Best & Worst of 2008
Worst --
The Surgery: I went through yet another "worst ordeal of my life" and in consecutive years! I'll explain later how much the support I did receive during this time meant to me. However, the vulnerability I went through and continue to feel could only be addressed in certain ways that haven't been possible for me lately.
No Work: even on my blog, the writing was sporadic this year. In my journal, I was more productive early, then came the surgery, then came a self-imposed sabbatical until the new year. No paid work for obvious reasons.
Lonesome Dove: a tough one socially speaking... no lady friends, saw my other friends here and there, not much opportunity to blow off steam.
Sucky Sports: the Lakers lost the finals to Boston, of all teams. USC lost to Oregon State, AGAIN!
WGA MIA: the writers’ strike killed the momentum of many a good TV show. Heroes struck out with me; 24 got postponed after a very down year; BSG's final chapters got pushed back.
RIP 'Roi: DMB saxophonist LeRoi Moore passed after a health crisis and amidst one of the band's best tours of all time. In music, Jack Johnson produced his first shit show of an album.
Best --
The Surgery: even though my time in the hospital was extraordinarily difficult, it ended up being the best thing for my overall health & state of being in years. I reached the final stages of healing that I will finish up in the new year and begin the return trip to a normal life once again.
Percolation: results were slim, but the benefit of a tough, adverse year has been a mind fertile with ideas. I gathered my list of literary magazines, my poetry improved, and my body-mind is in a great position to write up a storm in the months ahead.
Social Caterpillar: I couldn't be my gregarious self this year, but I had a lot to say with those who came close enough to listen. I saw a lot of true friendship during my times of need. And that was worth the cost. In addition, the small number of new friends I met were, indeed, true friends.
Seasons Behind & Ahead: Kobe closed last season as MVP, then the Lakers began anew as the best team on paper, then struggled, then handed the Celtics their ass in the year's greatest Christmas present. The Trojans won the 2008 Rose Bowl, then started the new season, recovering from Oregon State by winning 10 straight including a kick-ass showing in the 2009 Rose Bowl against Penn State.
Compelling: TV got good, real good. Big Bang Theory announced it's here to stay while Mother remained strong. Chuck vastly improved, I discovered House & Always Sunny, Life stayed amazing as always, True Blood premiered and Entourage was a force to be reckoned with.
Filmy: add these to best all-time -- Into The Wild (best I've ever seen), The Dark Knight, The Darjeeling Limited, Once. Iron Man and WallE were damn good, and others...
New Music: for discovering Fleet Foxes, that alone makes this year an incredible one in music. Honorable mention goes to Noah and the Whale. This year was also my first exposure to Nick Drake along with Sigur Ros and the most recent Shins album. Excellent, excellent stuff.
Learning, Changing, Growing, Thriving: fantastic year in family. The nieces & nephews somehow got older! New babies joined my "extended" family. And I became a godfather.
Resolutions
Reading -- I resolve to read at least 3 Dostoevsky pieces including Crime & Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, 3 London pieces including White Fang and The Call of the Wild, and 3 Hemingway pieces. I resolve to always be in the middle of a modern piece of literature and a classic piece, in addition to reading for research.
Writing -- I resolve to submit at least 6 pieces of my work to literary magazines by June, no matter the genre. I resolve to finish the memoir of my latest health battle, and write at least a sentence of new material 4 days per week.
Cooking -- I resolve to take up cooking as a past time by planning one meal each month.
Music -- I resolve to tell everyone to listen to Fleet Foxes. I resolve to listen to more classical & jazz.
Personal -- In addition to some private personal resolutions, I resolve to be more open about telling people I love them.
