Happy New Year! What if 2008 was a Hoax?

I’m going to start the new year with some thoughts about 2009, which I like more than last year for one trivial reason already: it’s far easier to type. But before that, one final reflection on 2008: On the evening news, a reporter asked some people on the street this question: If you had to describe 2008 in a word, what would that word be? Most (but not all) gave words with negative connotations. I remember some responses, including ‘challenging’, ‘difficult’, and ‘unfortunate’. I’m not sure what my answer would have been. On the one hand, lots of bad stuff happened last year, but on the other, the US elected the first African-American President and it was not all bad for me, personally. Matt Harding, the guy who was behind the Internet viral video Where in the Hell is Matt claims that his beautiful dancing trip and Internet video was actually an elaborate hoax. I’d like to join with him, and actually suggest that all of last year was just a hoax, too.

All except for the bit about Obama getting elected and a bunch of other things, that is.