At the end of each year, people begin writing New Year’s resolutions that they pretty much know they will not be keeping. Yet, it’s a popular ritual.

I know because I write the resolutions, too, with every intention of keeping them. But somehow, as the year goes by, I fall behind.

Another ritual, we tend to go through is “Top 10 Stories of the Year.” We don’t always agree to what those stories are.

I’ve already read several lists of top stories for 2018. To make my point, I’ll use the Associated Press’ list of the Top 10. On that list, not necessarily in order of importance, are: 1) The murder of Jamal Khashoggi, 2) Climate change, 3) California wildfires, 4) Kavanaugh hearings, 5) U.S. immigration, 6) U.S. midterm elections, 7) Mass shootings, 8) #MeToo movement, 9) Trump-Russia probe and 10) Parkland school shooting.

I agree all of the above are important stories. However, if you happen to be a black person in America, you might say that all of those things concern you and many were handled badly by the person who currently occupies the White House.

Just in case AP’s list was in order of importance, we’d probably organize them in a different order, and have several more to add that would place pretty high on the list.

1) Voter suppression, considering how votes were counted in Georgia for gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, in Florida for gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum and in Mississippi for U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy. I’m also concerned about Beta O’Rourke’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Texas;

2) All of the women who won elected office at all levels for the first time;

3) Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s continuing campaign for justice;

4) Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming” and its phenomenal sales — being named the best-selling hardcover book of the year and selling more than 2 million copies in the first 15 days;

5) Democrats taking back the U.S. House of Representatives so they can block some of the craziness on the other side of the aisle;

6) Parkland, Fla., high school shooting and the aftermath of the attention the students brought to gun control;

7) Proof that the current administration in charge of governing in Washington has lost all credibility and nothing can save them;

8) Without completing it, the Mueller investigation has shown us that No. 45 has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. He doesn’t know when to hold them, when to fold them, when to throw down and when to walk away. But now is a good time;

9) Former President Obama’s continuing to be a class act by bringing joy to so many, such as his recent visit to the District of Columbia Children’s National Medical Center while bearing gifts;

10) The absolute unending, never-before-seen craziness, lying, dangerous, stupid, criminal behavior we continue to witness from the occupant in the White House — the one who promised to “drain the swamp.”

Each day I wake up, I turn on the news to see what we’re facing for the coming day. Even the White House staff members don’t know until they hear No. 45’s plans on the news! From tweets, we learn that we are in for another crazy, unpredictable day.

There were many good things that happened in 2018, but they were overshadowed by the antics of No. 45, who dominated the news week after week, not in a good way, but what is believed to be criminal behavior. Many of us are left wondering when will this be over!

The writer is national president of the National Congress of Black Women Inc.