Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

This fight is for everything.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

No one could have predicted…

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Republicans in disarray!

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Let there be snark.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / And a Happy New Year to Everyone, aka THANK FUCKING FSM 2013 IS OVER

And a Happy New Year to Everyone, aka THANK FUCKING FSM 2013 IS OVER

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So basically, in 2013, I lost my cat, I lost my car, I lost my will to blog, and I totally lost my grounding, and were it not for my special doggy friend with her bullet shaped head and alligator lips and bulgy eyes and wet nose with whiskers all askew and her ability to lie underneath the covers with me for hours on end, I may have just said fuck it all. I don’t want to tempt fate, but I think I should be up for a pretty solid 2014. I mean, if it is as bad or worse, at least I know I have the start of a kickass country music song ready to be written.

Everyone is passed out all over the place, and I went over to the cat tree to take a pic of Steve for this post, and he came out to pose, let me take a couple pics, there was some heavy petting, and then he went back into his cat cave in the tree. He really does love this tower. Speaking of, here is Steve wishing you all a Happy New Year:

tongue

Happy New Years, juicers.

Reader Interactions

157Comments

  3. 3.

    Cain

    Happy fucking new year as well. It was overall a good year. I took a lot of vacation having fun. But it ended badly with a death of a close friend. I would like to thank all of you who responded to my post yesterday. I didn’t get a chance to thank everyone.

    Wish all of you a prosperous New Year and hope it isn’t as shitty as Johns. :-)

  4. 4.

    eemom

    let me take a couple pics

    I give up. There ya go 2014 — you are the year in which I officially give the fuck up on OF.

    Happy new year, Cole.

  6. 6.

    James E Powell

    Happy New Year & All the best to everybody at this place. The only place I come every day. I not only read what you all have to say, I look forward to reading it.

  10. 10.

    Anne Laurie

    Happy New Years, Cole, and may 2014 go much better for you!

    (Look on the bright side: You also, during the unlamented 2013, made the acquaintance of Mungo Steve, and had many chances to find out who your real friends were… )

  11. 11.

    MelissaM

    Chiming in to say, he is really a lovely looking cat. He’s super lucky to have won you in the owner (ownee?) lottery. A better 2014 to us all!!! (Except those teabaggers! They can shove it!)

  12. 12.

    something fabulous

    This year, I lost my dad and also I think my bearings. Hoping for a much better ’14. Thanks to all of you, FPers and commenters alike, for a great place to come and hang out, day after day, good years and less-good. About to be 2014 here in LA… and the sirens are starting in earnest. Glad to be home with the kitties– Happy New Year to all-y’all (as we say in Skokie my homeland)!

  15. 15.

    Punchy

    But think of all the progress your peeps made in equality….hell, they’re even wedding in mofo’ing Utah…..UTAH!….

  16. 16.

    RandomMonster

    2013 is an all-time sucks balls downer for me. Laid off after 25+ years. Looking at selling my house to live on whatever equity is there while I accomodate myself to reinventing my creative/high-tech self as a Starbucks employee. This new year couldn’t come sooner.

    Best of wishes to everyone here. Cole, you’ve made a home for me and a zillion other daily feeders. Keep up the good work and best to everyone here in 2014.

  17. 17.

    AndoChronic

    Hang in there buddy. There are many here that you really are keeping sane whether you like it or not, never forget it.

  18. 18.

    something fabulous

    …and first act of 2014? Wiping up kitty puke! All hail our overlords! [and gosh, I hope that’s all fireworks outside…]

  21. 21.

    MikeJ

    One more year until back to the future 2. Hoverboards! Pretty cool to have, even if they don’t work on water.

  24. 24.

    Alison

    Happy new year, all. 2013 was a difficult year for me. Frustrating, worrisome, exhausting. I am really hoping for 2014 to be better. I’m going to try my best, and hopefully that will be enough.

    Also, glad the firecrackers were minimal around here. My cat is not a fan.

  27. 27.

    seaboogie

    @kdaug: I don’t know where your reference came from, but the song link brought back a very happy memory from just before Christmas 29 years ago for me. Mom in MN decided that she didn’t want to care for us 3 kids anymore, so Dad (who had moved to Toronto) came down and picked us (and our tranquilized kitty) up in a rental cube van packed with our childhood beds, toys and bikes and we drove on up to Toronto. This song was popular then, and we rode off towards a new adventure together with this song often playing on the radio. I remember that we all had to shift right whenever Dad had to change gears. Thank you!

  28. 28.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Happy New Year, John Cole, Steve, Lily, Rosie and all Juicers.

    Also, to he who is with the Ceiling Cat now, Tunch.

  29. 29.

    GregB

    Happy New Year Cole, and brood and the rest of the Juicers, readers, posters, front pagers, back pagers, lurkers, trolls and the NSA.

  30. 30.

