When I got my new smartphone, I named it “Fred.”  It just seemed appropriate to give it a name and Fred seemed to fit my new friend.  My new phone friend, Fred.

This started a small trend in our house and when my teenager got a phone, he named it, “Todd.”

My 8-year-old Ben wanted in on the act and the other night he announced to me that his tablet’s name was “Bobby.”  This was understandable, until Ben explained a little further.  “Earlier this year at school, I did not have anyone else sitting with me at my desk.  I had an eraser and I named it, ‘Bobby.'”  Oh, my.  This is just sad.  My son did not have anyone sitting next to him at school, so he befriended and named an eraser.

Folks, I just want to say that none of us have any idea for certain what 2017 holds, but I can say for sure, things won’t be so bad that you’ll need to befriend an eraser.  I’m pretty certain about that.