Tomorrow is Chinese New Year. After the January we’ve all had, isn’t it nice we get another go at starting 2011?

In the top half of the world (the Southern Hemisphere) we’ve been deluged with floods. (Who says you Northerners are the top half? Just because it was a Northerner who drew the map. Phooey! Anyway, the earth’s a sphere so, technically speaking, there’s no such thing as top and bottom, so I can say what I like, so stop arguing! Back to the topic…) Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Brazil and Australia have all had massive floods: many dead, thousands homeless. And, we’ve just had the biggest cyclone since the whites settled this country. Thank the Lord, the people were extremely well-prepared (good job, Qld government; you really looked after your people) and although homes and crops were destroyed, not one life was lost.

Egypt is in turmoil. Its people are finally saying, “We’ve had enough repression. We want to be free of fear. We want good government (like they have in Queensland).” Of course the Repressor and his cohorts aren’t going down with a fight, but I have faith that people power will prevail. I think of Cambodia. I think of the Philippines. I think of Romania. I think of Tunisia.

Then there’s the bottom half of the world (Europe, UK, USA), most of it covered in mounds of snow: magical, beautiful, cold, wet, relentless, why-won’t-it-melt snow. The poor and the homeless are freezing to death.

And here in my part of Oz, some mean-spirited people are moving their kids to another school. Why? Because some children from the nearby refugee detention centre will be going there. Get a grip, people! They’re children! They and their families have fled oppressive regimes, risking their very lives, and have come here in the belief that we’re a caring, sharing democracy and we’ll be a safe haven. Prove them right, people. Come on. I dare you to be neighbourly.

Yep! Great start to the year, World. Good job. Thankfully the Chinese, that ancient and inscrutable civilisation, have given us a fresh start. Nothing like a second chance to lift the spirits. So, tomorrow night I’ll be in a Chinese restaurant with some friends, where we’ll enjoy a scrumptious banquet, watch a fabulous lion dance and toast in the New Year.

Happy New Year (again) everyone! Let’s see if we can kick off 2011 a little better, the second time around.