    Glocksman

    I mean, if it is as bad or worse, at least I know I have the start of a kickass country music song ready to be written

    Just remember what happens when you play a country song backwards.

    You get your job back.
    Your wife returns.
    Your truck starts again.
    You quit drinking heavily.
    Your mother gets out of prison and doesn’t get hit by that durned old train.*

    *Apologies to David Allan Coe.

  31. 31.

    Luci

    Happy New Year to all of you… the best group of posters on the Interwebs! I lurk more than I post, and I laugh a lot when I’m here, and I hope we all have the entirely new and improved year coming up!

  32. 32.

    Goblue72

    Happy New Year!!! Let us all commit that 2014 is the year we fight back! That means if all you do right now is comment on blogs, then you need to show up & phone bank this year. If all you do is blog, then you need to canvass this year. If all you do is canvass or phone bank, then you need to precinct captain this year. If all you do is precinct captain, then you need set a fundraising target this year. If all you do is fundraise, then you need to double it this year. Or show up at a phonebank.

    You get the picture. No one is excused, and no one gets to rest on their laurels. I don’t care what you did last year, or the year before, or 10, 20, 30 years ago. This year – you do more.

    Because the plutocrats, their mercenaries, and their rube army don’t quit. And our side is playing for bigger stakes.

    When we fight, we win. I’m dedicating 2014 to fighting. And winning.

  34. 34.

    Tommy

    @Goblue72: Agreed.I live in a purple district at best. I get lazy. We have direct fiber. Public transportation. So many great things I forget not everybody has them.

  35. 35.

    Billy K.

    My original comment was something along the lines of “Don’t be an asshole, Cole. We love you,” but that is stupid. So, yeah. You’re just an asshole.

  36. 36.

    Billy K.

    My original comment was something along the lines of “Don’t be an asshole, Cole. We love you,” but that is stupid. So, yeah. You’re just an asshole.

  37. 37.

    Red Apple Smokes

    I’m also happy to see 2013 disappear into the ether. It has really felt like a lost year, or one where I spent too much time spinning my wheels. It’s also probably time to do some serious drying out (hopefully under a doctor’s care). On the bright side, I’ll be eagerly checking the mail in anticipation of receiving my master’s degree. A successful capstone defense three weeks ago was one of the year’s few highlights. I don’t comment often, but I wanted to take this opportunity to wish one of the best online communities a happy new year.

  38. 38.

    Susanne

    I wish Cole, all the animals, and everyone in the BJ community a happy, healthy, prosperous 2014.

  41. 41.

    sm*t cl*de

    So which kind of cat thinks she is a labrador and swallows a cashew nut, wrecks our holiday plans by going AWOL for several days without eating or drinking, and finally runs up enormous veterinary surgery bills having the nut removed from her small intestine? And now has a zipper down her abdomen so she looks like a pyjama bag? HINT: M**N* C**N.
    http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad292/smutclyde/IMG_1902.jpg
    http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad292/smutclyde/IMG_1907.jpg

    For what she has just cost me, it should be a feckin’ gold nugget that was removed from her interior.

  42. 42.

    Debbie(aussie)

    Happy new year FP’s and commenters all. A truly great place to be in company.

    Just got home from an annual tradition that started the year the first ‘Rings’ movie came out. My bros b’day is 27th December, so we saw it for or around his big day, The HOBBBIT was amazing, I loved it. channelling my ten year old, can’t wait. Next year is too long,absolutely wonderful. Would go and see again tomorrow, exceptional.

  43. 43.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    @sm*t cl*de:

    For what she has just cost me, it should be a feckin’ gold nugget that was removed from her interior.

    It was for the vet.

  46. 46.

    NotMax

    Everything has become OSHA-fied.

    The New Year’s tradition in Stonehaven was a lot more fun back when it took place on the beach, with no crowd barriers, and the flame twirlers had had more than a wee dram beforehand and staggered off the line.

    Best 8 days I ever spent celebrating New Year’s was in Scotland in 1974.

  53. 53.

    TheMightyTrowel

    2013 was, for pretty much everyone I know – including myself – a year to be survived rather than enjoyed. Here’s to a solid 2014 all round!

    Next up: 2015: the year the Death Panels came to dinner.

  54. 54.

    NotMax

    3 double scotches and 2 bottles of champagne, and not even a shadow of a buzz.

    New Year’s Eve gathering broke up way too soon.

  55. 55.

    taylormattd

    Happy New Year Cole. You are all kinds of fantastic, period, full-stop, end of story.

  56. 56.

    Richard Fox

    Thank FSM 2013 is in the rear view mirror. Working on building my life back after losing my career (outsourced job to India no less) and now working on becoming a painter / artist full time. Have a slew of ideas to get this motor up and running. So hear hear, please start the New Year and get rid of the old. All the best for the coming year to Balloon Juice community, Mr. Cole and the ever beautiful Steve!

