...while wondering what ever happened to Natalee Holoway:

The end of the year is just as arbitrary as any other time to take stock, as time itself – or the measurement thereof – is a human-created quantifier. Nonetheless, lemmings that we are, here’s our take on the recently-completed año:

There have been moments of incredible tragedy, paired with times of overwhelming goodness. Those who made fools of themselves and those who distinguished themselves through performance, perseverance or philanthropy.


Couple of the Year:

3. The two Carolina Panthers cheerleaders caught getting it on in a Tampa bathroom.
--How did we miss this?

2. Bill and Melinda Gates.
--They don’t just write the checks; they go out into the world and try to help those who need it most.

1. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton
--If you say you saw their partnership, (and genuine friendship), coming -- you are a liar. These two men putting aside their differences for the common good is everything this country is supposed to be about. They make us proud to be (Unites States of) Americans.

Most Inspiring:

3. Sean Penn
--Some have called it grandstanding, but the fact remains that the man, of his own volition, flew to Texas, drove to Louisiana, bought a boat and personally pulled 16 people from the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina.

2. Stephon Marbury of the New York Knicks
--He donated $1Million to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, collapsing into tears, unable to finish his press conference after saying, “it’s not about the money…you’re supposed to (give money if you have it).”

1. Houston, Texas.
--The city immediately offered the Astrodome for housing of Katrina evacuees, disregarding questions of cost, set up job fairs, gave tax breaks to employers who hired evacuees then, when funding was set to expire for temporary apartments, galvanized a public/private/religious coalition to keep the programs afloat.

Most Disgusting:

3. Terri Schiavo’s husband, for not only letting, but insisting she die, despite her parents’ willingness to assume all responsibility for her care. There is an inherent value in human life that supersedes questions of “quality”. The media, politicians and celebrities primping (pimping?) and preening for the cameras during the whole affair can be added here as well.

2. Governor Kathleen Blanco, (D), Louisiana
--She let partisan politics block aid and people died. She should be in prison.

1. The Media.
--Look! Another missing hot, white chick! Live feeds on the minute! Poor Natalee Holoway, let’s absolutely saturate the airwaves with exploitative coverage because we really care about what has happened to her. Ooh! A hurricane!!! Natalee who? And let’s not even worry about the LaToyia Figueroas of the world. I mean, she’s a minority.

Persons of the Year:

3. President George W. Bush
--I do not agree with many of his decisions. Still, in the tradition of Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman, the man follows the course he believes to be right and will not be dissuaded. His initial response to the devastation in the Gulf Area was inspiring. We only hope his “New Deal” ideas for the area come to fruition. More focus on the job at hand and less on his legacy will go a long way, as well.

2. The American People
--Showing a generosity and commonality of cause not seen since the Depression, our people reached out not only across the seas, but across our very own state lines to help the neediest amongst us.

1. Maureen Bates
--My mom. At 65 years old, she rode a train cross-country, solo. She drove a car for the first time in twenty years. She’s a wonderful grandmother, an even better mother. She’s thriving in a time when many begin to wind down. I am blessed to have her in my life.

Most Missed:

3. Anne Bancroft
--She taught every teenage boy that yes, it can be done.

2. Peter Jennings
--I grew up watching him. He didn’t graduate high school, yet made himself into one of the most well-read, informed people of his time. He also had a respect for his institution, one that is sadly lacking today.

1. Pope John Paul, II
--One of my heroes. His humble life of peaceful service is the most Christ-like example I have seen in my lifetime.


Movies of the Year:

3. Cinderella Man
--It’s a boxing movie, it’s a love story, it’s a Depression-era saga. Fantastic cinematography paired with restrained acting on the part of Russell Crowe and René Zelwiegger. At times inspiring, at others heartbreaking, it’s one to buy and not rent.

2. Brokeback Mountain
--Based on a story by one of our favorite writers, E. Annie Proulx, the film finds cowboys Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, both of whom consider themselves straight, inexplicably, falling in love. And staying there. More a story about the complexities of love than about homosexuality per se, this is a stark and at times very lonely film.

1. The Woodsman
--Kevin Bacon stars in this film as a pedophile, recently released after a 12-year prison term. What follows is a character study of a man trying not to find redemption, but to merely survive the fight against his predilections. A stunningly subtle performance by the lead and an equally solid showing by Kyra Sedgwick allow this film to do what so many find it hard to do – take a person or an issue that we as a society find so much easier – safer – to demonize, and make them human, without becoming apologists. A truly fascinating study of the human condition.

