New Years Day

Usually, over the course of my life, I have made time on New Years Eve or in the week before to go over my year, to process it and make some adjustments for the coming. 2010 was different. I spent some time before Christmas doing a fair amount of revaluation, checking my intentions and looking for possibilities. 2010 was a year of "plan b's." A year where things turned out, just not as planned. New Years Eve was like a microcosm of the entire year. Maddy and I threw together a fairly last minute party plan. We did a lot of inviting people who already had other plans, but that was fine in our book. This is the text message I sent to everyone, in two parts: "Maddy and I are throwing a lil party for NYE. Manhattans, Old Fashioneds and a Woodford Reserve midnight toast at my place tonight." Followed by, "If you don't have any plans, or even if you do. We're saying 6pm-???(after midnight); hors d'oeuvres, snaks and some casserole - stop through, even if it's on your way elsewhere." I arrived back in my town around noon from a quick trip out to visit my pops in his locale, so this message wasn't sent until the afternoon of New Years Eve. So it goes.

I spent the evening fielding polite no's from my friends, most of whom are lucky enough to be working but whose jobs require their working on days like New Years Eve. I have no grudges about it. In addition to the short timing, most of my friends are an hour (+) away, or have children and family plans for the holiday. That the party turned out to be me, my fiancee and her bestest friend with guest appearances by her aunt, sister and my brother, didn't bother me. Maddy though was basically stabbed in the back by her "friends." The "friends" in question were mostly people she works with and old pals from High School. We both put effort into the party, ultimately, she spent more of her time, effort and money on the party than I - and I never expect my friends to come to my functions, because I understand that they are regularly unable to.

There was an incredible fog in Madison all day and night New Years Eve, so dense it cancelled my flight home from Chicago and I got rerouted by bus. So it goes. I know the fog kept at least one of my friends away, no telling for hers though as they just come from across town. It's unfortunate that this has thrown her into not just doubt about the quantity and quality of her friends, but also about herself. Tough to deal with when you keep in mind that she's a "reep what you sow" ideologue.

That was 2010, and frankly, besides the importance of having contention plans (b, c and often d) all I learned in 2010 was that I don't have to talk about it if I don't want to. I am done with 2010. It's peaks were memorable, but I hope to keep it's valleys sheltered in the shade until they simply fade away, forgotten beneath the sands of time.

2011 is a year of big, though possibly bittersweet plans, and unmissable opportunities. From a semester in Spain, to a transfer into the University system from Community College. I'm making machinations to make 2011 the year I remember how to have fun and feel alive. 2011 is the year I test my boundaries. I don't have a good track record when it comes to being away from home, but I haven't tried it in twenty years - twenty years that have led me away from home and shattered my "home" into four or five different states (depending on how one counts). So it goes.

2011 is the year of the kindle, the year I read classics and see more of the world than I ever knew existed. 2011 should be the year I get a real job again, though we'll see what happens with that. 2011. Ok then, moving on...