matter how carefully you phrase what you say. So first of all I have to talk to myself--and then I talk to the miscreant.

So that's it for 2004. May 2005 bring light and love to us all.