The turning of the calendar

January 2nd, 2023

The 2023 Golden Age of Jazz Calendar

(featuring the photos of William Gottlieb)

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“Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”

-Mark Twain

…..Yes, a new year is here, and with it, new hope. New goals, dreams, and – for some – resolutions.

…..Many of us make resolutions as a way to change behavior, and to open our minds and hearts to new people, experiences, and challenges, and while the results of such resolutions can often be wondrous, an overplayed hand can end in disappointment, even heartbreak. There was a time I’d make resolutions so lofty and grandiose that they eventually felt campy, as if I were a Miss America contestant who, when asked of her personal aspirations would answer; “I want to bring peace to the world!”

…..As a result, I mostly dispensed with making resolutions long ago, and now try to use this time for making “self-observations.” It is an opportunity to gather myself and reflect on where I messed up last year (often), and where I succeeded (also often, thankfully), and imagine what may be coming my way this year, with the understanding that events and decisions in my life – rather than any resolution – generally occur as a result of my thinking, behavior, experiences, and friendships.

…..I chewed on that a bit yesterday and felt pretty good about myself. But I spent an inordinate amount of time on a pretty simple concept – the passing of time. Funny how that happens when we get to a certain stage of life, and at 68 it seems to be playing a more prominent supporting role in my psyche. And, as I turned the calendar I was reminded of an old adage that my mother would often share as she herself aged; “With age comes wisdom.”

…..She was right. Wisdom is within us all, and it (apparently) grows with age. It is a beauty of aging for those of us lucky enough to experience it, and it is an expectation that we share it.

…..So, will I share my growing wisdom this year? And, will I learn from the wisdom of others?

…..I resolve to try.

Happy New Year, folks…

Joe Maita

Editor/Publisher

Listen to the 1962 recording of Mose Allison performing “I Don’t Worry About a Thing,” with Addison Farmer (bass); and Osie Johnson (drums). [Rhino/Atlantic]