giddygeek

So I read back to skip=380 to get me to yesterday afternoon, and then I sniffled like an idiot for a couple minutes. You guys, 2008. It hadn't really hit me until now that it was over, because yesterday I was so BUSY --

I drove very slowly through a ridiculous snowstorm with

janet_carter to pick up

impertinence and

loveyouallwrong, bought ALL of the alcohol, drove to NJ to pick up

kalpurna, and met THE INTERNET at

fayemeadows apartment for NYE shenanigans, cuddling, and fireworks viewed across the entire horizon from Faye's amazing balcony. I was putting on my coat at midnight so I missed the big moment, and then I went right back to hours of more shenanigans, cuddling, and laughing, until we left to spend the night with THE INTERNET in PA.

This morning, we all got up and dressed with remarkable efficiency, then went to a diner and drank all of the coffee, before hitting the road for home. *tired!*

As many of you know, I had a gastric bypass in September. It's weird, but it seemed to sort of change how I viewed time this year -- in my mind, everything either happened in September (surgery, MissP's baby, the election) or in 2007 (everything else).

But 2008 brought me so much -- the Wilton Teen Center, the penguin huddle (at which I faaail), the dude who wasn't Gabe, that time I threatened the Cab's friend with death by spoon, and that time I asked everyone what they'd do if they met Ron Paul in a dark alley because I didn't want Suarez to overhear us talking about 4-pack of Alexes porn.

My birthday dinner with MissP and her family. Easter in NJ with the Zombie Lamb Lord. That time Ryan Ross threw a con and the internet went on almost no notice. Our shiny, glorious hotel. That time bandflesh got wanked and I realized it existed. German soap operas and Flight of the Conchords. The week of doom, aka concertpocalypse.

Con.txt, which felt like a family reunion, and at which I made an ass of myself several times over, had an awesome time, and generally behaved like I WAS at a family reunion.

One of my favorite people having a beautiful baby.

My sister's visit with new dog & new boy. Time at the beach with old friends.

A promotion I didn't get, and months where I barely saw anyone or did anything, because I was so scared and stressed about surgery. Art projects. Financial disaster. A new, awesome roommate. A corn maze, a Ren Faire, a hooka bar.

Writing a couple stories that challenged me and that made me feel both devastatingly unsure of myself and kind of proud.

Surgery, recovery, weekends spent on the couch talking about mashed potatoes and watching all of the fandoms.

Two of my favorites getting married.

A small club show with a fabulous band and MOST wonderful company. A new president-elect. Spaghetti Thanksgiving, with wonderful guests coming from all over. The Nokia Theatre with MANY of my most favorites ever. Twilight with MissP and her hilarious sib. Enjoying the snowpocalypse with new awesome roommate.

Two of my favorites getting engaged.

Tough times at work, surviving them, enjoying every day with my coworkers. New fandoms everywhere I turned, a favorite old fandom dying a miserable death. Christmas with my sister. Tiny pies.

Midnight, huddling with people I just love to pieces, and laughing as fireworks went off everywhere I looked.

It seems to me like 2008 was the kind of year where lessons were (kind of) learned, joy and misery were had in wonderfully unbalanced proportions, much cold was endured for silly reasons, and many mashed potatoes were ruined.

But the things I am going to take with me to 2009 are surprise and gratitude -- for the love so many of you showed me this year, and how deeply and sincerely I love you back.

Happy New Year, you guys. It feels like a good one. <3