Near the end of an epically terrible year, remember the good things that happened.
Doctors of the World Reality Xmas cards designed by McCann London. ’tis the season to give a damn.
2016 has been HORRENDOUS, and it still hasn’t stopped sucking. Surrounded by such gruesomeness, we tend to lose all perspective. We even start thinking that this horror is normal. Well, it isn’t. This will pass—we don’t know how long it will take, but it will. In the meantime there is something we can do. We can live AS IF the world is a good place, AS IF people are kind, AS IF honesty, decency and justice prevail. This is not denial or airy-fairy optimism, but a form of resistance based on our favorite instrument, irony.
From Letters to A Young Contrarian by Hitchens:
Vaclav Havel, then working as a marginal playwright and poet in a society and state that truly merited the title of Absurd, realised that “resistance” in its original insurgent and militant sense was impossible in the Central Europe of the day. He therefore proposed living “as if” he were a citizen of a free society, “as if” lying and cowardice were not mandatory patriotic duties, “as if” his government had actually signed (which it actually had) the various treaties and agreements that enshrine universal human rights. He called this tactic “The Power of the Powerless” because, even when disagreement can be almost forbidden, a state that insists on actually compelling assent can be relatively easily made to look stupid.
And this stratagem sounds like something out of Clueless! Later in the same chapter:
The process often involved an inversion in the usual relationship between the ironic and the literal. The “People Power” moment of 1989, when whole populations brought down their absurd leaders by an exercise of arm-folding and sarcasm, had its origins partly in the Philippines in 1985, when the dictator Marcos called an opportunist “snap election” and the voters decided to take him seriously. They acted “as if” the vote were free and fair, and they made it so.
No matter how recent history is revised and spun, no matter what disillusionment followed, it was the right thing to do.
While we poke into the wreckage of 2016, we should remember that it wasn’t completely dreadful, even if it feels like it. Hey, gravitational waves were detected. There’s Proxima B and SpaceX. There were wonderful moments in pop culture.
In our personal lives, it can’t have been all dire. Everyone had small victories and big victories. Let’s acknowledge them, and allow ourselves to gloat a little. Tell us about the good stuff that happened to you this year in Comments. I have three things:
1. After two and a half decades of stopping and starting, I finally wrote a novel I didn’t shred.
2. After a lifetime of trying to get my hair to behave, I got a hairstyle I like. (Jay Lozada is a genius.)
3. After a ten-year absence, I visited New York. My timing was off: I figured that by the time I landed, the celebrations would be on. The opposite happened. But New York was exactly the way I wanted it to be: thrilling, tough, slightly scary, vigorous (if somewhat shellshocked), thought-provoking, and also strangely kind. (Lav Diaz said that when he was penniless and without prospects, he would take refuge in the New York Public Library and it became his school. He’s learned something.)
You?
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
December 21st, 2016 at 22:26
A member of my biological family is in big sh*t (as in BIG!!!) financially and I’m afraid I will have to shoulder a big part. But, after all the drama that came with it, I’m seeing this as an opportunity to help a member of my family. So help me, God.
December 21st, 2016 at 23:02
kotsengkuba: That’s a healthy way to look at the situation. And make the difference between “helping” and “martyrdom” clear to yourself.
December 22nd, 2016 at 02:48
Heaven and/or Hell for me. But more on the former after last year’s latter. I have dear friends who unexpectedly died because of deadly diseases. One is heart attack due to pneumonia (at the age of 37!) and another lupus (age 51). And one of my fave comic book artists, Steve Dillon (THE PREACHER, HELLBLAZER, THE PUNISHER) died due to a “busted appendix”. Plus, a near fatal-burning-of-the-bridge moment in my career.
However, my best friend finally won the coveted Metrobank Best Teachers Award; finally completed my blasted Master’s requirements and passed the hellish Comprehensive Exams (Statistics is no joke either!); and promoted after more than a decade of being a mere Instructor. And, able to visit again Silliman University and first time in Butuan on my own terms.
2017 may be a uphill battle for me, but I can see the beauty of this “balance”.
May The Force Be With Us All.
December 22nd, 2016 at 08:35
1.) I never thought that I possessed extraordinary patience and control of my mouth. since i teach high school students na sobrang kulit at gugulo na talagang ma-hihigh blood ka.
2.) 2009-2014 was hell years for me. and somehow i have all the right to throw away my faith to higher being (I was born to a very strict catholic upbringing, attended catholic schools) but i find it strange that still i find myself praying, hoping and believing that better days will come.
3.) joining Pinterest was like the best decision ever, learned new things.
