Greetings for the New Year, everyone.
And good riddance to the rubbish that was 2007. Here's hoping 2008 provides much less of the same.
I got up about 12:03 and wanted to hear how Dick Clark was sounding on ABC. All I got was a winter weather statement from Channel 7. Yes, it's our second 8" plus snowstorm of the season, but I wondered if it pre-empted the actual Times Square ball drop. I heard a little from Clark after the special message ended, and it's obvious he's made all the recovery he'll ever make. He'll never sound the same again. That being said, his being out there still shows guts, and I think it's wonderful they still let him out there.
Now what's happened since the ball last dropped?
* 2007 got off to a rough start as cousin Mike lost his mom on January 2nd. Two days later, my Grand Am played taps on its own as I was literally smoked out of the car while on the way to her funeral.
* The latest back woes began with a slip-and-fall accident on January 28th... since then, the hip has gone south, I've grown to hate worker's compensation, I've taken to using a cane, had an MRI which showed damage, and an independent examination which says the MRI is bull, and that I can "act".
* Lost one "best friend" (Sheila), regained an old one (Laura), regained contact with Sheila, and met two women (Dana & Jennifer) on MySpace, all within the span of two weeks. My version of World War III would commence weeks later involving all parties. Seven months later... the war is purely laughable.
* Road Trip Of The Year: In March with Dawn as we circled the city for hours having bought $90 in lottery tickets and disbursing them to family and friends.
* Made a huge switch in the bills as we finally got the electrical in my name here. Two weeks later, our power was on; Mike's was not. Cue World War IV over the remainder of the year.
* Cousin Raymond's house was finally finished in May after eight years! Here's hoping he doesn't put it on the market for awhile.
* Finally pleased my father and got a "Ford Product". I'll never forget the mad, six-hour, ten-location dash I had to take with Mike in order to make it all happen; most of that running in order to get a $150 rebate.
* Got into a mini-war with the over-the-fence neighbor for not allowing him to put up a plastic fence on our property. Gad, I guess I didn't like ANYBODY this year.
* Uh, did I get my garden project finished THIS year? Uh, no...
* I swore off wrestling permanently. It's becoming too stupid, too heavy-metal these days.
* After six years, I finally got some guts and pulled the plug on that airport job in August. Unbeknownst to me, my cousin would follow suit six weeks later.
* Did my annual stint at the Church Bingo - without as simple a token as a "Thank You." Boy, how Christian...
* Gained the cab job, supposedly as a dispatcher. That much didn't happen.
* Pulled from one of my rides was George, the current third roommate. It's made things here more fiscally relaxing.
* Gained Dustea the cat in November, rescuing her from unliveable conditions.
* Found out in December that flowers don't get you anywhere. It also pointed my life in a new direction, as I see future in a distant place. It was a wake-up call that was needed.
* And, my first hospitalization in December, which I'm still recovering from.
It's no wonder I ripped the 2007 calendar from the wall and stomped on it this morning. A symbolic passing of the torch, shall we say.
I shall conclude this the same way I concluded the 2006 synopsis:
"(And) so as always, I resolve for this year to go a bit more smoothly than last year. All I can say is: enjoy the ride, however bumpy it may be."
