Who would have thought that in 2010, America would pass a major overhaul to both the financial and healthcare sectors? Who would have predicted that the largest oil spill in history would occur off the coast of Plaquemines Parish and rewrite the future of not only Louisiana’s oil and gas industry but the nation’s energy independence as well? Who could have imagined the surge of popular anger directed at our government during the November mid-term elections? Wikileaks? Super Bowl? Mayor Landrieu? 10 percent unemployment?

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

2011, while it might happen faster, bigger, and be “tweeted” more often, is beginning with the same headlines of an average year: Oil nearing $100, stocks rise on consumer confidence, Republicans promise smaller government, Muslims and Christians are attacking each other, and America’s debt just topped $14,000,000,000,000! Shocking news, I know.

However, 2011 feels different. It feels better. It could be because 2010 was so bad on a variety of fronts: social, economic, diplomatic, political, etc. In 2011, our nation will continue to face budget deficits at all levels. Services will be cut, downsized or privatized. We can either use this financial situation to reinvent the wheel of how our governments (federal, state, local, boards and commissions) use our money to deliver services that may or may not be needed, or we can choose to saddle our great-grandchildren with a nation smothering under its own debt. Let’s use this challenge as an opportunity to better ourselves, our nation, and our future.

Here’s to hoping 2011 brings good cheer and prosperity to everyone around the globe as we all work together to improve our personal situations despite the events happening around us.

The last bite…

Of course, I had the traditional New Year’s Day meal: cabbage, black eyed peas and roasted pork loin. The cabbage was smothered, the black eyed peas were stewed, and the pork loin was roasted with too many awesome seasonings to list. The bread! Oh, the bread! To say the meal was amazing would be an understatement. To say I ate more than three people should be allowed would be untruthful. It was an awesome meal with great family and the perfect way to kick start the New Year. I give it 5 Crumbs! (out of 5)

Buddy Boe, a resident of LaPlace, is a former parish administrator and is well known on the local political (and food) scenes. His column appears every Wednesday in L’Observateur.