I started my annual review a little late this year. Normally, as I'm packing up the Christmas decorations, I begin to think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year. I set about assessing what I started but never finished and what big projects I can realistically start. I reflect on what was accomplished the previous year. Sometimes, I'm happy with the progress. Other times, I'm a bit disappointed.
This time, I'm not sure how I can describe 2022. It was a year that started with good intentions yet there were many ups and downs. On a personal level, it ended with a small "Poof! I'm done!".
POLITICS
There were so many events last year that impacted or will impact us. It was difficult to tear myself away from the daily dose of news and, for this year, I intend to watch less news -- not to ignore significant events but to find my peaceful center amid the minutiae of not-so-important news. I want my days to be less influenced by reactions to certain events rather than the events itself.
Ukraine Invasion
The year started off with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin's idea of Russia is the country it was before it was divided into separate, independent countries in 1991. He wanted to secure Ukraine for its rich resources and port accesses so he decided to take over a country that he'd never really believed was an independent country. He sent troops and bombed cities at the borders, then the larger cities that were the governmental and economic hubs of Ukraine.
Biden's reaction was one I'd expect from the President of the U.S. He worked with other NATO countries and their allies to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system, as well as imposing sanctions over the Russian Central Bank and Russian elites. He was able to get $600 million of military assistance approved by Congress. He urged other NATO countries to do the same. Later, Biden announced, with the U.K., a ban on Russian oil, gas and coal. Other countries joined in to announce a two-thirds reduction in its demand for Russian fuel. Many European nations banned Russian flights in their airspace. Some non-NATO nations joined in the sanctions to control exports and freeze assets.
As an American, it was hard to imagine a country of hard-working people suffering through the barrage of Russian incursions without provocation. I hoped our aid would make a difference. Months later, the need was still there. I am reminded, now, that the war is not over and these people are still enduring a harsh winter without a safe home and with little heat or food.
Inflation
The sanctions over Russian oil, gas and coal caused the fuel prices in the U.S., especially California, to soar to its highest levels. This also resulted in global food prices rising. In the meantime, prices of other goods rose due to problems in the supply chain (a residual effect of the pandemic lock-down). The service sector felt the pain of people not returning to work (again, an effect of the lock-down).
The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 fell sharply in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. All through the year, the stock markets rose and fell like a roller coaster. The Federal Reserve Bank raised the interest rates multiple times in an attempt to stave off a recession. Yet, the national unemployment rate fell to one of the lowest rates ever and the economy continued to add new jobs.
All of this meant that we were paying more for housing, gas, food, goods and utilities. In our family, we felt the pain, especially since we were now on a fixed income. We found ourselves spending judiciously -- waiting for that discount that would compel us to buy…except chocolate. I can't help myself. Chocolate is a necessity.
Supreme Court
This was the year to assess a Supreme Court dominated by a 6-to-3 conservative supermajority (which was established in the Trump administration). While Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson replaced Justice Breyer last year, it did not change the size of the liberal bloc. Here are the major Supreme Court decisions of 2022, and how the makeup of the Court and the evangelical Christian Right, who influenced the nominations and agenda, impacted them.
Abortion Rights: The Supreme Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks is constitutional; thus, overturning the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade in 1973. This was surprising in that, during their nomination hearings, Justices Kavanaugh, Barrett and Gorsuch assured the Committee that they would not overturn an established Supreme Court decision (specifically, Roe V. Wade). Also, most pundits felt that the Supreme Court would not likely rule on this case to establish that states have the right to make these decisions rather than being mandated nationally. Yet, they did rule and several states enacted more draconian anti-abortion laws because of it.
Climate Change: The Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that the Environmental Protection Agency cannot regulate the energy sector, such as limiting emission controls at individual power plants. The implications of this ruling could extend well beyond environmental policy. More than 20 years after the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, some power plants still do not control emissions of toxic pollutants, even though the technology is widely available. The EPA standards had leveled the playing field so that all power plants limit their emissions as newer plants already had. This ruling reduces the EPA's effectiveness and sets environmental remedies back.
