I believe that erika should have the same -- think of all the visiting!

MG, 2006 owes you fantastic things.

Excellent gift, Erika!

Bloody well done Erin with all teh sex. I must join the others in the 'shit, man, didn't know that - get down with your pissy-ass self' wrt Gus and the cane-chair transition.

Anne - 30lb! Damn, girl, well done you!

In the world of me, I've been an infrequent visitor to the internets, sadly. I've moved to a new job, which is in many respects much better than my previous position, but in some respects more frustrating - I'm trained & qualified to teach the British curriculum, and it turns out that y'all don't even HAVE a curriculum, let alone a consistent and objective way of levelling and assessing children's work. Which is frustrating. Still, in terms of professional development, this job is still fantastic.

Actually, this year is something of a gift: I'm on a decent salary (within the given context of my living expenses) and yet I don't have to do planning or grading of work. I'm able to have an hour longer in bed than last year AND my employers lay on a free bus service to get me into work. Which is all good. My circle of friends has broadened, at least among the expat community here. That's all Of The Good.

Meanwhile, like Anne, I've decided that it's about bloody time I stopped being fat and started being fit. I started on October 6th, and so far I've lost 18lb. I'm really enjoying the process.

I've also started an original novel, but it's stalled a bit - need to get cracking with that.

The karaoke has petered out of late, but I have joined the Cairo Choral Society, and spent several months learning Beethoven's Mass in C and a couple of sections of Handel's Messiah. We performed on Wednesday and Thursday night this past week, and although our first performance was only okay, our second was marvellous. That was a terrific feeling - singing in public is something I find really daunting, and working from sheet music on a project like this was really a challenge for me.

I hope that 2006 brings all of you the happiness and success you so richly deserve. You guys are my very favourite people.

I don't even know where to start in describing my year. Maybe it's best if I just don't.

Ooh, the prospect of possibly reading a Fay written novel makes the future seem very inviting indeed.

Kristin is here. Need I say more?

ND is gonna make the WBB list.

erika, thank you for your gift. It made me grin. Fay, congratulations on your new singing career! I'm so glad you're having fun with it.

This was an important year for me. I finally made the decision to go back to school and get my degree in library science. (My final exam for Reference was this morning, and may I just say, I totally kicked ass!) It's incredible to me that at the end of this program, I will actually be employable in a field that I enjoy. And although it's been a slog this semester, working full time (and commuting two hours a day) and also taking a class with about 15-20 hours of homework per week, I'm totally engaged with and excited about my class and my program. So that's awesome.

I spent a lot of time with my family this year, including at my grandfather's funeral, and I realized anew how staggeringly lucky I am to be a part of this family that I love so damn much. I also got to see my grandfather and say goodbye to him less than a week before he passed away. I miss him more than I can express.

I remain, it seems, hopelessly single, which is disappointing; a brief and somewhat awkward fling and a new unrequited crush were the sum total of my romantic encounters this year, not to mention the several weddings I went to (including one ex-boyfriend's) either solo or with my parents. I try not to dwell too much on it, but sometimes it really gets me down.

But on the whole, this was a year of taking stock and moving forward in a new direction, and I am really pleased with where I am now.

I wish you all light in the darkness, and bright joy in the new year.

erika, I just read the story about Ella Thompson and her daughter. Your gift absolutely rocks.

Isn't that an amazing story? They caught that guy too...he's doing life, and it really couldn't happen to a "nicer" guy. Eugene Dale is one of the reasons they thought up prisons.(I've turned this thread into a Simon story...darkening up all the cheer and stuff, but making sure you know I don't think I think we're doomed.) "Miss Ella" died too young, damn it.

ND just made me cry in a very good way.

And yes, despite everything about this year that was difficult and challenging and scary and stressful in so many ways...I'm here. And in love.

2005. Glad to see it go, but so excited for 2006.