This just in

I just received two text messages. Both from a Georgia phone number I don't know. They read:

1) nana you at the wrong wal mart
armani

and

2) nana you at the wrong wal mart
armani
cal house phone

Somedays, little bits of awesome get thrown at you.

Top 5: Decrescendo of the Top 5

Top 5 movies to see just for the ending

5. Les Diaboliques

4. Manhattan

3. Bridges of Madison County

2. Zorba the Greek

1. Being There

Honorable mentions: Memento, Hitch (yes Hitch, damnit), Return of the King (all 18 endings)

10 years

10 years come and gone so fast I might as well be dreaming.
- Paul Simon, "10 Years"

Well, the New Year has once again found us. Despite my best efforts at hiding from it. And it is the end of the decade. How did this happen? How did the decade come to a close so fast? I remember where I was when the decade started, it seems only weeks ago. And now it's past. 10 years. The decade feels lost to me.

As is my wont, when the year begins anew I reflect on the previous New Years post. What my aims were, and how I approached them. So let us revisit.

• Ask Marta (the cute girl in the stockroom) out for dinner. Whatever the outcome, it must be asked.

I actually did this. And I cannot believe. I marched down there, just marched down there, out of the blue, my heart pounding, I took her aside and asked her to dinner. Just...did it. She shot me down of course. But I still can't believe I did it.

• Work on and submit at least two publications for my job.

Two, no. One, yes. A review, which isn't as good as a primary research paper, but it's a massive review in a major journal, so it's nothing to snub my nose at. Took me months and nearly drove me insane. I finished it, submitted it, and just before Christmas did the the rewrites, got it back in and it was accepted. Finished. Now for the other one.

• Finish my zombie story and submit it to Wierd Tales

Not even close. In fact...god....I don't think I did any writing whatsoever. Truly I am a failure.

• Start at least one other story

I don't think I...no wait. I think I have a couple ideas rattling around in my head. Usually based on dreams.

• Have dinner at the Irish Lion at least once a month

Not once a month, but actually a fair bit. The girlfriend really likes that place. In fact, it's sort of "our place". So we go there fairly often.

• Get to know Noq better

Only a little, sadly. The vast bulk of Noq's awesomeness still remains a mystery, which I only have myself to blame.

• Post a lot in the Serenity RPG

Hey, I did my level best with that. I tried to revive it on a number of occasions. Any lack of posting I blame on others.

• Continue to work out at least 3 times a week

That sort of went out the window what with the review. Then the mono. Then a cold. Then out of sheer laziness.

• Pay off my credit card (again)

Victory! Credit cards are paid off and I have even started saving a little dough. I am fiscally responsible!

• Visit a new city

Yes, but this was a setup. I knew I was going to visit Boston when I added this to my post last year.

• Blog more

I think my blogging has tapered off some.

• Bitch less

You know, people tend to think I'm a sourpuss. Well, I am, but I don't bitch all that often. I may be grumpy sure, but I don't complain a lot.

• Sleep evenly

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

• Smile in the morning

What is this "morning" you speak of?

• Tell everyone I love that I love them

Nope.

• Ask for forgiveness instead of permission

I didn't ask for anything.

• Offer a shoulder

I do that a lot with the girlfriend.

• Offer a hand

Done.

• Offer a Dr. Pepper

No! My Dr. Pepper!

• Be the person people know me to be instead of the person I think I am

Not. Even. Close.

• Be the ball

I'm pretty sure I was sometime there.

• Heed the advice of Jimmy V.

I don't cry much anymore.

• Hold myself to my New Years resolutions only so much as I want, and not feel guilty if I fail.

There is absolutely no guilt there. Not one bit.

And now, for the new list.

• Begin working out again
• Go to the doctor and get myself back on medication
• Write SOMETHING damnit
• Try to publish a work of fiction
• Visit my friends in North Carolina
• Try to see Coyote sometime
• Try to see Noq sometime
• Finish one standalone computer game
• Complete my masterwork vision in Dwarf Fortress
• Try to keep my girlfriend despite my emotional closed-offness
• Get drunk
• Get funky
• Get off
• Sleep 8 hours uninterrupted
• Clean my apartment once a month
• Go on a double date with my friend Pam and her husband
• Sample a new scotch
• Hold myself to my New Years resolutions only so much as I want, and not feel guilty if I fail

May the new year give you better fortune than the last. It'd be hard to give worse.