And I feel restless. Trapped. Even a little fearful.

Okay, it's not really that bad. But I'm pretty sure a year ago I said I'd have a new job by the end of 2011. No dice (or new job).

So the fear is that a year from now this will not be different. I'll still be in the job I have, and even more frustrated than before. And even older still.

Because what's the incentive for anyone to start hiring again? Low taxes don't get it done (it's been over 10 years), and the fear that these taxes will go up certainly won't. I'm not sure who the job creators are (that moniker makes them seem kind of...godly, doesn't it? way to be humble about who's paying your campaign checks, Congress), but I don't think they think they are who you think they are. Which means they aren't.

For the last few months I've been blaming everything from insomnia to complete non-enthusiasm for work to a couple of drunken benders on the impending 40th (still over a month to go). I think it's a cop out. I should probably stop doing that.

Both of my managers from my previous two jobs (dating back to 1996) are dead. Which means I have no actual managerial references to say nice things about me when I'm applying for jobs. I'm not blaming death or the dead managers, but this seems like a bit of a Catch-22.

Everyone (pretty much) has put Breaking Bad's 4th season as the best TV of the year. Number one. And most recognize that my town, Albuquerque, is a character along with the rest of the crazies on that show. Which is pretty cool. Even though it's about making and dealing meth (and killing and car washes).

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the show other than watch it.

My band spent the spring recording what ended up being called Hassles. I mixed and produced it. I did a pretty good job, considering I'm neither of those things (or a sound engineer, for that matter). Hopefully we'll record another chunk of songs in the new year. And it'll be even better.

Other Random Fearless Predictions for 2012:

Someone will be elected President in November.

Nothing in the Avengers movie will look like it was shot in Albuquerque and New Mexico, even though a lot of it was.

I'll find another job. Or something else to do. Maybe just go on a few more dates.

A new, close to my place, breakfast burrito hut will open. Giving me a bit of variety to help ease the Saturday morning hangover. Hacienda, I miss you so.

I'll fix the broken windshield on my car.

Congress will go all blue (no matter who actually wins the Presidential election, although the prediction does tend to point to a re-election of Obama), and the now bat shit crazy, paranoid, xenophobic, racist and generally out of touch with the modern world faction of the Republican party will feel justified in their thought that everyone else in the world is trying to turn them into godless heathens.

And two years later it'll swing again.

There will be at least one genuinely great album released. Likewise a movie. And hopefully we won't be terribly disappointed with the "Breaking Bad" series finale (although AMC could side-step this by not airing it until 2013).

I won't let the bastards get me down.

Matt Worley a godless heathen. But a pretty nice godless heathen, nonetheless.