We're in the final days of 2007, and it's as good at time as any to post some deep thoughts that have been banging around in my head lately.

First of all, I'm glad this year is ending, because it's been a weird one -- not nececessarily bad, just weird. How else can you describe a year that included getting a speeding ticket in a parking garage, getting in a car accident because my dog Ralph vomited in my lap (that's why he's called Ralph), and almost getting fired because of a lame attempt at humor e-mailed from work to a local disk jockey? So I'm hoping that 2008 will be relatively dumb-event-free.

I don't have much hope for what's going on in the world in general. I wish those events were merely stupid and innocuous, instead of stupid and cataclysmic. Instead we have an economic meltdown that's been years in the making, along with a lingering war, the usual lack of viable choices for political office (Christ, I'm sick of voting for the lesser of two evils...), and increasing hatred and violence, both at home and abroad.

In times like these I guess it's no wonder I don't want to leave the house (at least not with the dog in my car). But mostly it's just been general inertia that's kept me cooped up in the house lately, even though I've had the past week off. I haven't done much this week -- the kids are too old for Santa-related festivities, and for Christmas fun in general. Evidently disconnection from various electronic devices has a disastrous effect on teenagers. Oh, who am I kidding -- as age has caught up with me, I've just become a slug.

One of the major changes has been a reluctance -- nay, an aversion -- to expressing myself in the written word. In short, I hate writing. Oh sure, I can still edit and offer advice on other people's writing, in fact I enjoy it. But these days, I'd much rather cook than write. I've replaced verbs with herbs, and the results are much more palatable than another unreadable novel.