Happy New Year!!!!
This time last year, I was 40 weeks pregnant. In 4 days, I'll have a 1 year-old. So that's this year in a nutshell.
Damn it! You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt monkey!
Xander ,'Lessons'
Goodbye and Good Riddance 2011: Maybe the even years are better
Every year we watch the Charlie Brown special, do the Snoopy dance, wish everybody a Merry Christmukkah, and thank our Secret Santas in the good riddance thread. Which is this one, in case you were wondering. 2011? Room for improvement. Srsly.
Jessica - Dec 31, 2011 7:43:07 pm PST #307 of 408
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?
Jesse - Dec 31, 2011 8:24:25 pm PST #308 of 408
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Happy new year, y'all!
Calli - Jan 01, 2012 3:28:10 am PST #309 of 408
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
2011 was pretty good. Work started to move in the direction I wanted. I went to France with the local fangirl contingent (Dr Who and baguettes ftw!). My remaining family stayed reasonably healthy and I was pretty much done with the executrix work for Dad.
On the downside, I learned that I had an inner ear condition that put an end to my flying lessons--lessons I loved to distraction. So summer 2010-summer 2011 ended up being my year of flight, rather than the start of a longer hobby. Now I'm in the market for a new love. I'm not sure what 2012 will be the year of, but I'm looking forward to finding out.
DCJensen - Jan 01, 2012 4:18:03 am PST #310 of 408
All is well that ends in pizza.
Goodbye 2011. Let the screen door pummel you.
Anne W. - Jan 01, 2012 4:21:31 am PST #311 of 408
The lost sheep grow teeth, forsake their lambs, and lie with the lions.
Calli, if I didn't say so before, I am so sorry about the flying lessons. I'll echo your wish that 2012 brings you something new and fabulous to love.
Calli - Jan 01, 2012 5:02:07 am PST #312 of 408
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
Thank you, Anne.
Jesse - Jan 01, 2012 5:03:13 am PST #313 of 408
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Yeah, I don't think I knew about that -- so sorry.
amyth - Jan 01, 2012 5:55:44 am PST #314 of 408
And none of us deserving the cruelty or the grace -- Leonard Cohen
I was going to do my 2011 wrap-up post, which has lots of bad, some good and a very eventful past week, which I talked about in Natter, but I'll do that later, because as I was walking out of my apt. last night to go to my neighbor's NYE party, my secret santa package was sitting on my doorstep! So I brought it to the party and opened it there.
The whole package is wonderful, but I'll save the very best for last. First , there's a lovely reusable shopping bag from the Trio Animal Foundation, which has a beautiful logo with a dog on it. Next is a Christmas ornament that looks kind of like an abstract Earth (so pretty!). Next is a jar of rooftop honey (SO. AWESOME!)
But the kicker was the picture at the bottom of the package. I actually exclaimed, "OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD!" at the party when I opened it, and started crying a little bit. It's a custom watercolor/marker drawing of Lulu [link] (Links to Facebook, but I think everyone should be able to see that.)
Everyone at the party agreed that it was the best Christmas gift ever. At any time, but especially after this week, with all of my memories of Lulu flooding back when I was fostering the other poodle. I just don't know what to say other than thank you so, so much. Someone at the party did ask, "Who are these people you're doing secret santa with, that they would get you such a perfect gift?" So I explained the Buffistas a bit.
The package just said it was from "Santa," but it only took a little investigation to figure out that my secret santa is brenda. Brenda, I can't thank you enough. This really is one of the best gifts I've ever gotten.
Scrappy - Jan 01, 2012 7:00:44 am PST #315 of 408
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
This year I had a long struggle with entropy and self-doubt, which resulted in slacking off a bit at work (and getting called out for it) and gaining a lot of weight as well as sputtering to a stop on my newest play.
I think things are improving. One reason was starting artistic roller skating again on my 55th birthday on August and blogging about it. Doing something I enjoy and writing about it has been really good both for the entropy and for getting my writing gears working again! I am in better shape and although I have not lost the weight yet I feel that will come.
Through it all, I still dig the hell out of my DH and he seems to do the same with me--and if our standard poodle can just stop eating furniture, home life looks to be even better in 2012.
brenda m - Jan 01, 2012 10:27:50 am PST #316 of 408
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there
Aw, Amy, I'm so glad.
The bag and the ornament both were acquired at a holiday thank you party thrown by TAF for its volunteers. The ornament was handmade and donated by the artist. Trio was a pitt bull who was found as a puppy crawling down a hallway in Cabrini Green. She had been a bait dog in a fight and her hind leg was bitten off. (Hence the name.) Her owner started a foundation in her name that funds medical care for injured animals in shelters, without which their adoption chances are basically nil.(Trio's mom, Sue, spent this past weekend driving from NY to Chicago with a Pitt who'd been languishing in a shelter for weeks with a broken leg and other injuries after being hit by a car.) they are made of awesome.
At the same party I met a local artist who had some neat sketches on display. I called him up a couple of weeks ago (phone call! To a stranger!) and he agreed to o something for Lulu using a picture I tanked from your Facebook. I was so delighted with what he came back with and how it all came together. I'm really glad you liked!