  57. 57.

    taylormattd

    Also, I must have been high as a fucking kite to think I could get some sleep with these toothless hicks setting off explosions. FUCK YOU ALL.

  58. 58.

    Keith G

    Happy Day After Tuesday.

    Changing calendars never had much importance to me – just another degree (actually a bit less) in the Earth’s elliptical path.

    As a distinct set of days, what sets 2014 apart from other such periods is that for the first time in 7 years I will return to the ranks of those who have decent healthcare options. I am one of those who will have a sizable whole blown in my budget because of that, but it is immensely worth it. Living is better than the darkness that follows death. Thank you, President Obama.

    What fascinates and equally scares me about the next (almost) 12 months is that we all get to see if the Democratic Party can get it’s act together, craft a unified message, fight to drive that message home each and every day, energize their voters with a combination of anger and hope, and win more than they lose in the midterm elections.

    Big changes ahead.

  60. 60.

    Linda Featheringill

    Happy New Year, everyone!

    Gee, I thought 2013 was stressful but after reading this thread, I guess I had an average year.

    Still, it’s great to be here. And a bit of a surprise to me actually. Didn’t think I’d last this long. Wow. Ain’t life funny?

  61. 61.

    MattF

    I agree that 2013 was kinda crappy, for various reasons I won’t specify. At least it’s done. May 2014 be a year of warmth and light.

  63. 63.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Ahhhh, all you all go fug yourselves with all this ceaseless cheeriness and good wishes.

    (somebody had to say it)

  64. 64.

    Elizabelle

    Happy New Year.

    Not the only person counting the days until the end of 2013, I see. It was a very difficult year, with some bright spots. (Yea Obamacare. Yea Virginia has Democratic governor, lt. governor, AG, and both senators. Whoo!!)

    Personally, though, a bit rough. May 2014 be better. I think it will be.

  67. 67.

    danielx

    Usual mad minute at midnight.

    To those folks who think it great big fun to shoot ten celebratory rounds in the air at midnight, let me whisper in your shell-like ears: what goes up invariably comes down, and I hope it came down on your head.

  69. 69.

    ericblair

    @GregB:

    Happy New Year Cole, and brood and the rest of the Juicers, readers, posters, front pagers, back pagers, lurkers, trolls and the NSA.

    Hope everybody got an e-card from their NSA case officer! Mine reminded me to drop off my library books, which is a nice personal touch.

  70. 70.

    Elizabelle

    Is Cole’s car actually “lost”? Is it still in that field? Does Cole have new wheels yet?

  73. 73.

    SarahT

    My 2013 was pretty wretched too, Mr. Cole – for too many of my friends, & for plenty of others around here too, seems like. Here’s hoping for much better days for us all, and a happy, healthy, joyful New Year to everyone at this wonderful place. Off to eat bagels & lox before watching De Blasio’s Inauguration – not a bad start so far, so things may be looking up !

  74. 74.

    Tommy

    Watching ESPN. Penn State’s coach just went to the NFL. Folks seemed confused. The guy tried to help a storied program. But a program that raped kids. Why would it be strange in the least he wanted out of there?

  75. 75.

    Violet

    Happy new year, Cole and Juicers. Was in bed before midnight last night so awake early. Wishing everyone a good 2014.

  76. 76.

    aimai

    @sm*t cl*de: smut clyde is that your art form on the photo bucket? What do you calll it? Your reworked images are fantastic! I had no idea! Anyway congratulations on saving the cat and on that very interesting photobucket series.

  77. 77.

    grishaxxx

    @Anne Laurie: And you do have some real friends out here, whom you have never met, yet they (and here I mean me…) admire so much your honesty and integrity and this circle of great and clever writers you’ve magnetized. Had an emotionally tough year myself, though nothing like yours for loss, this sun cycle. Stay safe, ya bastid, and the piglets and Steve, too!

  78. 78.

    Amir Khalid

    Was just at The Daily Beast, read something by P.J. O’Rourke. It’s just random snippets pasted together, no organisation or wit apparent anywhere in the whole. I remember how sharp and funny he used to be at Rolling Stone. PJ’s really lost it as a writer; and as he gets older, he looks more and more like the Cigarette-Smoking Man.

  79. 79.

    Josie

    if it is as bad or worse, at least I know I have the start of a kickass country music song ready to be written.

    Thanks for this, my first chuckle of the new year, John. I love you, the pets and this community, which are all a wonderful antidote to loneliness and disconnection. Happy New Year to all and FSM bless us, every one.

  80. 80.

    Tommy

    Wish I could hug all of you that didn’t have a good 2013. Good year for me if not great. Some shit sucked. Others things good. It just pains me to hear so many sad stories. I wish better for everybody.

  81. 81.

    Sir Laffs-a-lot

    Happy New Year one and all, a special thanks to the Front Pagers and especially our beknighted Bloghost and his four footed friends and, to all creatures great and small the FSM has blessed our lives with, May Pasta Bless..

