This is the first “it’s a new year” post on this blog but I bet if you went back through my first writings of the new year on Facebook, MySpace, and beyond that written journals, they would share a similar, positive theme. “This is going to be a great year!” or “I’m hopeful about this year!” Some of those years I sincerely believed it, some years I wanted to believe. But this year all hope is gone. I’m not hopeful about anything.  No wishes, no resolutions, and nothing to be positive about. And that’s a good thing.

Back in my basketball days the game of choice was three on three, the first to eleven wins-make it/take it. The winners kept the court, the losers waited on the sideline to get back in the game. One day we were losing 10 to 6 to three guys we should’ve been beating handily. On the verge of losing and having to sit on the sideline contemplating how the hell we lost the game, a guy on the other team talked a little smack. It flipped my inner switch and I went basketball nuts- rebounding every missed shot, taking it to the rim, and playing out of my mind. I scored five baskets in a row to go up 11 to 10 (you had to win by two), when the ball was passed to me in the baseline corner. Staring down the man covering me I knew it was over.  Brimming with the confidence of a man on fire, I backed my man down before launching my patented turnaround fade-away from the right baseline. Nothing but net. Game over, get off my court.

As of now, Life is winning 10-6. Like the game above it doesn’t matter how I got here, I’m here. I can’t worry about the mistakes I made, the missed shots, or the shoddy defense. I’m here. I’m down. And I have no intention of giving up the court. Only one thing to do. Flip my inner switch.

There are no goals or lists to conquer this year. I have a wastebasket full of lists and to-do’s. There are books and books (and more books and a god-forsaken amount of internet articles) on how to move the ball forward in life. Not interested. I don’t need goals, lists, how-to’s, want to’s,  or life advice. I need to get shit done this year. I need accomplishments. I need baskets to get back in the game. Head down, drive to the hole, and put the ball in the net. Make it, take it. Repeat.

In fact I need to get so serious about getting shit done that this post needs to end. Sure, writing is part of the “get shit done” agenda but talking about it isn’t. So pardon me while I go dunk on Life’s pumpkin head. I’m down a few points and have no intention of losing the court. No intention of waiting on the sideline. This is my game, my court. Time to flip the switch.