My economic plan has always been to grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out. Today we learned that unemployment is at a 50-year low after the two strongest years of job growth ever. We’re creating jobs. We’re lowering costs. Our plan is working. President Biden@POTUS·6hUnited States government official

I’m feeling strangely optimistic about this new year. I am not entirely sure why. A lot of it is political, I think. We got through the last round of national elections with our Democracy mostly intact. Now, with McCarthy finally elected as the Speaker of the House, we have a functioning Congress, the 118^th. Although, my guess is that the 118^th will not go down as an especially effective Congress.

I am optimistic for Democracy because Russia is losing their evil war in Ukraine. This still seems sort of impossible; for as long as I can remember – from crawling under my desk in the third grade, practicing for the inevitable Soviet attack, to the Army rotating fresh troops to Poland right now – Russia or its surrogate, the Soviet Union, has dominated our national imagination as close to invincible. But Ukraine is proving that Russia is far from invincible. By all accounts – except Russian TV – Russia is running out of men and material while Ukraine is getting stronger. I can’t imagine what Russia losing will look like, but I am sure that they will lose.

I am delighted that The Squad – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib – have all returned with several additional members. However, I don’t think their presentence will result in any Progressive legislation in the 118^th. What is progressive, I guess, is that the military will start eliminating Confederate statues and names from its facilities. So, for example, Fort Hood will become Fort Cavazos (General Richard Cavazos was the first Hispanic four-star general). I have no idea why any Army bases were named after generals from an enemy army, but they were, and now they won’t be. That’s good.

Partially, I’m feeling optimistic because I’m feeling better. Not great, but better. Three weeks ago, I was gasping for air, but now I’m getting ready to return to the Pulmonary Rehab treadmill. And, partially, it’s the nourishing rain we’ve been getting even though it has brought flooding.

We didn’t watch most of the Qatar World Cup games mostly because it came at the wrong time of year and we’re creatures of habit, but also because it was in Qatar. I’ve made peace with the FIA staging Formula One races in autocracies – I was going to say fascist states, but that has a slightly wrong flavor, let’s say repressive, non-democratic countries – because motor racing is slightly sleazy anyway. But beautiful Soccer – or Football, if you prefer – is so pure. Intellectually I know that FICA is one of the world’s most corrupt organizations, but having the World Cup in Qatar is just rubbing our faces in that corruption.

I did watch the last couple of games, however, and fell in love with Leo Messi. That led to watching several highlight videos on YouTube. And then several more (which are really just the same highlights in a different order). Watching Messi got me thinking about the extraordinary athletes I’ve had the good fortune of seeing. Athletes like Jerry Rice and Mia Hamm, and, of course, Lewis Hamilton. Then Michele and I, on the recommendation of the New Yorker and Linda Melton watched The Rescue by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The Rescue is about a couple of regular guys acting in an extraordinary way, and it would take a lot of work for anyone to feel pessimistic after watching it.

The Rescue made my day and is a great way to start the New Year.