Despite this, I have this nagging feeling that something is coming soon. Something bad. Shortly after 9-11, I made a point of carrying around a small flashlight with me wherever I went. Not that I think Al Quaida has plans on taking out a nondescript office building in central New Jersey, but then again no one really thought they had plans for ramming jets into skyscrapers just to get our attention. That flashlight just gave me a feeling of security, which is something neither the federal government nor their Panic Color of the Day chart does. They know something might happen, but there are way too many questions of when, where, what, how, and even if. After a while, I kind of resigned myself to my fate: I’m just another cog in the wheels, a statistic while I’m alive and a different statistic if I should die in an attack. Today, though, I put the trusty Mag-Lite back into my pocket, complete with fresh batteries. I’ve usually done well trusting my hunches and I’m not about to stop now.

That’s about all I have for now. I’m desperately trying to locate an ocean plunge for New Year’s Day in the area. Unlike the well organized and well publicized one in February, I usually only hear about the New Year’s ones a day late and in the paper. If anyone is willing to do a Google search for one, I’d be eternally grateful. Until next year…