2020 is the new Dirty Word

Hi, Everybody, Happy New Year. In 1967, during the Cold War with Russia, Fritz and I were living in Zuerich, Switzerland. We saw an ad for the "inaugural" flight to Moscow by Swissair, because Switzerland was the only "neutral" country and Russia wanted to open up flights for their planes to fly to. And by now I guess you have grown to know my husband enough to know that that sort of offer was right up his Travel alley. So at Christmas we were the only Americans on a planeload of Swissies on the first flight into Moscow, while, in return, Switzerland would allow an Aeroflot from Moscow to bring Russians to Zuerich. I have written about the entire trip in a long chapter called Moscow Diary for my forthcoming book, so I won't go into any of the interesting details of Intourist's attempts to braiwash us the entire time, but just wanted to lead into today's Blog with something from the New Year's Eve event. After the gala banquet and the entertainment, we returned to our hotel room in the Metropol Hotel, and as we stepped out of the elevator, we were confronted again, as usual, by the dour-faced woman sitting at the desk directly in front of the elevator door. She grudgingly handed us our key, and then in (her) best English said, "Happy New You". Fritz and I laughed all the way to our room. But now, in retrospect, after the year we've had with 2020, I find myself wishing all of you, AND ME, a Happy New You for 2021. I've been re-reading all the Christmas and Hanukkah cards that Marta and Steve received the last month of 2020 with all the variety of stories of how the Covid-19 Pandemic had affected each writer. Suffice it to say that if you have any sense of humor left, you are thinking of phrases like, "What the 2020?" On the other hand, think about reinventing yourself into a New You. Think of the possibilities! What have you wanted to do? To become? To accomplish? To achieve? To reform? To complete? Forget about New Years Resolutions. They are only made to be ignored. Dishonored on the third of January as you sneak one more piece of See's candies from the box that you hid in the freezer, to keep from eating.... Hah!!! And, approaching bedtime once more without having done your sworn 20 minutes on the treadmill with the guilty "Mañana" on your lips. Small wonder that "Mañana" is the busiest day of every week! But the concept of reinventing yourself creates tons of new possibilities. I realized as I turned 94 two days ago, that this year I am going to change from being a Writer to being an Author. That entails getting my Memoirs published. To do that, I have to organize and perhaps revise some chapters, so, fired up with the new energy being an Author generates, I dug out two cartons of already-written chapters, separated them into piles of "Ready", "Need Revising", and "Ideas". Unfortunately, they're all back in one carton, and the carton labeled "Ready" is empty, but I really enjoyed reading all of them over again... And I did organize them. I'll tackle the writing and revising as soon as I get all my jewelry supplies organized. Because my New You wants to recapture the Old You who used to live minimalistically, totally without Clutter. That's on the current Agenda. So with the great plans and the enthusiasm a Great Plan generates here we go, into 2021. First, we halt the Pandemic, then we eagerly greet a new Administration, and with all the good, new "You's" create an atmosphere of love, good will and accomplishments. And that will make a lot of different annual letters this December. Cheers! Janice