A change is gonna come.

As I awoke last night to the sound of howling winds, I got to thinking about the coming New Year.

And yes, I am alluding to “Winds of Change” there. Cheesy, I know. But it was 3:30 AM.

See, 2008 started-off with a bang. After being unemployed for half of 2007, January saw me get a job and a lady in the same week…things were looking up.

If only I hadn’t peaked there.

The relationship didn’t last, with me playing the role of a Neville Brother, having ‘Played the Fool.’ And the job, while offering a paycheck and chance to work with some good folks, turned-out to be a mind-numbing dead-end position in an industry that is seriously hurting.

Woo Hoo…

While my lot is better than some, as I am employed, I am ready for a change.

Howl-on Winds of Change! (I am sticking with it.)

I saw a glimmer of hope for change in the election of Barack Obama this fall. Not just in a political sense, but because his election is an example of the seemingly impossible actually coming to fruition. I mean, America elected a Black man!! That is some historic and unheard of stuff!!

So I figure, if a Black man can become President, a dude like me should be able to land a slightly more fulfilling job or at least get a date.

Sadly, I don’t see 2009 offering any improvements on the global/national economic front. Which makes searching for a job a daunting task. But that is my resolution, transition to a career doing something that offers more than just a paycheck. (A desire I’ve shared previously on this blog.)

But if there is one thing I take away from 2008, it’s that I am still here and swingin’.

Many folks sum-up 2008 with one phrase, “It is what it is.”

My challenge to you for 2009, is to flip that sentiment and become proactive. Tweaking a line from Kanye West illustrates my point, “Don’t play the hand you are dealt, change the cards.”

Really take the time to examine your life and identify an area you’d like to see improvement in. Then take steps to make that change a reality. And hold yourself accountable.
Last year, I decided I had been fat-ass long enough, made an honest effort to change and am now in much better shape. So it can be done.

With that I sign-off, wishing you Good Luck, Good Health and Good Friends in 2009.