  82. 82.

    bewleys

    This blog would make you “lose my will to blog”, it has morphed again via the comments.
    It is a good thing you have pets, they keep you grounded in a sea of never-ending bullshit.

  83. 83.

    Constance

    Happy 2014 to every person and pet connected to BJ. It really is the best blog on the internet with the best commenters–in fact, the only comments I read are on BJ. You folks may be tough love but you also have great hearts and are often LOL funny. Thanks for that.
    I, too, lament the passing of whatever part of speech “OF” is in conjunction with “couple.”

  86. 86.

    dww44

    @RandomMonster: Gosh, 2013 seems to have showcased the sheer callousness of the American system of mostly unfettered capitalism. Hope that 2014 is a better year for you.

  87. 87.

    gene108

    I think there are many groups of people I will never understand. I was thinking about an incident I saw last night and realized I have no common ground with their reaction.

    I went to Philly last night for dinner. We walked down to Penn’s Landing by the Delaware River to see the fire works at midnight.

    We and everyone else and there mother’s brother’s cousin’s aunt’s uncle’s (you get the idea) were leaving at the same time. There were many pedestrians and cars in a 3 block radius. Traffic was mostly gridlocked, with pedestrians streaming around.

    After slight detours, because there was too much traffic in the right lane to make the right-turn I needed to make and folks weren’t letting me in, I get to a street where traffic is clearing up because it is a few more blocks over from where the fire works were.

    I am the first car in front of a red light, with no traffic ahead of me, so I can get back on my way.

    A white Malibu jumps into the left shoulder/parking lane and rushes up to the light seemingly to make a left turn onto a one-way street (only way you can turn), even though there’s a no turn on red sign.

    Unfortunately for the Malibu three not so big white kids (5’6″ to 5’8″ and skinny) were crossing the street. The Malibu hit its brakes. One of the kids got pissed and seemed to mouth off to the Malibu driver, which I can guess is something to the effect of “what the fuck, watch where you are going motherfucker, you nearly ran us over”.

    After a brief pause Malibu occupants (two big black guys) get out of the car and start going after the kids.

    The light turned green and there was still a long line of cars behind me, so I didn’t see if there was a real fight that ensued, but from what I saw the white kids backed up and kept there distance from the black guys so there wasn’t a real fight.

    Anyway, what I don’t understand is after you break some traffic rules to rush around a lot of traffic, what compels someone to get out of their car to chase after someone for talking crap to you because you fucked up by ignoring traffic rules?

    I understand the pedestrians point of view, because they were doing the right thing and crossing when there light was green and someone broke traffic rules and got closer to them than should have happened. I can even understand kids getting mouthy.

    I do not get that kind (or pretty much any kind) of road rage, where you stop what you were doing – which was very, very urgent until that point of time – to start a fight.

    Also a little over a year ago, a guy got beat to death because he was trying to hail a cab and the car behind him thought he was shouting at them. So they got out and beat him to death

    So maybe there’s a level of road rage in Philly that really is mind boggling.

    It makes no sense to me.

  88. 88.

    Mystical Chick

    Happy New Year to all my fellow Juicers! As many have said, BJ is one of my few MUST VISITS every day. Thank you all for being such a warm, loving community. I wish you all the best in 2014.

  89. 89.

    shelly

    Also, glad the firecrackers were minimal around here. My cat is not a fan.

    Midnight on the dot, a couple of our local knuckleheads set off a round of fireworks. Luckily my pup was curled up in her giant furry donut and didn’t hear.

    Happy New Year, everybody! As so many, prayers that 2014 brings good things for us all.

  90. 90.

    gene108

    @Tommy:

    He was doing a good job too of rebuilding the program, even with their sanctions. I believe the PSU Administration would also be forgiving for whatever lack of success he has because of penalties, so he had a good bit of job security for a coach.

    This isn’t a big shock, because rumblings about O’Brien going to the NFL for several weeks now.

    EDIT: Sucks for PSU fans

  91. 91.

    Schlemizel

    @Amir Khalid:

    I never saw much humor in PJ after he left the Lampoon to me he was working to hard to make a political point and not making the humor first. I’m not surprised he is deflating, so much of what he laughed at his proven out to be serious and the points he was trying to make have proven out to be garbage. You can only saw the iceberg off so small before it won’t support you.

  92. 92.

    shelly

    Lurv the Steve picture!

    I’m always floored by the sheer fur on that cat. Cole, I know you brush him often, but I wonder what your lint filter must look like.

  93. 93.

    dww44

    @dww44: Now that I’ve read the rest of the comments, it seems there are lots of others for whom 2013 wasn’t a banner year. Here’s hoping that 2014 is better for all of you and getting out and working for those who don’t have a problem with fettering capitalism a bit just might be the ticket to make it a better year for us all.

  94. 94.

