Thinking about something Colonel Potter said when ringing in the new year. The quote goes something like “Happy New Year. May it be a damn sight better than the last one.”

That will be my wish for 2010. May it be better than 2009.

I’ve been turning the corner as best as I’ve been able as 2009 becomes 2010. I’ve watched a couple of interesting shows recently that have altered some ways of thinking.

I watched Patti Smith in Dream of Life which was mind-bending in lots of ways. I like watching artists live their lives and think their thoughts out loud. Anyway, after her husband died, Allen Ginsberg wrote her something like, “Bury the dead but then go on with your celebration of life.” The gist being that it wasn’t good to get tangled into trying to hold onto a past that is gone.

Seems like a worthwhile philosophy for me to pursue. I can’t change what happened. I can’t change what was. I can be responsible for what is.

Then I watched Neil Young as the focus of an American Masters show. He has persistantly followed his own muse. Never getting bogged down with past success and trying to stay with the music people liked on his last album. He said something like “I already made that album. Why would I want to do that again?”

Moving on. Moving forward. Embracing the unknown even through fear.

Oh yeah, many talented people are afraid to step up and get onto the stage. But they do it anyway.