I always really liked end of the year commentary and 'best/worst/most interesting of the year' lists from everyone to CNN to the Chronicle. Seems like anyone who can put a sentence together feels like that entitles them to the right to judge and categorize the happenings of the last twelve months and use their opinions to define a year and cast them in stone as historical fact.
The pop culture junkie in me always lapped it up willingly. I still think it's interesting to hear about what some random blogger thinks were the worst movies to see while drunk were of 2008.
The problem with these end of the year reflections is, in a year, hell, by February, none of their witty observations or intense judgments will matter. No one will give a shit if your blogging uncle thought Batman sucked or that People magazine thought George Carlin will be more missed than Betty Page. It's on to the next thing, and the compiling of new 'worst dressed' or 'biggest block buster of the summer' lists for the next December issue.
Normally, I wouldn't really care. If we all still gave a shit about who sold the top ten best records of 1996, life would be really boring. Music would prob sound a lot different, too.
For me, though, 2oo8 will go down as an important year for me. As I reflect back on the last 12 months, it's a struggle for to sum up what they meant to me and my personal growth. For me, 2oo8 will not just be the year Heath Ledger died, we got our first black president, or even the year I dropped out of school. 2oo8 has been such a big one in personal growth for me in every aspect. 2oo8 was HARD, filled with ups and downs, and more downs. I had too many 'events' this year that changed me or will become a story, not just to tell while sittin around one day with a beer in my hand, but major crossroads in my life.
For example, in 2oo8, I went from being a smoker to stronger than a cigarette. 2oo8 was also the year I met the man, who, even if he leaves my life soon, will forever go down as my first love and real relationship. It was the year I grew up and wanted to settle down, even though I failed at it a few times. 2oo8 was the year I learned how to ride a bike, got fired for the first time, and took a stab at supporting myself. 2oo8 was the year of mushrooms, roommates, and zennin out, or at least trying to. And let me not fail to mention the Clay Pit.
2oo8 was the year life threw a bunch of crap at me just to see what would stick. Sometimes I made it out clean, sometimes I didn't. But I learned a lot, and am pretty determined not to make (some) of the same mistakes again. I have to admit a lot of the shit that I stepped in could have been avoided, but it's all part of the process of livin, right? I just hope I can get though the next year more independent than the last one, and more of a support to the people around me.
That brings me to my new year's resolution- to be more self sufficient. Can't wait to read this in December and reflect...
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