    Tommy

    @gene108: Not sure the color of their skin matters, but I hear yeah. It is my experience many folks think what they do is more important then what you or I am doing.

    I am a big biker and walker. Stuns me I have to always have my head on a swivel cause it would seem folks in a car think they have more rights to the road then I do.

  95. 95.

    gene108

    @ericblair:

    Mine reminded me to drop off my library books, which is a nice personal touch.

    Which is helpful because you do not want the policeshowing up with a warrant to arrest you for the overdue library book.

  96. 96.

    GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)

    Fell asleep before this was posted (because old, and don’t give a fuck) but happy 2014 to my favorite online denizens.

  98. 98.

    Waspuppet

    Best to everyone. I have to say that 2013 was pretty great – I got a job (not a great paying one but I like it, and I “only” had to look six months after leaving my old job to follow my wife’s new one); I got a book contract and my son seems to have shaken off whatever depression/anger problems he was having and is doing pretty well in school with a decent number of friends. (Heck, the fact that he’s psychologically able to go to school at all is an improvement.) And while I know nothing lasts forever, none of these things disappeared when I woke up this morning. So I don’t put that much stock in the year-to-year divide either, but I’m just hopeful yet happy and thankful. My best wishes for a better year to those here and my friends in the physical world who had it rough.

  99. 99.

    mai naem

    Happy Fucking New Year to All!!!
    Here’s one more person who is very happy to see 2013 gone. Seriously one shitty year.
    @gene108: I drive a lot for work. I see all kinds of crap. I pretty much ignore any crap aimed at me because who the hell knows who has a gun and is going to postal on you. A couple of years ago I was sitting at a red light completely in my lane waiting to make a right turn. There was woman with a young teenage daughter(13ish?) walking across the street that I was going to make the turn on to. I was doing absolutely nothing wrong. I wasn’t in anyway into the crosswalk. Had my signal on. The kid flips me off!. I don’t think the mom saw it because the girl turned around to flip me off. WTF?

  100. 100.

    J R in WV

    @something fabulous:

    My Dad died on election day, 2004. I was with him in Texas, where my brother lives. My brother is a R, and had a Bush 4 more years bumper sticker on his biggest SUV evah!

    I will always be grateful to him for not saying anything smirky as we watched the election returns later that night.

    So I can relate to your loss, and am sorry to hear of it. My Dad was 80, and had been seriously ill for 4 or 5 years by the time he decided to stop fighting and go with Hospice, which provided angelic care at the end of his life.

    And just as important, Happy New Year everyone!/ We put another year in the history books, and survived to tackle another, 2014. Hope it’s good for everyone.

    JR

  104. 104.

    Tommy

    @Belafon: Almost two years ago to this day I was on my bike. Got hit by a car. Lost a few teeth. Broke my collar bone. Dislocated my shoulder. As I laid on the side of the road, in the middle of a town, not some remote place, cars just kept going past me. I guess they had someplace to be.

  105. 105.

    Citizen_X

    @gene108:

    I do not get that kind (or pretty much any kind) of road rage, where you stop what you were doing – which was very, very urgent until that point of time – to start a fight.

    To paraphrase Rick James: alcohol is a hell of a drug.

  107. 107.

    KXB

    2013 was one of my better years. Got some bad habits under control, and ended the year with more money in the bank than going out. Since summer, business has been really busy, with more revenue coming in. In family life, the truce has held, although there continue to be scary moments with the units. One of my relatives texted me this morning, letting me know that his wife is going into labor. That is a memorable start to the year.

  108. 108.

    Hillary Rettig

    @sm*t cl*de: She looks at peace with her decisions! :-)

    Happy New Year to John and everyone here! BJ is still my Web home and the first place I visit each morning, and I’m really grateful to the community.

    2013 was one of my best years ever, even though I’m now dealing with Lake Effect Snow(tm). Decades of optimism finally paid off. Here’s what I wrote about my big event this year: http://www.hillaryrettig.com/2013/09/05/live-from-kalamazoo-a-new-shot-at-love/

    We also adopted Billy, a 10 yo rescue pom: http://www.hillaryrettig.com/2013/12/13/popular-demand-billy-parquet/

  110. 110.

    karen

    Happy New Year Juicers! 2013 was the year that I lost my job after 15 years, moved into an independent living facility and went on COBRA. It’s also the year that I paid much less rent and had my first ebook published. 2014 is the year I qualified for Medicaid under the new rules. Never thought I’d have Medicaid and had a bit of uneasiness but with Rheumatoid Arthritis I can’t afford to let that uneasiness stop me. Because I’m lucky enough to live in MD, the medicaid managed care option is connected to John’s Hopkins and so far has two of my doctors on it. The one bad thing is that if I get sick and have to go to the hospital in other states, like when I visit my folks in NY, Medicaid won’t cover me. Still worth it though.

  112. 112.

