This was originally posted on The Phil Factor on Dec. 29, 2006
This is the week of every year that I hate to watch television, read magazines, or go online. There is not a single media outlet that can resist the year ending “Year That Was” piece in some format or other. Being no better, or worse than the media, I hereby present to you my Year in Review. Of course as with any year of our lives my year had it’s ups and downs, but there was one very strange constant throughout 2006 for me. My left thumb. Due to a series of accidents throughout the year there wasn’t a day that I wasn’t reminded very specifically about my left thumb.
January 2006: I moved into my new house. While putting baseboards in the dining room I smashed my left thumb with a hammer, rendering the nail bruised and bloodied underneath for the next 4 months until that grew out. Rarely did a day go by for the next 4 months that someone didn’t say, “What happened to your thumb?”
May 2006: I was building a shed shortly after the nail of my left thumb had finally begun to look normal again. I hit my left thumb with a hammer, again leaving a purple bruise under the nail. Yes, by now I know you are probably assuming I’m exceedingly clumsy with a hammer. I contend that isn’t the case. Based on the number of nails I pounded during the past year it’s amazing that I didn’t hit my thumb more often.
July 2006: Playing catch with a baseball without wearing a baseball glove my left thumb is hit directly by a good, hard throw. As far as I can tell the thumb was broken. I don’t know for sure because I never went to the doctor. At the time the big Golden Boys weekend was coming up and I didn’t want some doctor ruining my golf game by putting a cast on the thumb. I still can’t bend the thumb all the way anymore.
Oct. 2006: Putting a new floor and baseboards down in one room of my house I hit my left thumb with a hammer again. Just this week the mark from that is finally growing out as is the year of 2006. I find it absolutely bizarre that just one part of my body absorbed so much abuse so consistently throughout the year. And so me, George Bush, and our thumbs say good-bye to 2006 with hope for a less painful 2007. Come back on Monday for my New Years Resolutions post.
Actually, now that we’re back in 2013, come back on Saturday and I’ll post my New Years Resolutions. As always, if you enjoy #ThePhilFactor please hit any of the social media sharing buttons below. One thing that’s different now from 2006 is that I have a bunch of funny and suspenseful books there in the right sidebar. If you got a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad for Christmas….I think you know what I’m getting at. Hope you’re having a great holiday season!
