Reflection on 2008

I'm always amazed, by what can take place / Within the span of 300 / 365 days. [Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "365 Days"]

Instead of trite New Years Resolutions I make a list of all the good & positive experiences & events & jazz from the previous year. This way I can see all the wonderful things that comprised my life, and be thankful for.
This isn't everything (not all of it goes public, hehe). The first are very loosely listed by month, Jan-Dec, the second list is general:

* Got to have a night of drinking in downtown Raleigh & Chapel Hill with my coz Joe
* Invented a few drinks & got known for them
* New mp3 player (Sony Alpha 4Gb) that I'm very happy with, same one my bro-in-law Frederic has
* Hung out frequently at a cool, artsy bar with Spencer for a couple of months
* I had the best Valentine's Day yet (and I didn't have a steady girlfriend at the time, yikes)
* Met Sara!
* Swing danced at Illusions a few of times with new friends
* David Copperfield & co. came to our bar
* I brought my old Haunted House level for Doom2 from 1/3rd completion closer to 3/4ths
* Began Chapter 2 of Dream Too Darkly, and I'm more pleased with its art
* Became the sound tech & props guy for Spencer's magic show
* I WENT TO LAS VEGAS! (for the World Magic Seminar) My second time on a plane, and first time off the East Coast!
* New cellphone, with a partial touchscreen
* Went to Charlotte for my coz Kristen's wedding
* Found my favorite hat (in my closet)
* Spent nearly every Sunday in the summer at the Clipper Mill pool with Spencer, Sara, and Peter. Possibly the best summer ever!
* Went to Long Island with just my Mom
* Got Verizon FiOS at home -- finally high-speed wireless at home
* Played a couple of MMORPGs (FlyFF & Rappelz)
* A week at LBI with my family + Frederic; lots of beach, lots of card playing (and I drove separately)
* Got a bunch of Belgian trance & reggae music from Frederic
* Addicted to Jhonen Vasquez's creations: Johnny the Homicial Maniac, Squee, Invader Zim... !!
* Went to Ocean City with Sara & Spencer. Sara saved my life. AND took care of me when I got food poisoning & was miserable. THANK YOU!!
* Got good pictures at a photobooth & got to keep 'em
* Brick Fair '08 -- Joe & I ran the brickfilms viewing, my Iron Man chest arc reactor was a hit, and I got to see a chick I hadn't in a few years (and never thought I would again)
* Flexed my hacker muscles on HackThisSite.org
* In NJ for my aunt & uncle's 40th anni-v I got to see my cousins Steve & Christine (and Karen & Kris)
* I defended Sara's honor, in public & loudly, like a true friend
* Had a great Autumn
* Vampire fangs for Halloweentime -- Johnny the Homicial Maniac for Halloween!
* Went to The Haunted Mill with Marie & Frederic
* This new blog
* Wiped out my old website and remade it into a hub
* Created a deviantArt account & have things on it. I had been a lurker for years...
* Saw The Godfather at the Senator Theater, at a theater!
* Played many new video games
* Co-built a Houdini Underwater Torture Cell fishy tank from scratch with Sara, for Spencer
* Got to see the Duke Ellington Orchestra (!) play at the Myerhoff in Baltimore, with box seats.
* Started seriously playing Freelancer [w/ Discovery mod] online, MMO

* I went an entire year without a day job!
* I became a full-on bartender (a goal since I was in high school, completed) and it paid my bills
* Made lots of new, worthy friends: Sara & Peter at the tops (and they make up for a couple of ones I've recently all-but-lost...)
* Went on more trips in a year than ever before, proving my budgeting prowess [no day job = low income]
* Figured out I'm a goth (and that has little to do with my decade-long propensity for liking black)
* Swapped lots of music with Sara, and found a few instant-favorites
* Acquired lots of new music; delving deeper into Trip-Hop, and liking Goth rock & EBM
* Spent lots of time at Starbucks with Sara, just what the Dr. ordered ;P
* Several trips to NC to visit my coz Joe
* Got very creative & good with coin magic
* Made some online friends, via the MMORPGs I played
* Got drunk (actually) a few times at bars with my friends who took care of me (I just get really hyper & happy, but 200lbs of Diavo hyper is more than a handful!)
* Attended free liquor promotion parties with Spencer
* Got really artistic, and created lots of digital art in the Fall
* Became a nightowl: staying up till 4-5am constantly
* Received more hugs then possibly any year prior
* Was in love without heartache
* Was given $20 just for being me ^_^
* Got a love note
* Received many, many compliments
* Was missed
* Was appreciated
* Was loved
* Loved
* and a few more great things you don't need the details of... ;P

I told you my reasons for the whole revival / Now I'm going outside to have an ice cold beer in the shade. / Oh, I'm gonna listen to my 45's / Ain't it wonderful to be alive / When the rock 'n' roll plays, yeah / When the memory stays, yeah. / I'm keeping the faith / Yeah yeah yeah yeah keeping the faith. [Billy Joel, "Keeping The Faith"]

Folks always ask what in my life I'd change, / If I had it again I wouldn't change anything! [Eleven 54, Meantime]