    Tommy

    @katie5: I hope that for you. This year my mom was in the ICU for a month. Almost lost her. I was always pretty close with her, but now I make sure I call her almost everyday. Best thing ever we are closer.

  113. 113.

    Tommy

    @karen: So glad you are getting the care you need. I mean I might be preaching to the choir here, but we live in a nation where everybody should have the care they need. It just isn’t acceptable to me this isn’t always the case.

  114. 114.

    ? Martin

    2013 was a bit of a lost year for me. Lost many friends and coworkers – some from cancer, one hit and killed on his bike, 3 suicides, one sudden heart attack on vacation with his family (a year younger than I) – those were all very hard. Worked way too much and had a number of challenges at home (not unrelated…). It ended on an encouraging note, though – an unexpected promotion and a raise that will probably equal the total of every raise I’ve gotten in the last 18 years. (It’s a nice raise, but that’s much more of an indictment of how shitty my raises have been the the past, including a few years of going backward.) I haven’t gotten it yet, but I have confirmation that it’s in process, so I expect that’s how 2014 will start out, and that’s as good a start as I’ve had on a year since the two years when my kids were born (both January). This year’s challenge will be 13th and 16th birthdays for those two. The former is a 13 year old girl with a big personality (which I suspect will kill me) and the latter a 16 year old boy that will (unbeknownst to him today) be turning up his college prep to 11. They’re both pretty awesome people, though, and I don’t begrudge them the grey hair they’re giving me.

    Happy new year, everyone. Grab your largest glass and begin collecting wingnut tears – and in 12 months we’ll toast our marxist victory!

  115. 115.

    geg6

    Happy New Year, Juicers!

    Cole, I hope 2014 is a much better year for you. And I hope all the others who had a rough 2013 have a better year, too.

    2013 was okay for me. Best thing was Koda entering my life. She’s a pure joy and I thank BJ and, especially, Anne Laurie for that. I got a promotion and a raise. And, after several years of sparse work, my John was informed, on New Year’s Eve no less, that he got a rather large contract for his consulting business which will not only provide a huge revenue infusion, but likely lead to a lot of other business in this particular market. So we had a lot to celebrate last night. First really good thing for his business since the ’08 crash.

  116. 116.

    gogol's wife

    Happy New Year everyone. John Cole is the best. I love all his animals too. I love Tunchie, and will forever keep my 2013 BJ calendar because there he is in November (and my canine nephew is there in February).

    I hope 2014 is the year that everyone realizes what a great president Obama is. Not holding my breath — it will probably take a little longer, and I may not live to see it.

  117. 117.

    Nicole

    Happy 2014 everyone! My stepmom, being from Southeast Asia, follows the Chinese calendar in many things and she’d say the turmoil many had in 2013 was due to it falling mostly under Year of the Snake. On the bright side, Year of the Horse should be much luckier. Not as bright side, we still have a month to go.

    For me, bring on the equine. Not a horrible year, but not the best.

  119. 119.

    Carrie

    @Tommy:
    Tommy, do me a favour, will ya?
    Call her every day. Twice a day even. Call her so that she gets to a point where she tells you to stop calling her.

  120. 120.

    raven

    It sucked, now I have to go to a new years day party that starts the same time as the Dawgs. Hopefully none of these artsy intellectuals will show up half way through the first half and let the Dawg out of the bag.

  121. 121.

    brendancalling

    2013 was up and down for me. First full year single since the breakup in 2012; made less money than last year, and I suspect I may never have another FT job. OTOH, I toured a lot, spending quality time in Florida, Austin, Nashville and LA. Did my first half marathon. Learned to lindy. Kissed a lot of girls. My pet project made the cover of the Philly Weekly.

    Now I’m ready to exercise my open options, so if anyone needs a writer, editor, or brewer in Seattle, LA, San Diego, or another cool city, hit me up.

  122. 122.

    Tommy

    @Carrie: My mom is a rock star. I knew this but didn’t always treat her as such. Maybe because I am getting older or we almost lost her, but I never realized how amazing she was until recently. My fault not hers. I now realize things I didn’t like about her, well those things are in fact what makes her awesome.

  123. 123.

    watergirl

    This was a tough year for me too. My huge tree fell on my house at the end of may, followed by 6 months of repairs and disruption. I called it the lost summer, and then it turned into the lost fall, too. I finally surfaced just in time for thanksgiving.

    But no one was hurt and the insurance company treated me well and I have a house that’s kind of like new, inside and out. So maybe what began as a very traumatic event turned out to be a blessing in some ways. So many people were so kind to me that it renewed my faith in human nature.

    I finally have my house back and I feel like 2014 is a fresh start for me. May this be a great year for all of us!

    @? Martin: I replied to your BJ comment the day you had your surprise meeting with your bosses and weren’t altogether sure what you thought about the whole thing, but I think the thread was dead by then so you likely never saw it.

