I am totally the Anti-Gus.

2004 was an amazing (in so many senses of the word) year for me.

There was an unexpected marriage, even if it was nullified a few months later. There were births for my friends, other weddings for them too.

There was successful completion of National Boards for me.

Lori's arm on the Mars rover worked.

My students moved on successfully to a new grade and a new teacher.

My father is slowing down and is losing his memory, but my parents seem to be happily surviving co-retirment.

There were losses, some of them devastating. But so much good too.

Life has just been incredible and I feel blessed this year and eager to see what 2005 brings, good and bad.

I'm another anti-Gus. (Hi, Gus! Would some punctuation help?)

This year wasn't easy or perfect, but we got through it, and in the end the good outweighed the bad.

We watched our completely unexpected and wonderfully lovable baby girl go from a newborn to a walking, starting-to-talk little person, beloved by her big brothers and her parents in equal measure.

We were forced to move unexpectedly and quickly, but we found a place with more room and the kids didn't have to change schools.

I was late on a few deadlines, but I was writing more this year than ever before, and working on projects I actually like.

Stephen had to change jobs again, but his new job, while for less money, gives him a lot of flexibility and time with the kids.

There was some loss, and there were some hard decisions and realizations, but our kids are happy and healthy, we still love being married to each other, and if 2005 brings some surprises, good or bad, we'll face them together.

t /Pollyanna

Kat is not the Anti-Gus.

Well, okay, physically the exact opposite. I'll grant her that.

2004 was good in a lot of ways. I waved around a picture of Kat and Lori getting hitched in such a way that my cow-workers thought I was demented, for instance.

I did a science thing me ownself this year that might make a difference.

Still. War, which I am against. Bush ... let's leave it there...

I think I want to be more Kat-like in 2005.

That's sweet, Gus. Not everything is happiness and light, but I am trying to create a pocket of happiness for myself.

I don't really have my health, or at least not in the way I'd like, but I'm surrounded by dynamic, loving, caring people. I don't always love my workplace, but I am charged by what I do.

So, all in all, choosing my life is prolly not a great model. AmyLiz's life maybe would be a better model.

Well, Gus, we're all hoping, bunk.And, wrod, I've been so excited about loving a show that's still on...oh, no, am I the kiss of death? Sorry I broke your show by discovering it. Simon says he is going to go "begging-ass bitch" to the CEO and plead a lot. The CEO really loves it too. It could work. Cautiously optimistic for 2005...I don't do much more than cautiously optimistic ." It ain't in me no more." to bring the two threads together. I plan to keep fighting though...mos def. Second the Bush-emotions. Post of the Beast...didn't even do it on purpose.

Erika got the GOOD number. DAMN. Go her.

So creepily fitting, huh? My address has that in it. People either laugh or look blank.

2004 was a pretty good year, all told. My first full year of grad school. Had my best birthday in awhile. The first of my childhood friends got married. Several friends had babies. I had a few months of being sick, but I got my voice back eventually. Learned a lot about myself, both what I am and what I am not.

My husband just toasted the table with champagne. We have two strong, intelligent, funny children.

All the rest is commentary.

Well, it's 11:40 here. In 20 minutes, it will be 2005.

2004 has not been a bad year exactly, but it has been the Year of the Holding Pattern. My health issues continued, and some questions were finally answered. One of them was whether or not I was going to have a child any time soon, if ever. Amazingly, I seem to have reached some sense of peace with that answer, finally, even if it wasn't what I thought I wanted. My job was...well, more of a job and less of a passion. I feel myself shifting away from it, reaching toward something new and different and better. I'm outgrowing this life, I think.

However, I will always love 2004 for bringing me the Buffistas. I can't even believe that I didn't know this place, or these people, a year ago. It's not the board itself, though I love it here. It's the people. The real face-to-face time I have had and the incredible bonds I have formed. I can't even...I want to explain...I just can't. Some of my closest friends now were complete strangers last year. Thank you, thank you, thank you for that.

I'm ready to break out of formation now. 2005 is going to be a defining year for me. I turn 30 in six weeks, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for a new decade, a new set of chances.

Ready now...

Happy New Year, loves. And thanks.