Most years are a more-or-less balanced goulash of good, bad and indifferent. But 2011 stands out. It was a lousy year with lousy self-esteem.
Sure, issuing a final “check, please” to Osama Bin Laden was a nice moment, and federal prison for a disgraced governor with big hair is good news, if you cast the definition wide enough.
As for the state of our check books, we’re told we’re not fully in a recession or depression, but it sure feel like it. Maybe it’s a recessive depression or depressive recession. By some calculations, 40 percent of the nation stands at the threshold of poverty.
Illinois government remains broke and broken. Congress? Ditto.
We were forced to pay attention to the Kardashians this year. There were four worse than usual Adam Sandler movies. Several hundred really rich guys in the NBA argued over how to divide their millions before deciding we couldn’t do without professional basketball.
When such banalities seem to overwhelm us, we are sustained by the grand richness of real life. Young couples fell in love; beautiful children were born; careers advanced; homes were filled with joy. Students discovered Twain, Mozart and Renoir.
The nation remains resilient.
So, if we were ever due for a break from rotten luck, 2012 could be the year we break out of our foul mood.
As a matter of mathematical fact, every major indicator of economic health showed improvement in the last months of the year: manufacturing, consumer confidence, holiday sales, inflation, and employment. Even government is shrinking. There are nearly 400,000 fewer government workers now than last December, and more people are employed overall.
If you are looking for portents, this might be the year things look up.
On the other hand, the ancient Mayans said 2012 is the year it all goes poof in a large cloud of flame. But after the general crumminess of 2011, how bad could that be?
Even if predictions of that final fireball turn out to be true, we’ll offer a hearty farewell to 2011.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
