Jan 3: Brand New

South Florida radiates optimism. This is true partly because of the tropical climate, of course. Sunshine, warmth, beaches - all this makes it easy to smile. But the sense of optimism also comes from words that we tend to connect with places such as South Florida. Think about the metaphors we hear all the time. People feel that "brighter days are ahead" or they praise someone's "sunny optimism." They say the "clouds are parting" and "dark days are over." Etc., etc. All this strikes me as very interesting as we leave the past and enter the future. Out with the frustrating old, in with the hopeful new.  It's a new year, a new month, a new (short) work week. Those who claim to know about such things even say the economy is improving. Welcome 2012!

From the vantage point here in Greater Fort Lauderdale, things certainly seem to be starting out well at least. I'm pretty sure all the tourists would agree. The weather over the holidays was just about as perfect as I've seen at this time of year - highs around 80 much of the time, lows in the 60s. Ideal for those of us who love living in the tropics as well as for those who love to visit the tropics.

It looks like the tourists came in large numbers this holiday season too. Walking down Las Olas, driving along A1A, turning on to SE 17^th Street - wherever I happened to go, I ran into long lines of cars and people moving from Point A to Point B. I saw lots and lots of smiles among these folks, all the families and couples and groups of friends. Everyone coming from someplace else and very glad to be nowhere else but here. I must confess that 2011 ended with a bang for me. Quite literally. Gwendolyn and I went to the holiday outdoor skating rink on Las Olas during the day on New Year's Eve. Great fun but I did fall down once ... hard! Naturally, I dropped directly on my rear end. And so I entered 2012 with a sore bum but, yes, with a sunny outlook nonetheless. As I told Gwen sometime after the fall, I could honestly say that my worst problem was behind me. Haha. Despite a slight hobble, we had a lovely New Year's Eve full of champagne and fine food. The next morning we squeezed fresh Florida oranges for mimosas. Ah, what lovely words those are: fresh Florida oranges. We'll have them around from now through at least April. A wonderful thing. And when you think about it, how could any place that grows fresh fruit during the wintertime be anything but optimistic? Let's all hope the next 12 months are as tasty and sunny as those oranges. (Photo courtesy of http://facebook.com/ftlauderdalesun).