By KATHY GIBBONS
Local Columnist
January 04, 2009 12:00 am A new year. A chance to begin again. It's time for all of us optimists to dig even deeper and reaffirm our resolve to believe things are going to get better for our country and our economy in 2009. Even in good times, a new year signals a clean slate -- a time for new possibilities. That's why we have resolutions. This year, a chance to start fresh is even more meaningful. The prospect of a new president certainly helps. I know people who have been wearing T-shirts and sporting bumper stickers that read "1-20-09" for years now. They've even kept "Bush's Last Day Countdown Clocks" on their computers. For many, inauguration day 2009 seemed impossibly and hopelessly too far in the future as they feared the damage that could be wreaked in the meantime. But now it is almost here -- another cause for optimism. If all we could expect was the same old same old, I think a lot of people would be jumping out of windows about now, if they already haven't. For me, this hope means that the next time at the doctor's office, when they run through the routine list of questions about your health history and get to the one, "Is there anyone you are afraid of?" my first thought to respond will no longer be "George W. Bush." Meanwhile, I personally begin the new year with a fresh mantra that came directly out of the presidential campaign of 2008. Watching Sarah Palin become queen of the Republican Party based on a dynamite combination of good looks, charisma, a seemingly photographic memory and acting ability, I was inspired. As a result, I have adopted a philosophy that goes like this: If Sarah Palin can be the governor of Alaska, I can certainly be _____ (fill in the blank: ditch digger, CEO, or just about any other job you may have thought you'd like and believe you could do well at but didn't think you'd actually be qualified for). I may not be able to see Russia from my front porch, but I can see the forest for the trees. And I believe all of us -- not just the Democrats and/or optimists among us -- need to jump on the patriotism bandwagon that has us all realizing we are in this together. Because we are. And it will only be through sheer strength, determination and willingness to get behind our new president with a new resolve to regain the strength and leadership our great country once had that we will see the hope and possibilities of a new year translate to reality. That's a resolution I hope we all can make -- and keep. Kathy Gibbons can be reached via the Record-Eagle or at gibbonskath@yahoo.com.
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Kathy Gibbons