    Happy to see you are in a better place. This is two tough years in a row for you, if I recall correctly.

  125. 125.

    watergirl

    @gene108: Do you read booman at the booman tribune? He and several commenters are in Philly, I believe, and he sometimes posts about the violence there. You might just find some comfort in their company.

  126. 126.

    watergirl

    @raven: My heart drops every time I read about your delays. The disruption is tiring beyond belief. Here’s to happy endings, and may yours be one of them!

    Edit: when I wasn’t calling it the lost summer, I called it Home Makeover: Tree Edition.

  128. 128.

    MomSense

    Wishing all the B-Jers and our pet overlords a happy new year. A big thank you to our front pagers and to John Cole for giving us this place to point and mock, support each other, laugh, rage, worry, wonder, and generally try to make sense of things.

  129. 129.

    Lizzy L

    Happy New Year, juicers, and especially Cole. 2013 was not a great year for me — I lost a dear friend and a beloved cat — but it was not the worst year by far. I made some important long-term decisions, which I hope will bear fruit in 2014. Nicole, I hope your stepmom is right. Peace and comfort to all.

  130. 130.

    Mnemosyne (iPhone)

    Happy New Year! We just got up (hey, we’re on the West Coast) and G went out to get orange juice for mimosas. After he gets back, I’m making banana pancakes and bacon and we’re watching the DVRed Rise Parade with no commercials.

    2013 was slightly better than 2012, but since it included the death of my father and a huge family feud over his estate, that’s not saying much. Hopefully 2014 will be better for all of us!

  131. 131.

    Jay C

    It doesn’t sound, from most of the posts here, like 2013 was a (positively) memorable year for most Juicers, so hopefully 2014 will be an improvement! Happy New Year to all!

  133. 133.

    Pogonip

    @Nicole: Yes, according to Chinese calendar, 2013 was supposed to be a bad year for just about everybody, and on that calendar, it’s not over till 31 January, so we must beware for another few weeks.

  134. 134.

    Ruckus

    2013 started out almost worse than 2012, the year I lost everything. Got kicked out of where I was living, had no job, early 60’s so little prospects as well. But…. A friend found me a job, I have a room to live in, 3 cats(landlords) to pet, the VA accepted me so healthcare. Can’t say its wonderful but I’m still alive and not starving. The glass may only be 1/8 full but it isn’t 7/8 empty.
    To all of you who had a bad year(s) here’s hoping it gets better.

  135. 135.

    Nicole

    @Pogonip: At least there’s a good year to look forward to. I like snakes in real life, just not apparently on the Chinese astrological calendar! I mean, it wasn’t the worst year, but definitely a C or C-.

  136. 136.

    Ruckus

    @Amir Khalid:
    I used to enjoy PJ. But not for the last what 10 years or so. He reads like a dried up old hack. Nothing is funny, which was about 75% of the reason to read him. And his content has gotten stupid. So that’s the other 25%, gone as well.

  138. 138.

    Pogonip

    @Nicole: I also like snakes in real life. The bigger snakes eat mice and the small ones eat bugs. I spend a lot of time defending snakes to women (hey, you really don’t have to be stupid to be feminine, and SNAKES EAT VERMIN!). Did that help me any in the Year of the Darn Snake? Not a bit. Harrumph.

  141. 141.

    ? Martin

    @watergirl:

    This is two tough years in a row for you, if I recall correctly.

    Yeah, it has been. In a nutshell, a significant percentage of my friends died – many unexpectedly. I really kind of checked out of my social life due to that. I responded by filling my hours by working. Some for my employer, some for my wife, some for other people, but I mostly just worked and slept. I didn’t really get anything out of that other than getting through each day. Unexpectedly I get this reward, and it’s perked me up. So, I’m a bit encouraged here. It feels good.

  142. 142.

    mcmullje

    I agree – good riddance to 2013 – what a year – probably the most traumatic of my life (and I’m old).

    On with the new – I wish you, John, and everyone else on Balloon Juice a healthy 2014.

    Sometimes this blog kept my head above water.

    Cheers to all!!!!!

  143. 143.

    Ruckus

    @? Martin:
    Getting through each day is a good thing. Some do it by being a drunk, some by being angry(or both), some do it by other destructive means. Working to get through can cause some problems for sure but generally isn’t destructive. And sometimes it even has rewards. Congrats on the job stuff and good luck for the new year.

  144. 144.

    Mnemosyne (iPhone)

    @watergirl:

    As with so many things having to do with money, the problem was the symbolism more than the dollar amount. But I THINK (hope) that we’ve manage to come to a compromise so my mom doesn’t feel like she’s been turned into a tenant of the house she designed 25 years ago, so I’m hoping there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.

  145. 145.

    MikeInSewickley

    John, thanks for everything you and the Balloon Juice folks do for us out here.

    BJ is my favorite site – I get to read and see real people with real problems overcome them.