Music of the Year:

3. Sufjan Stevens, “Illinoise”
--With song titles like “A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons”, and “The Seer’s Tower”, we’re talking titular camp here. But the music is, well, interesting. And the lyrics, heavily laced with references both obscure and not, make for an intriguing musical journey through the Prairie State.

2. Bruce Springsteen, “Devils and Dust”
--Stripped down and insightful, much more like an indie rock album than anything he has put out in a long time.

1. The Killers, “Hot Fuss”
--OK, so this came out in 2004. The fact is, so much of what was released in 2005 was crap, that this is still the best thing we listened to this year. Neo-wave-garage-punk from Vegas. How cool is that?

Idiot of the Year:

3. Michael Brown, former Director of FEMA
--As head of the department, he was ultimately responsible for its performance. If he was so free of responsibility for FEMA’s performance, I guess he’ll be turning in most of that six-figure salary he was riding.

2. Rafael Palmeiro
--If you are going to point at a congressman and all but scream, “I have never used steroids – ever”, make damned sure you allow NOTHING into your body that you are not absolutely sure will not cause a dirty urinalysis.

1. Geoff Huish The Welsh soccer fan who bet his testicles on a game versus England, lost…and paid up!

Quotes of the Year:

3. “Evidently this time He didn’t listen to me.”
--Pope Benedict XVI on his prayers not to be elected pope.

2. “Tell 41 and 42 that 43 is hungry”
--President George W. Bush, at the opening of the Bill Clinton Presidential Library, when his two most-recent predecessors wandered off from the official tour.

1.

I know I didn’t hear that Quotes of the Year:

3. "I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."
--Bill Bennett, former Education Secretary

2. "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals...many of these people, almost all of them that we see are so poor and they are so…black."
--CNN's Wolf Blitzer, on Hurricane Katrina Evaccuees (emphasis not added)

1. What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them."
--Former First Lady Barbara Bush, on the evacuees housed in the Houston Astrodome

Most Annoying:

3. People who, out of one side of their mouth, tout the wonder of our capitalist society, yet turn around and bitch out the other, about the costs of gasoline and prescription drugs. You can’t have it both ways, folks.

2. Anyone who gives a damn about: Tom Cruise’s living room etiquette, Jude Law’s sleeping and daycare arrangements, Daisy Duke’s marriage, any episode of American Idol after the bad singers are booted, Angelina Jolie’s baby’sdaddy, Anderson Cooper’s sexual preference (gay), Ann Coulter’s sexual preference – gay (ok, we made that up), Michael Jackson’s persecution, OJ’s hunt for the real killer -- or his home entertainment setup, Saddam Hussein’s favorite snacks, whoever it is that keeps cramming Illinois Senator Barack Obama down the national throat, female teachers banging their middle school students and the people who think this is less disgusting than a male teacher molesting a female student, the 13 people left in this country who believe that we were not lied to about Iraq, Democrats falling all over themselves in glee over the problems of the President, people who think an 18 year-old basketball player from Watts should go to college instead of going to the NBA, who then go to see 16 year-old professional golfer Michelle Wie -- and see no hypocrisy, Nickelback fans, Nickelback, anyone who doesn’t think Coldplay sucks, anyone who cares what an NBA player wears anywhere other than on the court – during a game, John O’Hurley, runaway brides and crystal meth-sharing hostages.

1. This is a hard one to pick, because the ones who truly annoy us the most, we refuse to give space to. (bimbi named after French cities and such), so we will go with Coldplay. First, they absolutely, completely and utterly suck. There is not a shred of redeeming value in the dreck they call music. As a result, myriad other annoyances spring forth, the biggest being there sheer pervasiveness. They are ubiquitous!


Best Live Events of the Year (that we attended):

3. Padres’ division-clinching win and Barry Bonds heckle-fest over the San Francisco Giants; Petco Park, San Diego California

2. Easter morning service, generically-named non-denominational Christian Church. Who knew Chargers’ quarterback Drew Brees was so articulate?; On the beach, Oceanside California

3. Kobe Bryant’s 62-point smackdown of my beloved Dallas Mavericks, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California


In the end, 2005 has been very good to us. We’re healthy, stable and for the first time in a while, optimistic that the future is bright. We’re not as good as some, but better off than many. Which, in the end, is all we should really hope for.

May the coming year greet you with an abundance of blessings. May it greet us with a June parade in Dallas, celebrating the Mavericks’ first NBA championship.

Happy New Year!

Until next time,
Paz