Bring on 2009

It is fair to say, with very few exceptions, that 2008 was a very bad year.

It may in fact have been one of the worst years of my life, so far.

Job loss, fiscal stress, postponement of separation/divorce because of job loss/fiscal stress, turning 40 (which is not so bad in and of itself), getting bifocals (again, not bad of itself, just icing on the cake), not being able to find a decent job (which reflects on my abilities, or lack thereof). Most of it, of course, seems to be of my own doing...at least I can acknowledge tha, and the changes that need to be made are mine. But still, it felt like one thing on top of another. Enough of 2008.

Not that everything was bleak.

Lilybet is growing and becoming quite a little girl. She is very smart and very bright and quick. We need to work on her temper a bit, but then again, I need to work on mine as well. It's fun to watch her grow and learn and interact with the world. She is the love of my life.

Painting was good, too. I had pieces hang at the Upstate Artists Guild in January, March, June, August and November. Nothing sold, but I am out there. Not bad for a beginner.

And I made a new friend, in mid-March, who has been wonderful with me - affectionate, supportive, philosophical, just an all round beautiful person. People like her are rare in this world. That is not to dismiss or diminish the impact of other new friends or old friends and family, who have been supportive and loving, but I stress this one in particular, because it was the right friend at the right moment in time.

And I am alive, I have my health, I have been painting, writing, reading a lot of good books.

Maybe it was not so bad after all...

But hopefully, 2009 will be a year in which I can turn things around...I will be teaching in January again, and I will be looking for other work. Lilybet will turn 7 (what a great age), and maybe Lisa and I will finally be able to get our paperwork together and move forward. That would be nice...for all three of us.