    I get real news and humanity in one place. As other commenters said, it helps us keep our heads above water during the bad times.

    And reading about John and the menagerie gives me hope that we can get past the trauma and become better for it.

    Thanks to everyone and Happy New Year!

  146. 146.

    watergirl

    @? Martin: I can only imagine how bleak it must have been, losing people like that. So glad to hear that things are looking up for you, you deserve some good things to happen!

  147. 147.

    Barbara

    I come to Balloon Juice every day and a major part of that (apart from the Steve pix and the charm/grumpiness of our blogmaster) is the community here. People talk about their real problems and sympathize with each other and laugh, and I’m sure there are lots of lurkers like me who find it life-affirming to check in and visit even when we don’t contribute any brilliant comments. Happy New Year to all of you!

  148. 148.

    watergirl

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone): oops, I got the quote slightly wrong. It’s supposed to be that you never really know someone until you share an inheritance with them.

    It’s definitely not the size of the inheritance, just any inheritance at all. It can get very tricky with family, and it took me a few years to let it all go. And I am normally very forgiving.

    Hope you have all found some peace with your solution!

  149. 149.

    CaseyL

    I hope that 2014 is a good year – for all my fellow BJers, and for me.

    Seriously re-evaluating what I want to do professionally after realizing that, except for five great years at Weyerhaeuser, all the jobs I’ve had for the past 15 years have sucked donkey balls for one reason or another. Poor management, mostly; but quite a bit was trying to fit into corporate or office cultures that my younger, saner self would have run from screaming. Trying diligently to be something I’m not.

    After 15+ years of trying to fit into corporate or law meat grinders, I now have no clear sense of what my real strengths are, as an employee or even as a person.

    I’m going to meet with a friend who does life-work coaching. I do have an idea of where I want to go, but little notion of how to get there. Maybe she can help.

    It’s scary, having to do that at my age. But I read here about folks my age or older doing the same thing, and that gives me a sense of camaraderie, and hope.

  150. 150.

    ruemara

    @Goblue72: Got that right. I guess part of my year will be spent working with OFA locals. Again.

    2013 was just another in a long string of bad year pearls. But things got a lot better towards the end. 1. Not in hospital! YES! As funny as the dangerous hypertension nosebleeds can be, it’s a little horrifying to go through. So yay. 2. medication nausea/illness under control. Less headaches, less urgh, high normals, strange high sleep pressure-meh, not that bad. 3. The kindness of strangers. Who are fairly awesome and deserve kitty snorgles all around.

    I feel a lot more positive about things improving somehow this year. Hopefully before I have to give up my apartment, but yes, an improvement year for us all.

  151. 151.

    Ruckus

    @CaseyL:
    When we were young, an old person usually worked and retired at one job, at least for their last 15-20 yrs. Not everyone of course but lots of people’s work life was that way. That’s all but gone now. And those over somewhere around 50 are the pioneers in having to re-invent ourselves as we get older and having to think that maybe retirement won’t be retirement at all. The upside, if there is one is as we as a culture get used to the idea it is possible that jobs/management may have to get better. People will be used to moving job to job and won’t put up with as much crap. They will move on because they are used to it. We don’t have that luxury of being used to it. We are still programed to stay in one place, to become a fixture if you will and to work for others. I’ve spent over 25 yrs owning my own companies and I’m still programed to want to stay in one job/place when I work for someone else.

  152. 152.

    Pogonip

    @CaseyL: Let us know how it works out, sounds interesting.

    A person where I work said “I’m not interested in reality, don’t talk about it, it’s such a downer.”. That’s when I realized that efforts to be Part Of The Team would make me as crazy as my colleague, and backed off to amused detachment. So far, nobody has minded, or even noticed.

  153. 153.

    Gustopher

    It must be really hard to take pictures that badly these days. Turn on some lights to get the shutter speed down, and use the autofocus. And then, maybe, learn about white balance.

    My phone takes better pictures than that. Wow.

    Also, 2014 will be worse than 2013, because things never get better. The best you can hope for is that the horrors of 2014 will in some way prepare you for the truly terrible horrors of 2015.

    Also, happy new year.

  155. 155.

    Teddy Salad

    Good riddance to 2013. I lost my best friend (dead), my car (demolished) and the woman I thought was the ONE (left). We are ALL mourning the loss of Tunch, which hit me in ways I can’t fathom.
    BUT, believe it or not, Cole, you and the Juicers have helped sustain me, inspire me, and somehow made life a little better, with a little bit of hope in sight. So I thank you, John Cole. Long may you blog. We need you. Happy New Year to you, Cole, Steve, the piglets and all the Juicers!

  156. 156.

    JustRuss

    Nice pic. That little fucker is definitely your cat Cole. Happy New Year to you and yours anyway, even Steve.

    Also, lets not forget 2014 is the second year of the not-Romney presidency, and be grateful.

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