A New Lunar Year

As opposed to doing an "In Retrospect" post in honour of the Gregorian calendar New Year, I've decided to honour my heritage and reflect on 2008 as it was determined by the moon. Today is technically the Eve and tomorrow is officially the Year of the Ox! w00t.

I suppose I can't start talking about last year in any way other than: "In retrospect"... 2008 was a kickass year for me. It brings me a lot of joy to be able to say that, because for the longest, longest time, I've been wishing for nothing more than a solid year of goodness. And it looks like I either finally got what I wished for, or I just have a very selective memory. I'm glad that I was optimistic from the start - perhaps that positive energy manifested itself into eleven months of YAY.

Looking back, my last semester of university was my favourite. I was only in school part time, which was a blessing. I took one online course and audited two of the most interesting courses ever - I learned so much. I worked part-time with a not-for-profit in a whole other part of the city, and had community theatre on the side and performed in two shows (The Importance of Being Earnest being my biggest show to date). I saw New York for a weekend. I stayed active with campus tours, taking on a third job for a month, the gym and pool, kayaking and riding my bike. I loved my tiny apartment above a little shop in the perfect location in uptown, and I loved loved loved my roommate. I recycled and composted like mad. I cooked more and tried new foods. And that was just the first four months.

Then there was April: finally finishing school; after five years I graduated and got my degree! And then there was May and June: another fabulous tour season on the road, after which I was honoured with the Tour Leader of the Year Award (I was totally shocked to bits). There was July: moving to learn French in small-city Quebec. I've waited a long time to live like I did in Chicoutimi... I don't know if I've ever had five weeks so positive and utterly perfect in my entire life. In August, there was moving back to my favourite mid-sized-city Ontario where I lived with one of the sweetest people alive and started another job that allowed me to move around and be in different places doing different things every day of every week (for a few months). I've seen my proverbial "own backyard" (i.e.: all over Ontario) like I never would have and I am so grateful for that. Then in November there was going back on tour, and then, of course, there was Cancun! Nothing but booze on the beach, on the bus, on the boat under the sun for a week. And all of the sudden there was December: another job; full-time, permanent, benefits, with the tour company I've been with for years, except now I'm bumped up a few notches. Which brings us to now... a time when I'm living life as a working stiff.

When I think back, there were no breaks. I went seamlessly from one thing and one place to another with a weekend, a day, or sometimes, just hours in between - and I wouldn't have had it any other way. 2008 kept me on my toes. At the time I thought I might very well lose my mind from the amount of things I had going on, but I never did. I didn't lose a single thing in any of my four moves. As busy as I was doing my random assortment of jobs and travel and et cetera, I had a lot of time to myself too. There was two months of long coach rides. There was discovering myself in a different language. There was at least two handfuls of really awesome concerts. There was two months of long drives across the province. There was lots of general and genuine happiness. And growth. 2008 felt like it was totally MY year, the Year of Me. ...and Obama.

In the end, nothing really turned around and ganged up on me to bitch-slap me in the face, like I worried (uhm, except my Head and Heart - I have GOT to stop those two from hanging out). The year was good, dammit, GOOD. And I miss it already.
10:08 pm