School Prayer: The Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that a football coach at a public high school had a constitutional right to lead prayers before and after his team's games. This ruling questioned the breadth of the First Amendment's separation of church and state.
Religious Schools: The Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that a Maine program that excludes religious schools from a state tuition program is a violation of the free exercise of religion. This ruling was similar to the School Prayer ruling in that it established that the tuition program does not constitute the First Amendment's intent to separate church and state.
Religion and the Death Penalty: The Court ruled (8-1 without Thomas) that Texas would violate a federal law protecting religious freedom if it executed a death row inmate without allowing his pastor to lay hands and pray aloud in the execution chamber.
Gun Control: The Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that states with strict limits on carrying guns in public violate the Second Amendment. This was related to New York's law that required a person to show a need for self-protection to carry a concealed firearm, which the Court felt violated the Second Amendment.
Executive Privilege: The Court ruled (8-1 without Thomas) that former President Trump could not block the release of White House records to a House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol. I wonder why Justice Thomas reasoned that a former president still has executive privilege?
COVID: The Court ruled (down the 6-3 conservative bloc) that the Biden administration's vaccine-or-testing mandate for large employers was not lawful. It felt that the mandate exceeded OSHA's authority. Yet, the Court ruled (5-4) that the mandate to require health care workers receiving federal money to be vaccinated was lawful.
January 6th Committee
The January 6 Committee hearings were riveting. They provided never-before-seen videos and new testimony from people who participated in the riots, local elections officers and people who worked in the Trump administration or his campaign. In fact, for the most part, the defamatory information came from Republicans themselves -- even some who were Trump supporters. The effectiveness of the committee will only be known after the Department of Justice decides what to do with the criminal referrals from the committee. It seemed mostly Democrats and a slim majority of Independents actually paid any attention to the proceedings. Trump supporters and a majority of Republicans did not. This year, the committee will be disbanded. So what does this mean? Everyone deserves their day in court and, in some cases, we were watching hearsay testimony but there was enough hard evidence for a good federal criminal case of conspiracy and obstruction against the former President and some of his staff -- namely, the Chief of Staff, some of his lawyers and advisors.
Mass Shootings
2022 was a violent year. To prove that, here is a list of shootings that were publicized last year. Other shootings that were more localized and didn't have a significant body count were not aired nationally.
04/03: Sacramento, CA -- 6 killed and 12 injured
04/14: New York City, NY (subway) -- 29 injured (10 by gunfire)
04/17: Pittsburgh, PA -- 2 killed, 14 injured
05/14: Buffalo, NY (market) -- 10 killed
05/15: Laguna Woods, CA (church) -- 1 killed
05/24: Uvalde, TX (elementary school) -- 19 children and 2 adults killed
06/04: Philadelphia, PA -- 3 dead and 14 injured
06/05: Chattanooga, TN -- 3 dead and 13 injured
06/30: Allen, KY -- 3 dead and 4 injured (1 non-officer)
07/04: Highland Park, IL (parade) -- 7 dead and 25 injured
09/07: Memphis, TN -- 4 dead and 3 injured
10/13: Raleigh, NC -- 5 dead and 2 injured
11/13: Charlottesville, VA (university) -- 3 killed, 2 injured
11/19: Colorado Springs, CO (LGBTQ+ club) -- 5 dead and 25 injured
11/22: Chesapeake, VA (Walmart) -- 6 dead
The motives were not known for all of these shootings. What we do know is that some of the shooters espoused white supremacy (Buffalo, NY), anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments (Colorado Springs, CO), anti-police (Allen, KY), and opinions about the Taiwan/China conflict (Laguna Woods, CA). Some, also, livestreamed the shootings (Buffalo, NY and Memphis, TN).
