After starting out 2009 feeling pretty groovy about the future, Idle the Iguana fell right out of his perch high in the sea grape tree —- “knocked down to da ground,” as he put it, by some major bummers of the year.
As he climbs back up for a better view, Idle hopes to rise above what got him down before and has set his sights on some better things to come in 2010.

Idle wishes:

for a quieter place to live, sans zip-line, among the trees and other creatures at Magens Bay;

for more jobs for idle young men (for lizards, idle is okay!);

for more respect for the environment —- air, land and sea;

for a fresh paint job and fresh pride in St. Croix’s historic towns;

for a security team for Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg (with or without fencing);

for the long-promised planner to finally arrive on St. John;

for Stefan Larsen to install wind turbines in everyone’s yards;

for more prosecutions of animal cruelty … and of people cruelty, too;

for permission to sun himself on Legislature Beach with Lolo;

for more excitement and less incitement about our multi-cultural community;

for instant karma;

for human beings to stop trashing paradise;

for a meaningful recycling program;

for a hotel to break ground on St. Croix;

for an end to the bloodshed;

for enforcement of animal and child cruelty laws and more prosecutions of both;

for swift, cosmic justice for whomever poisoned five Frenchtown pelicans;

for public officials who do the people’s business and are not for sale;

for more drivers who recognize the red octagonal signs are not "stoptionals," and who slow down for Iguanas crossing the road;

for kids to be able to go to public schools and not worry about gangs or random violence;

for a solution to the parking fiasco that is Cruz Bay;

for men who call themselves men, to act like it;

for women to demand that they do (no more fatherless pregnancies, domestic and other violence, bullying and false bravado);

for someone to harness all the political hot air for energy this election year;

for tourists who will stay here a while and enjoy the people as they do the land and sea;

for more long-term beds and care for V.I. seniors in need;

for more love and less noise;

for hurricanes to pass safely far away;

for fewer rumors on the radio, and the streets;

for a constitutional V.I. Constitution that we can all be proud of at day’s end;

for an end to anyone saying “those people,” “you people,” “us” or “them”;

and for heaps of healthy hibiscus and a nice-looking lady lizard to ring in the New Year.

As he reaches the top fronds and the sunshine, Idle says he can see it all right now. Can you?