Happy New Year?

Another year over and a new one just begun

So here we are at the start of another year, with the making of more new year's resolutions and heartfelt hopes and wishes that this year will be better than the last. But, of course, we all know that making things better does not result from turnig the calendar page over to the next year or by wishing it so. No, to make things better in our own lives and the world around us we each have to work to make that happen. And that can (and should) happen at any time of the year, it just takes an effort and wanting to improve. And still, there is so much that we wish were better that is completely beyond our own control. But we have to do what we can. So, there's nothing special about January that should take on all the burden of making things get better. But I do understand where this all comes from and I do feel it too. Although of no practical significance, the start of a new year does make a convenient indicator of the end of one thing and the beginning of another, and endings and new beginnings are always something of great emotional importance. And so it is only natural to hope for the best in those new beginnings even if nothing has really changed. There is that internal yearning for something better. It's like in Paul Simon's great and vastly underappreciated song 'Train in the Distance' in which the chorus goes 'Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance, everybody thinks it's true' and the final verse sums things up 'So what is the point of this story, what information pertains? The thought that life could be better is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains.' And so it goes out from me to you as well, hopes and wishes that this year will be a great one, and let's all do whatever we can to at least make it a bit better, ok? Happy New Year to all.

I'll keep providing some worthwhile tunes, if only somewhat sporadically, when I can, and I hope you'll keep on coming by to check things out, and hopefully there'll be something here to make your life just a little bit better, at least for awhile with some fine music. Thank you to all that make this blog possible and Happy New Year to all.