Clearly, there are mental health problems that are not being addressed but the instant notoriety, easy access to social media and constant barrage of radical ideologies/theories seem to stoke this wildfire. It was difficult to get sweeping changes passed federally but the Safer Communities Act was passed (see "Congress" section below).
Congress
With their small majority, the Congress was productive last year. Surprisingly, almost 95% of the bills passed were bipartisan. The Democrats fared better than expected during the midterm elections in November but the Republicans gained a narrow 4-seat majority. The following were six of the most significant bills passed in 2022.
The Inflation Reduction Act was the largest attempt in history to address climate change with a $369 billion package of clean-energy funding covering cars, homes and businesses. It aimed to curb methane emissions and set aside money for communities heavily affected by air pollution and other climate-related issues. The bill contained new measures to lower prescription drug costs. It included a provision that empowers Medicare to negotiate prices with the pharmaceutical industry, a $2000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions for Medicare, and a $35 monthly insulin cap for Medicare beneficiaries. It is funded by a potpourri of new taxes, including a 15% corporate minimum tax. The bill included more funding for IRS tax collection. It required the Vice President to break the tie vote. Not a single Republican voted for it.
The Electoral Count Reform Act revised the 1887 Electoral Count Act to close the gaps in federal law that former President Trump and his allies sought to exploit. It made clear that the Vice President cannot discount electoral votes. It raised the threshold for objections from one member to one-fifth members of each the House and Senate. It will, also, prevent competing slates of electors and simplify state certification with mechanisms to assure the rightful winner is certified.
The bipartisan Safer Communities Act included grants for states to pass "red flag" laws designed to block people who pose a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or owning a firearm. It attempted to close the "boyfriend loophole" by keeping firearms away from dating partners who are convicted of abuse. It strengthened background checks of 18- to 21-year-olds, opening the door to examining juvenile records. It also clarified which gun sellers are required to register as licensees and thus forced to conduct background checks on potential buyers (however, private sales and gun show sellers are still excluded).
The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act made a $280 billion investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and tax breaks for the production of chips. It was intended to boost the U.S.'s position when it comes to global competitiveness.
The Respect for Marriage Act codified federal protections for marriages between same-sex and interracial couples. It does not require states to grant marriage licenses against state law but same-sex couples will enjoy the benefits if they get married in a different state.
The Speak Out Act banned non-disclosure agreements in events of sexual assault.
FRIENDS
The biggest impact in 2022, personally, was that, by my sticking to the monthly meetings with my closest friends, I really benefited from these friendships. I enjoyed the comradery and laughter, and really got to know my friends on a deeper level. On some occasions, Gary joined us and he added more levity. As a bonus, we tried new restaurants -- particularly, some delicious types of Chinese food in Burbank, Pasadena and Arcadia.
This commitment to my friends is a no-brainer. I get so much from my friends. I hope they feel the same way. I will continue doing everything I can to meet regularly.
FAMILY
My husband finally retired from work. He had every intention of retiring in June but, after the bank went through some management changes and he was put on a month-to-month contract, he made that final decision to pull the plug…and he's glad he did! 2022 was his year of discovery. He was able to regularly play in the jazz band from pre-pandemic days and seriously work on woodworking projects. He finished reworking a desk for my sister-in-law, building a professional cook's cutting board, building a work table for his workshop, renovating/building a new lighting system for my sister's kitchen and redesigning a wooden bowl that he created a couple years ago to disguise a flaw (it turned out fantastic!).
When I tell people that we're both retired, most are incredulous that we get along so well. Last year, we found that we both have similar and very different interests. This meant that we would connect and communicate deeply when our interests coincided, and go off into our independent projects without feeling slighted. We are truly best friends.
Our relation with his brother and family continued to grow stronger. My husband and I attended a 4-week cooking class with him and my niece. We enjoyed making great French, Mediterranean and Italian dishes! His brother had many opportunities to show off his skills when we came over to visit at least monthly. My husband and his brother, also, bonded on a genuine level when they vacationed together for a weekend.
