Happy Arbitrary Day!

So another season has passed.

The children are nestled all snug in their... uh... couch, while visions of... Kung-Fu Panda dance in... their TV screen. Parenting at it's finest.

So I'm grabbing a moment that it seems I haven't had in about six weeks to reflect on the past & the future. I feel like that should be printed all wavy & spooky like it sounds in my head - with my arms waving around too. But I can't find an HTML code for that. OK, ok - I'm too lazy to *find* an HTML code for that.

2008 summarized - what I accomplished last year:

Not much really:

• Kept three humans alive and somewhat challenged (may have had some help with that one. Especially the feeding - some say essential in the whole "keeping alive" phenomenon). And they don't hate me entirely, depending on the day/moment/way the wind is blowing. The "bad mommy" is a new one. I mean, I always knew, but it was never said *out loud* until now y'know?


• Stayed married. Not sure which one of us this is a bigger accomplishment for. Depends on the day/moment/way the wind is blowing.


• Got a new job. When I started this, I promised I wouldn't write about work (I mean, that's just stupid). But this is about me, and the new job (same bat-office, I don't like my changes to be TOO massive!) was a seriously new direction with seriously new challenges. As I spent most of this past fall I sick in one fashion or another, Max pointed out that I was probably stressed. I'm not stressed, I said. I love my new job. But further reflection revealed that I am actually absorbing and processing an awful lot of information & with relatively little down-time (self-inflicted, I know). So, to kick you square in the ass, stress doesn't have to necessarily be the They're-All-Out-To-Get-Me-And-Make-Me-Fail-And-I'm-Going-To-Lose-It-All-And-My-Family-Will-Starve variety.


• Turned 40. So maybe I didn't do this and it's more something happened to me, but I like to think that I had some part in my *making* it this far. Plus, I think I handled it well. I mean you don't really have a choice in the matter (and it certainly beats the alternative), but some of my learned colleagues (IMHO) have not taken the beatings of time with such gentle grace & good humour as myself.


• Started a blog. woo hoo. I feel like I have joined the children's table at the Nerderati Banquet. Like I get to hear all the grown-up conversation even though I don't 100% get what they're talking about. Like I chirp up now and then and mostly get ignored, but once in a long while I happen to accidentally say something profound - comment the right random thing at the right random place and some grown-up gives me a pat on the head and says "good one!" People I know - though I love them - don't count. It's like your mom saying "good one, dear!" (Which, by the way, everyone still needs to hear, but it just doesn't take you away from the kids' table!)

This year:

• Get fit/Gain weight. Sorry, but it's true. Why is it that someone can come up to me and say "you're so skinny! I could just pick you up & toss you across the room. I hate you! haw haw!" If I were to walk up to someone and say "wow your ass is huge, how do you get through doors?" *I'd* be labelled the big nasty BeeYotch. But that's not why.

This is:

And this:

(omgwtfbbq???)

There's more I'm sure but after looking at these pictures, I'm done reflecting for a while. That's all the reason I need for pretty much everything. Happy New Year!