In an unpublished Thanksgiving blog about being grateful, one of the things on my gratitude list was unwaxed dental floss.  That should give you a clue about my mood at the time.  And why the column didn’t get published.

I was reminded of my gratitude list just as the clock struck midnight last night since I happened to be flossing my teeth at the time.  I only realized it was twelve o’clock when I started getting a bunch of “Happy New Year” texts from my kids and friends, fireworks started going off like crazy in the ‘hood and the dog started howling from all the noise.

The first thing I thought was, “My timing really sucks.”

The second was, “Oh, crap! I forgot to buy grapes.”

Needless to say, with the exception of a whimpering dog, I ushered in the New Year rather uneventfully, having just come home from an enjoyable dinner at Cantina Laredo with friends, hence the need for dental floss.  It would have been a quietly enjoyable dinner if it weren’t for the screaming brat at the next table.

Note to Horribly Irresponsible Parent:  If you’re reading this column, yes, it was YOUR kid I wanted to drop kick into next Thursday, but didn’t because I’m not Doug Flutie.

In any event, the dinner was almost lovely and I made it home safely without getting hit by any bullets that may have been shot into the air by revelers who were either too drunk (or too stupid) to realize that what goes up, definitely comes down.  Especially projectiles.

As fate would have it, just as I was nearing my street, I happened to run into my VotersOpinion 2013 Person of the Year, North Miami Beach Police Officer Ericson Harrell.  He was the very last person I saw in 2013 as he graciously made sure I made it safely inside my home.  (Thanks, Ericson – that was so nice of you!)

It would seem that Officer Harrell’s “punishment” for getting arrested in Plantation in November was being assigned the graveyard shift on both Christmas and New Year’s Eves.  Even though he didn’t get to celebrate Noche Buena with his family, or eat the requisite twelve grapes at midnight, Officer Harrell did what he usually does:  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Oh, well.  At least I got a job.”  Can’t argue with that.

One of the things that I admire about Ericson Harrell is his “It Is What It Is” attitude. This is something I try (and usually fail miserably) to practice on a daily basis because, let’s face it, life has a tendency at throwing curve balls when I least expect them.  The obvious secret to true happiness is realizing that every pitch is potentially a curve ball – and swinging anyway.  I’m guessing that Officer Harrell has already figured that out.  I’m still working on it.

I’m also guessing that Officer Harrell’s superiors at the NMBPD aren’t too crazy about his attitude because, even though they took the “psych eval” off the table and let him come back to work, the internal affairs investigation is still pending.

OMG!  Seriously?  And Frantz Pierre is still a free man?  SERIOUSLY?

The news of Harrell’s arrest was hardly a blip on the Plantation Police Department’s LEOAffairs page.  It only warranted four comments, including LOL humor and a not so subtle dig at the arresting Officer.

Yeah, definitely a slow day in Plantation.

Note to Self:  Consider moving there.

As expected, not everyone agreed with my pick for Person of the Year.  While I have not heard a peep from my friends in IA, only one person has annoyed me every day since I published that column, and I expect he will continue to do so.  Or try to anyway, because hanging up on this dude doesn’t seem to discourage him from picking up on the same conversation with the very next phone call.  Yes, he’s a nudge, but a lovable one, so I put up with him.

I get it that not everyone agrees with me.  But here’s the thing.  I don’t care.  As I’ve said on more than one occasion, your opinion of me is none of my business.  Your opinion of me is certainly not going to change my opinion about anything.  Unless, of course, I change my mind, which I reserve the right to do at any time.  Whenever I feel like it.

Therefore, in addition to relocating north of the border, I’m adding one more goal on my list of things I hope to accomplish in 2014, which is, curve ball or not, I am so going to swing for the fences.

May 2014 be as productive and enlightening a year for you as I hope it will be for me.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”