I attended a couple cardmaking classes and cookware parties with my sister-in-law. We found that we were very creative in something that was once so foreign to us. Our relationship continued to be honest…and fun.
Their daughter continued going to college nearby. She came to live with us -- first, every weekend as a reprieve from living on campus; then, full-time the next semester. We wanted her to consider our home as a comfort zone where she can earnestly study and have downtime to try new vegetarian dishes and watch new shows (at least, that's what we call the old shows we loved to watch again). We hoped our home helped in reducing her anxiety.
My relationship with my dad and brother continued to improve. I made an effort to contact my dad at least monthly -- even if I didn't have any new news -- and he appreciated the effort. We saw my brother and his wife on a couple occasions. He brought over tools that he had but couldn't use to add to my husband's collection and gave him some good woodworking tips and advice.
As always, my relationship with my sister, her daughter and son-in-law was strong. While we stopped having weekly Game Nights due to how busy everyone became, we were able to go out to dinner fairly regularly. I'm certain that the people around us wondered what we were discussing since we were always laughing. My sister, her daughter and I had the chance to vacation together for a weekend and, as expected, we enjoyed each other's company.
This was a year of stronger bonds. I am whole.
MY LITTLE FAMILY
My little family of my husband and dog continued to provide me everyday comfort in 2022; although, we did succumb to COVID in mid-June. We were lucky we get along together! Essentially, it wasn't horrible. We were tired and had sore throats but we just hunkered down and caught up with some new streaming shows on TV. We even shared the responsibility of feeding and hydrating each other.
Other than one weekend, we were very consistent about taking my dog to a local college grounds to play ball. She enjoyed running at full speed and, this year, we noticed that the glucosamine supplements we gave her worked. She was one year older yet she didn't suffer from the hard play. She was, also, more open to visitors and I credited our niece who stayed over for that. She became used to people other than us. It took a short while to adjust but, then, she settled down.
We did complete some major work on our home. We had the first phase of our backyard redo completed. We installed a new shed and moved some of the equipment and supplies from the garage into the shed so my husband had more space for woodworking. Unexpected costs for a new dryer, garage door repair and new tires, however, ate into our discretionary spending.
Next year, we will continue with another home renovation project that isn't too pricey. Hopefully, nothing else will break down unexpectedly.
PERSONAL
I discovered a little about myself last year. I jumped into some projects early and was still strong by the end of the year. Some of my objectives, however, started with good intentions in the beginning of the year but petered out by the end (namely, my plans to exercise more and work on art projects).
I made an effort to try a new recipe each month. By the end of the year, I tried more than 12 new recipes which exceeded my initial goal. Also, when I was attending the cooking class, I realized that I had more skills than I thought I had. That gave me confidence to adjust recipes and cook meals without a recipe. In fact, a perfect seared chicken (which is one of my favorite proteins) became one of my strengths.
I started exercising again early in the year but my husband injured his shoulder. Instead of continuing alone, I stopped so my regular exercise became walking our dog. By the end of the year, I vowed I'd walk the dog at least twice a day. I do have plans to start yoga and Tai Chi again this year -- maybe in December? Ha Ha!
I thought our trip to the Getty Museum would inspire me to work on an art project last year. Besides, making cards and other small crafts, I didn't even start. So many ideas have stumbled around in my head but it did not translate to action.
I wanted to keep politically active. I was happy that my niece suggested we join the Bans Off Body march because it reminded me of my early, early days. It's not likely that I'll volunteer again to work the voting polls but I am looking for another volunteering opportunity for this year.
Finally, on a spiritual level, I was really committed to a daily reading and meditation. My husband and I set aside a half hour to hour every morning for these sessions. We even included reading poetry and information about other religions. The meditations weren't as formal as I would have liked but we found our morning walks perfect for reflection.
I have many plans for this year but, overall, I'm happy that I've made some progress last year that has set up a basis for even more progress this year. Also, my important relationships are strong and, for next year, I plan to keep them strong.