by Gary Kurzer

Created on: December 18, 2010

NEW YEAR, Resolutely.

As the shop windows prematurely display their obsequious range of Christmas decorations I am suddenly reminded that the Planet Revolution is zeroing in on yet another “360”… skidding as it always does towards the two punctuations of cheerfully wrapped “gift swaps” and (shortly thereafter,) “spectacular fireworks.”

Connected with these two end-of -year pit stops, we perform our ritual (and highly predictable) repeats of our Rites of Passage.

As Christmas brings the obligatory soul searching, we draw up the long line, at the left we notate those who “must be contacted” and on the right, “not any more.”

This is not as easy as it seems, because as we cogitate on the right-handers, we tussle between friendship and favor.

Does that old bank manager still smile congenially from behind his desk?

Has he been replaced with either a wet-eared junior, or more likely, a virtual manager who sits only at a cyberdesk …or worse, is “he” actually a bunch of electrons spinning digitally on a remote hard drive?

Do I really think that in the forthcoming year I will be in a position to be in “a position”... prostrate before him, begging for pennies?

Does Mecca sit on axis behind his desk? Am I aligned?

What is my “return on investment” Mr Manager?

Is a bottle of Chivas going to shave half a percent from my loan?

Would something less costly be equally as efficacious in lubricating the deal?

Or would something pricier mean the difference between a handshake or a booted arse?

And as to other friends and acquaintances?

Have I paid sufficient attention to someone this past year to still be able to pigeon hole them as “friend?”

Do I become cynical, and apply some tight fiscal policy, like whether the person will add to my GDP, either spiritually, or in other tangible/assessable ways?

Have I become a “right-hander” myself, at the mercy of the Great Judgement?

Am I in danger of being schizophrenically (and perfectly) bisected “Solomon style “for failing to respond to numerous “let’s catch-up” requests?

Do I apply the “reciprocity test,” which can take one of two forms; either wait until their un-burnt offering arrives (against which I can measure my response level) or do I just try to transmigrate my antenna to gauge how I reckon they write up my annual report card:

     

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