PEACE TAKES TIME AS ANOTHER YEAR ENDS

We've come to the very last of 2008. It was a most difficult year. It was a year of sorrow and fortunes dashed. A year of scandal. A year people were cheated big time by one of the oldest cons in the book. People lost their homes and businesses. I lost a great job-- very suddenly and without any compensatory compensation.It was a year when Kay-Be Toys, Mervyn's, Linen and Things and soon Rite Aid was to be no more. It was a year of passing for dear Eartha Kitt , Paul Newman, playwrights Dale Waserman ("Don Quxiote") and Harold Pinter. The last of the famous to die this year appears to be jazz trumpeter, Don Hubbard. And of course it was a year of a new war in which dear Israel must one again defend her right to exist. Today I heard from people who were angry with her for not going for the 48 hour cease fire. Well, ladies and gentlemen peace is not an easy process. If you will look at the newspaper headline displayed today that it was not until December 31st, 1946 that the official end of hostilities was declared by President Harry Truman. So what? Well, guess what: all of those laws passed in Wartime United States were still in effect until this day in 1946. Rationing was still in effect. Many Japanese and Italian immigrants were still imprisoned in this country. Peace takes time. Recovery takes just as long. But I am grateful for the wonderful people in my life. My writing partner, John Nugent is a musical genius. Tim Doran, my dearest friend is finally beginning to become his old self. God love you, Tim! I am grateful to my long time companion, John Long. 2009 begins our tenth year together-- that's longer than most marriages. I am grateful to my sisters, dear Tony Westbrook in NYC and talent like Bill Lewis, Karmyn Tyler, Molly Summer, Brian Martin and Paul Horvanes--all who give their talent willingly and free. I am grateful to Almighty God who has allowed me to live in disability income almost as well as if I were working full time and I thank my Dear Father in heaven for endowing me with more creativity than I have ever enjoyed before. So just as peace takes time to be accomplished, so must the economy and the promises of our new president. God Bless Him! Happy New Year Everyone!