...When I was 38, it was a very bad year.

Title is a line from I'll Be You. The alternate title above is the Frank Sinatra song.

If I say this was the worst year of my life, then I'm saying I've had a pretty good life. While this year hasn't been good, I'm a lucky man.

So I'm late with my New Years post. If you fill out this form here you can request a refund.

First off, I've had some intense disappointment in our elected officials in general and several in particular over the past year. A couple of the reps in particular were people I considered myself a stalwart supporter of. I don't care to air my disagreements in public, at the present time, but those who know me will know of what I'm speaking.

Generally speaking, the saga of the appraisal cap limitation bill in Austin has left me convinced that the lobbyists who were in charge when the Dems had a majority are still in charge with a GOP majority.

I've tried the third-party route to political activism. I've tried a caucus in the GOP. I've tried working on my own in my local community. I haven't found a strategy that works to limit the size and scope of government.

I fear that because the government has grown so large and powerful and can dispense so much graft and so many favors that we may have ratcheted it past the point where people who care about ethics and/or limiting its size can have any influence.

Second, I spent almost half of 2005 unable to walk normally. My ankle cord (Achilles tendon) spontaneously snapped in two in August.

It puts me in search of a clue about what to do with myself for a hobby. I've decided not to run for re-election as precinct chair and not to get involved in campaigns, although this was my major hobby.

After betrayal number two in June, I resolved to come up with a non-political hobby. I explored the idea of volunteering for the Texas Medical Rangers, a unit of the Texas State Guard charged with this mission:

The goal of TMR is to respond to Texas public health emergencies including biological terrorism and natural epidemics.

I have some unique experience with biological weapons that I think would come in handy, but unfortunately, I can't run. I don't know if I'll ever run again. I have been told that my tendon could snap again if I strain it.

Seeing as running is kind of integral to being a soldier, I have to put that possibility on the deep back burner.

So, instead, the missus and I have revived the Neighborhood Watch for our subdivision. That's my community-oriented hobby for now.

My personal hobby will be following soccer and Houston's new team. Here's my priority list, updated:

1. Husband/Son/Brother/Grandson/Nephew/Uncle/Friend
2. Tech Writer/Bilingual Research Technician
3. Small Business Owner
4. Neighborghood Watch Co-Chair
5. Soccer Fan

So, the blog will change. I'm a firm believer in the idea that if you quit something, you don't have much standing to tell people how to do things you aren't willing to do. So my discussions of GOP politics have dwindled and will continue to fade. I'll still vote, and comment on things from a voter's perspective, but if I really cared (more precisely had optimism for success) I would be involved.

I hope that distinction will become clear. It isn't clear to me at the moment, but maybe it'll get there.

Anyway, enough seriousness for one year.

Well, since you won't be commenting on politics, maybe you could contact Rob Clifton to take over for you.....

I for one will continue to watch for any commentary that you care to share. If those postings become rare so be it. They will be worth waiting for.