The Smackworthy Of 2016

For the past few years, I've made a list at the end of December of people who just need one of those smacks upside the head.  You know what I'm talking about--a smack that reboots the brain, makes a person think twice before opening their mouth one more time.  I got quite a few smacks upside the head growing up, when my behavior stepped over the line. I can't help but think that others would benefit from such efforts. Boy, has this been a year for smacking!  I almost don't even know where to start.

Yes I do. It will be difficult to narrow it down to just five after this year, but I will try.

1. Donald Trump.   Just no.  Maybe I could have just sucked it up and dealt with it, like I did George W. Bush. But no. This is a guy who was elected by the known efforts and interference of a foreign country. That sticks in my craw, as it should for every American. We were founded because we did not want any "foreign" interference in our lives, fer cryin' out loud!  A guy who specifically ASKED a foreign country to interfere in the election, and seems proud of that?  I doubt that Trump makes it a year before he's impeached for treason or corruption, which will waste millions of taxpayer dollars that could be spent on something more important, like paying down our debt. 

2. The People Who Voted For Donald Trump. Seriously?  What were you thinking?  Were you thinking at all? Forget all that "Hillary is the Antichrist" propaganda.  If you felt that strongly about Hillary, there were TWO other suitable candidates running in most states, and you could have written in anyone you wanted.  Any. Other. Candidate. A tree stump would have been a better choice.  Now we will all have to live with this, because we live and die as a country, no matter what the secessionistas say. I could be petty about it; if things tank, it's all on the Republicans, and their party will not survive.  But I don't want that for my country.  Let's just hope that we don't end up in a war with China, and that the economy doesn't completely tank as a result of all this.

3. Vlad.  Rule #468: Never, ever, EVER, trust a dude named Vlad.  Remember what happened with that Impaler guy?  I give Putin props, because he's obviously very smart and a very strategic thinker to have survived so long as a politician in Russia.   He wants to reduce the reputation of the United States and build up the reputation of Russia.. Instead of messing around with other countries in a massive game of Risk, however, Putin needs to start paying attention to his own country.  And I don't just mean by imprisoning or killing people that disagree with him, as some people say.  When everyone in Russia has a place to live, food to eat, and everyone there is able to work for a living and pay taxes, then we can talk about Russia being the top of the pile.  

4. People Who Insist that Cancer Is Cured By Eating Right.  I have the BCRA1 genetic mutation. If you have a mutation, it's not if, it is when.  Drinking special water isn't going to change that, and it's wrong to give someone false hope by giving them incorrect information. These people are preying on others to make a buck, and they need a smack.  I would absolutely love it if all anyone had to do is eat a few spears of broccoli a day to keep the cancer away.  That would be awesome, and I can't think of a single person who has had cancer who wouldn't join me in celebrating such an event.  The fact is that there are many, many, many different forms of cancer, and each cancer works in its own unique way. Some cancers are caused by viruses, some are genetic, some are work related.  What works for one form of cancer does not work for others, and eating veggies or whatever vitamins they are selling today is not going to change that. 

5. 2016 in general.  There's been quite a few wonderful things that have happened for me in 2016.  I'm done with my surgeries and cancer treatments, or at least most of them.  I've paid off almost all of my medical bills. My husband is wonderful. My son is healthy and happy.  I have a good job that I love, and work with good people.  But darn it if 2016 wasn't just the drunk and obnoxious neighbor who refused to leave the party.  Just when I thought the headlines couldn't get any worse, they did.  People were hateful to each other, and gleefully so. Kindness was at a premium, while insults were spewed out like vomit.  And so many unexpected deaths.  David Bowie. Prince. Gene Wilder. Debbie Reynolds.  Even Princess Leia didn't escape 2016's manhandling, and that was somehow impossibly sad.

Enough of that.  Here comes 2017.  As the Facebook quiz told me, "Don't look back, you're not going that way."  May we all have all the happiness we can handle, and may our joy spread throughout a world full of kindness and hope.