Call me kooky, but son-of-a-gun, where did 2015 go? Maybe it’s the weather phenom we have experienced this December (read: 50 and 60 degree weather, green grass, budding lilacs and oh my . . .)
For many 2015 was bittersweet, some good, some sad and lots of changes. For me, it was a year with more pluses than bummers (though, truth-be-told, some of the bummers were BUMMERS). I wish you all a prosperous and wonderful 2016 — but before I do, let’s recap 2015 Don’t Rush Me offerings!
At the end of the year, before I move on and make plans for better new years, I like to look back and ruminate. I like to contemplate and chew the cud, as they used to say, about what the heck I wrote about the preceding 51 weeks.
In 2015, I was insulted or mocked by readers only about a million times and only a few people called for my head to roll. This year I was called fat, creepy, whiney little baby, buffoon, stupid looking and an idiot.
* * *
One of the things I like to do is write headlines. I dig baiting you readers so I can entice you to read on further. Some of my favorite headlines of 2015 were (in no order):
1. Kick ’em when they’re down this Christmas (that was just last week, but I like it).
2. Dufus is as Dufus does so don’t be a dufus driver (from Sept. 16)
3. Adrenaline Rush, yeah, that’s the ticket! (from Aug. 26 — I contemplated what names to name the next Rush child).
4. The Wordsmith always rings twice (A cacophony of skulduggery sure to cause you consternation whilst you canoodle) from July 8.
5. Dangblabit! I missed World Naked Gardening Day (May 6)
6. The saga of yoga pants and your daughter (March 24).
7. The ‘power’ of Don tested this weekend (from Feb. 4). In this I pondered my special super powers to affect weather for all.
* * *
I also have a number of columns that, while not controversial, did get a lot of play from readers near and far. Three Don’t Rush Me columns caught fire in 2015 — mostly, I think because of social media. They were shared a lot to folks who don’t know me, or had never read a Don’t Rush Me before.
These three columns are, in order they were first published:
1. A word of advice: don’t go to Royal Oak! was published on Feb. 4 and generated so many e-mails and Facebook commentary I was able to fill columns on March 4 and March 11 with reader commentary. Aside from our print and on-line readers, my column was shared in the Twittersphere and on Facebook, where the organic reach was just under 10,000.
2. The saga of yoga pants and your daughter from March 24. Okay you out there in Readerland, you may now call me “Don, Don, the fashion mon.” Or Don, Fashion Nazi — your call (and sorry for the phonetics up there). But, who woulda thunk when I asked, “Moms, Dads you know yoga pants put on display for the entire world to see, the shape and every contour of your daughter’s undercarriage — front and back — don’t you?” that all fashion hell would break loose? Readers chimed in on both sides of the issue.
3. On August 5, I penned Facebook to the Rescue: Teen driver takes too many risks where I reported what I saw whilst driving on Clarkston-Orion Road and what happened when I posted said experience on Facebook. That post was shared a walloping 3,458 times!
* * *
Of course my favorite columns of any year are the ones I write for the few weeks in December before Christmas. This year those columns were in order:
1. Fa la la la la but don’t be scammed (Dec. 2)
2. Lighten up, even if you don’t put lights up (Dec. 9)
3. ‘For hate is strong and mocks the song…? (Dec . 16)
4. Kick ’em when they’re down this Christmas (Dec. 23)
* * *
And, my favorite column of the year was published on Nov. 25, Do something nice. This is Zach’s gift to you. It was a totally wonderful experience from my interview with Dan and Teena Finn to seeing the finished column in print (cuz the Finns liked it). If you don’t remember these, and want to you can go to our website, and click on my name under my picture.
Thank you one and all. I hope to entertain you, anger you and inform you well and good (in other words, play with you) in 2016. Feel free, as always to share your thoughts.
If you have a favorite column from 2015, please drop me a line via e-mail, Don@ShermanPublications.org