The ball has dropped, the champagne is going flat, the new year is upon and barely a few minutes old. I spent the passing over outside drinking cheap champagne (I shouldn't have gotten a brut, but like anything you buy at Kroger is going to be vintage) and smoking a cigar. I knew the new year was upon us by the yelling of drunkards and the pop of local fireworks. As the old year closes like the last page of a book, we reflect on the last sentence and the paragraphs before. The year brought me beginnings and endings. Gains and losses. It found me dabbling my hand at dating and the subsequent failure. It found me dabbling my hand at publishing and the subsequent failure. It found me far from the presence but close in the spirit of my good friends all over the country. I hope I brought them a tenth of the pleasure they brought me. It brought a new warmth into my life in the form of my kitty, whom I love and loves me. It brought the loss of relatives, whose kindness I am grateful for.
Last year at this time I posted a list of new years resolutions. Let's have a look, shall we?
- Pay off my credit card debt before buying a new recliner (as mine just broke), a new computer screen, or a new computer mouse.
Mission accomplished there. I paid off my credit card, then bought a new recliner, new monitor, new mouse and new cat. Then I went to Vegas and got myself in a completely new and uncharted level of credit card debt. However, outside of the monetary loss, I am suffering that trip in no other way.
- Go on at least 6 dates, one before the end of February.
I did not go out on a date before February, though I did one soon after. In total I had 4 dates with 3 women. The results of that issue have already been discussed on this blog in length.
- Allow my mancrush for Mike Rowe to proceed unchecked.
Done and done.
- Finish Pebbleman and actually look into publishing it.
I did finish Pebbleman, and though I can't ever like what I write, I can reach a certain level of satisfaction. I did not look into publishing that, though I attempted to publish something else which was rejected twice (I found out on Christmas day that Thomas Waits had been rejected by Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, merry Christmas to me)
- Attend TacoCon '08, attempt to remember as much of it as I can.
There was no TacoCon '08, for which I blame myself. This year, folks.
- Launch my military coup of Zebulon.
The plan is in progress. Sooooooooon.
- Attain my first major weight point in my weight loss arc.
Not even close. Are we surprised? No.
- Become at least 15% more awesome.
I believe I lost 12.2% of my awesomeness.
- Say at least one thing that makes people double over laughing.
That may have happened somewhere in the year, I am unsure.
- Say at least one thing that makes people give me that look of "what the fuck is wrong with you?"
Once a week at least.
I....think I did that.
- Embarrass myself publicly.
Many many times.
- Keep my houseplant alive.
It made it to December before it died. My mother and I cooperated to kill it.
- Smoke my Meerschaum more than once.
Didn't smoke it at all. I need some new pipe tobacco.
- Keep my apartment clean (HAHAHAHAHAHA).
Uh....sure....
Still trucking.
Too much. Or not enough. One of the two.
Every day.
A TON. Often at work. Often getting caught.
There were tears, but not weeping tears.
- Hold myself to my New Years resolutions only so much as I want, and not feel guilty if I fail.
That...that I'd say was a success.
So what are the resolutions for this next year? What is to come?
- Ask Marta (the cute girl in the stockroom) out for dinner. Whatever the outcome, it must be asked.
- Work on and submit at least two publications for my job.
- Finish my zombie story and submit it to Wierd Tales
- Start at least one other story
- Have dinner at the Irish Lion at least once a month
- Get to know Noq better
- Post a lot in the Serenity RPG
- Continue to work out at least 3 times a week
- Pay off my credit card (again)
- Visit a new city
- Blog more
- Bitch less
- Sleep evenly
- Smile in the morning
- Tell everyone I love that I love them
- Ask for forgiveness instead of permission
- Offer a shoulder
- Offer a hand
- Offer a Dr. Pepper
- Be the person people know me to be instead of the person I think I am
- Be the ball
- Heed the advice of Jimmy V.
- Hold myself to my New Years resolutions only so much as I want, and not feel guilty if I fail.
Happy New Year, friends. Happy New Year, my dear dear friends.
