Transmitting from the Mojave Wilderness in Joshua Tree, California, now is the time for Desert Oracle Radio, the voice of the desert.

Night has fallen on the desert, a new year and a new decade in our current case is a time of reflection whether we

want it or not.

It's impossible to ignore the new year because you don't even need a calendar to know what's happening.

It's really winter now and the days become a little bit longer, a little bit more daylight so you can get out and do whatever it is you need to do.

But unless you live in a cave with no cell service or Wi-Fi or newspapers or magazines

or the TV or a neighbor who made the unfortunate assumption that you want to hear his

opinions on the news,

you are aware that we are in a time of discontent.

The situation is not all bad.

There are hopeful signs everywhere, sometimes briefly camouflaged by dreadful signs.

Then there are dreadful signs that are just plain dreadful, and all you can do is keep going, and remember that there are always dreadful signs for those of us who are on watch duty.

You can drive yourself crazy with the bad news with a cold analysis of current events.

So why not try personal reflection?

That's sort of popular these days.

Better to engage in a little personal reflection

at the start of a new year,

a new decade, let everybody else go nuts

about the wars and the economy

and the politics for a while.

I guarantee they won't miss you.

They're not listening anyway.

...