New Calenders

The bowl games are through, all 100 or so of them. Our national figurtive "leap" over the fiscal cliff ends the way plenty of other such moments have - with a compromise reflecting the superior cards held, this time, by the Democrats. Our next self-made crisis comes next month, the debt ceiling "crisis" with Congress reluctant to authorize borrowing to pay for things it has already bought. The so-called Super Bowl isn't here just yet, although the NHL somehow finally settled with hockey players to bring back the country's favorite sport contested on ice. It's a new year
It seems to me like the "Winter of Lincoln". I was lucky enough to receive a copy of "Team of Rivals" as a Christmas gift, and am reading it. Last night I went (alone) to see the Spielberg movie "Lincoln", based somewhat on the book. I've concluded that anyone today who sighs, wishing for the good old days in which Lincoln floated benignly over the mere politicians of his day is someone who  only pretends to be educated. Lincoln was political up to his eyeballs, and employed every trick of that era in order to advance an inch toward his ultimate goal. I mean that with all respect to the man, who's correctly put right at the top of any worthy historian's list of the best presidents.    
The Inauguration is coming up  quickly, too. This one may not have quite the drama of the last one, at which our first, and perhaps only African American president takes office. But Mr. Obama goes back to the presidential control board with enhanced ability to fine tune its numerous dials and buttons. The complexities of holding the office must be stupefying, especially if your goals go beyond simply rewarding group X while penalizing group Y.
Does anyone wonder what a President Romney Inauguration Party would be like? Maybe the GOP would be relieved at no longer having to oppose literally everything coming from the White House. I can visualize clutches of formally dressed white guys saying (loudly, too) things like, "We figure what we did in Pennsylvania blocked 80,000 Obama votes, which led to our win there, and the trend just continued all night! We're working now on how to stop another 80,000 votes next time, so that we stay right here." I'm guessing the testosterone level at this event would be something between NFL pregame pep talks and a Mafia summit conference.
Just so you'll know, we did get new calendars. Last year for me was a collection of surfers in action. I still know almost nothing about the sport, but it sure makes for some good pictures. This year, it's back to well-known tennis pros. Rafael Nadal is Mr. January. His arms look like he could crush walnuts with his bare hands. His face leaves you wondering if the guy even shaves  The all-important kitchen calendar is a return to flowers, which looks great among all the other vital works that warrant display on the family art gallery - the refrigerator.