A Whole New Year

Ups and downs and ins and outs and twists to make Stephen King proud populated the last year. Great friends were seen again, new ones were made, and towards the end I found a man who can make me laugh like a crazy person, smile like a fool, and who can also challenge me in several different ways.

I lost track of a couple friends, and lost a few to the grave, along with a near brother that I will spend the rest of my life missing.

2011 promises to bring a new set of challenges and decisions, its own collection of laughter and tears. Hopefully more of the former than the latter.

With all of the stresses and tears of the last year, I could very easily say "I can't take another year like that one."

But you know what? I can. It's what I do, I take everything life throws at me and I make things work anyway. Sometimes it resembles a simian making amorous overtures to a football, but it works.

And though I'll hope for a year with more joy than sorrow, I don't think it's so wrong of me to be proud of the fact that no matter what 2011 brings, I'll wrestle it to the ground and make it my proper little bitch, because that's what I do.

I'll leave you with an Irish blessing that I've always loved, as my wish for all of you for the new year:

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
And may the Lord hold you in the palm of his hand.

Whether you're religious or not, that right there has a certain ring to it. Here's to a fresh year, let's make it a great one.