When I was a kid I'm sure I imagined that by 2011 we'd be looping around town on jetpacks and have established outposts on other planets. One of the things I used to really enjoy about the Star Trek: The Next Generation series was that in the 24th century on earth, at least, human wars and human need were a thing of the past. I hope this is the direction we're headed in, although we seem to have fallen a bit behind schedule on the matter of jetpacks and outposts!
Anyway, with the more immediate future in mind here's a list of things (in no particular order) I'm hoping for in 2011. Some of these are more likely to happen than others but I'm wishing for them all.
2011 Wishes
* That Steve Carell changes his mind about leaving The Office because I'm going to miss Michael Scott way to much to keep watching the show without him. Please, Steve, Staaaaaay! Dunder Mifflin won't be Dunder Mifflin without you.
* That governments and industries around the world get serious about preventing global warming. All us citizens of the globe play a part here but to truly make any headway on this issue we need the people with the power onboard and the clock is ticking down.
* That scholars discover a previously unreleased sequel to Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 novel, North and South, because I'm dying to know what happens to Margaret Hale and John Thornton (and I'm sure there are a huge crowd of people out there who feel the same way). Said sequel should promptly be adapted into a delightful but rousing BBC miniseries with parts for Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage (from the original North & South cast) as well as Alex Kingston, Paul Bettany, James McAvoy and Mia Wasikowska.
* That Canadian citizens finally make up their mind to kick Prime Minister Stephen Harper (or should I say Stephane Harperoux?) to the curb and get ourselves a forward-thinking PM who realizes the future isn't going to look like the colour of dirty oil. I'm hoping this happens toute de suite because I don't know that my soul can survive watching Stephen choke out any more Who covers. I mean, if we have to endure a singing Prime Minister, even J-Roc would be an improvement. How 'bout it J-Roc, want to join the Liberal party?
* That my third book The Lighter Side of Life and Death gets made into a charming feature film that feels like a burst of sunshine. Because this is a wish-list I'll go ahead that and wish for my dream-cast and director too. You can read full details about both on the My Book, The Movie blog.
* At the moment I know quite a few writers that should by all rights (because these are super-talented people!) have wonderful book deals for their projects. Most of these folks are YA or MG writers and I'm rooting for them all—whispering to the universe (because sometimes it needs that kind of nudge) that this should be their year.
* Of course I usually have a book on the go myself and there are two that I would love to sell this year: my current WIP (a YA novel) and Book X (an adult novel), which I have an ardent crush on and which is still buzzing around in my head. So if you would like to whisper a suggestion in the universe's ear on my behalf I'd be very grateful indeed.
* That the citizens of Ireland, a nation which has been through the shredder recently, don't allow their government to rob the country of its potential by cutting off their fellow citizens at the knees. Nixing jobs and cutting health, education and social welfare funding will only hobble the country further. These are the kind of mean-spirited solutions which punish the people at the bottom of the economic ladder (and more of us are there every day) rather than those who caused the economic crash in the first place. I wish the same wish for citizens of the U.K. and everywhere else governments are trying to put the boot in in the name of austerity.
A brave new year to everyone!