4.) I was able to practice Buddhism and Crystal Therapy and not feel guilty about it.
5.) Made me realize that although I have father issues, I have to acknowledge that because of him I grew up comfortably.
6.) I appreciate my mom and sister more than ever.
7.) I always feel so comforted kapag naglalambing yung siberian husky namin sa akin. (i didnt know that they are so affectionate pala)
8.) having 3 genuine friends is still good for me.
December 22nd, 2016 at 09:36
nikko17: Cats and friends have helped maintain my equilibrium while the world is going sideways. And everyone needs a hobby. Hang in there.
December 22nd, 2016 at 09:39
wangbumaximus21: It was a year of obituaries. When my friend Uro died I knew this year would blow, and when Prince died it was confirmed. Congratulations on the career move.
December 22nd, 2016 at 13:14
If 2016 were a movie, it would have a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
But yes, it wasn’t all that bad.
1. Early this year I lost a job, but quickly found one that I love.
2. Because of all the employment drama I’ve encountered in the last 2 and a half years, I was able to write about it and earned raves from the likes of the New Yorker. Charot. I did receive a few offers to do freelance projects, which was nice.
3. I still live in my most favorite city in the whole wide world.
Great to hear it wasn’t all bad for you.
December 22nd, 2016 at 13:55
1. Was able to travel to Berlin on a life-changing trip
2. Travelled to Frankfurt and Vienna as part of work but still managed to enjoy the trip
3. Getting more in touch with my creative side. I really get excited when I start making something on an empty page. The empty page doesn’t scare me as much anymore.
December 22nd, 2016 at 16:30
These women made 2016 great.
1. Leni Robredo.
2. Leila de Lima.
3. Madonna in Manila!
December 22nd, 2016 at 20:02
lestat: So things even out, then you end up ahead. See you in Bangkok!
December 22nd, 2016 at 20:03
oriames: Blank pages are promising. The problem is when they stay blank. Vienna is pretty!
December 22nd, 2016 at 20:05
ricky: BiasED! You are biasED! Hahahaha! Since you did not mention it, I will point out that you were touched by the hand of Madonna.
December 23rd, 2016 at 06:12
2#16 has been horrendous to me but at the same time this is the year that I got paid to write. So there, 2*16!
December 23rd, 2016 at 11:37
Ronigurl:
1. Got paid to write.
2. Went backpacking alone through SEAsia for a month.
3. Lost something, got it back.
December 24th, 2016 at 01:33
Merriam-Webster said the word of the year for 2016 is “surreal”. I couldn’t agree more. And even if it’s a struggle to find something to be thankful for this year, I got my three things :
1. Health of the family is improving a lot — especially my father’s. Papa doesn’t need another eye surgery, after this whole year of going in and out of the hospital, the doctors say his left eye pressure is significantly lowered. So yay!
2. I still have work. The instability haunts me from time to time but I know whatever happens, I’ll still have some things I can think of to earn.
3. This year, I started opening up again to the prospect of having a life partner. Not that any of the guys I dated this year lasted a month, but at least I’m not completely horrified at the idea of sharing a life with someone.
I hope you and the cats have a terrific holidays. I can’t wait to finally close 2016 shut, haha.
December 24th, 2016 at 03:50
Very happy to have won an ad industry award. Parentals didnt think any of it, which was hurtful, but I was happy and proud of it because my name was engraved on the trophy. Highlight of my year. Regards to Saffy and Drogon!
December 24th, 2016 at 10:09
sussiethepussie: Congratulations! I think they’re usually disappointed when we turn out to be our own persons. Fortunately when we’re our own persons we have inner resources with which to deal.
December 24th, 2016 at 10:11
brewhuh23: And you have friends to look after, who look after you. Trust me, you will never be out of a job. Best from our feline overlords!
December 26th, 2016 at 18:29
This!
December 27th, 2016 at 07:26
1. My 2nd baby was born.
2. My 1st was Valedictorian.
3. I finally got a copy of Infinite Jest.
I’m painfully waiting for your book! :-)
January 17th, 2017 at 05:06
1. Managed to do a field visit to Tehran (clinic for female and trans – prostitutes and drug addicts), Athens and Samos – (refugees) – aside from the usual suspects Kabul, Pakistan and Palestine¨.
2. Found time for physiotherapy for my frozen shoulder
3. Me time holidays – didn’t go home in 2016 –
I hope to find time to read a good book this year….they’re piled up on the coffee table.
And I hope to find better prospects this year – 5 years in this position is enough. I’m tired.
January 17th, 2017 at 10:50
duwendenggala: Iran! We want to go.