2009, AMF

I don't know anyone who will miss 2009. It hasn't been the best of years. Most people claim that they are not superstitious. But in the same breath, they will own up to saying that a year has been bad. Think of it. A segment of time a line is unlucky? That's pure superstition. But being an old sailor, I can be as superstitious as I care to be. We sailors are, after all, a superstitious lot.

For me, 1981 was way worse. My father died that year. I was diagnosed with cancer. It was a false alarm, but needless to say it scared the crap out of me. My second marriage did die. I was trying to sell real estate and the prime rate rose to 23%. Try selling that. My 1979 diesel Cadillac turned into a rolling time bomb, literally. But I did quit smoking and I moved aboard my boat, so it wasn't all bad.

But I digress. Now, all we have to do is muddle through the next five days and by magic, it will all be over. The sun will come out from behind the clouds. People will start spending money again. Businesses will start hiring again. And then plastic forming machines will start selling again.

It could happen.