testing 1, 2, 3

Me: Hey, Patty, what's that sound?
Patty: A tornado siren.
Me: It's not doing something we have to care about, is it?
Patty: Nope, every Wednesday at noon.
Me: It's so nice when they schedule the natural disasters.

Basketball, and a cameo from Patty

2008 -- quicket recap ever, at least for me

2008 was a strange year. Lots of difficult, pain in the ass or just plain awful stuff happened, from various strokes (both my dad and a good friend) to apartment woes (two minor but stressing leaks and the break-in), but all that said, it was not a bleak year, which I suppose is how life works when you're not alone and/or not burying yourself in asceticism and rigor.

Fencing had its ups and downs, both in my own skill and relationship to the practice of it and in terms of issues in the salle and the way they (or the way I let them) impact me. I'm looking forward to getting back to it, although the road seems so much less straight and certain to me now than when I first started. But I competed in my first tournament and I was pleased both with the results and the experience. It is strange though how much of what mattered to me about it in the beginning doesn't matters to me at all now.

This was also the year that I made new friends, real, new, deep friendships for the first time in a long time. This includes some folk from fencing, marchek, and bodlon (with whom I seem to already have the rapport of "yeah, crap is going on, we'll get to it" and generally think should really live closer).

Creatively, I didn't do much in some ways, but what I did really mattered, including the CBLDF benefit and, perhaps oddly to some IHNIIHBT. Sure, it's fanfiction, but it's been a tremendous labor and focused pretty tightly on issues and worldview of deep importance to me. It's also taught Kali and I a lot about writing, and it feels important, like it soothes something in some readers, and that's all I ever want out of art both for myself and others -- you know, other than fame and fortune. It's also, of course, in habit great groundwork for the "really, we're writing a first draft in six weeks" plan, but mostly it's just been an ineffable joy. I reread it, and I'm like "where the fuck did this come from?" which is always a good sign.

2008 was also the year of conferences wherein I got to be both more of a celebrity than I've ever been while also dumped into a bigger pool than I've ever been, which oh, put some shit in perspective. It's worth noting here, although it's not strictly confined to this topic, that I had to face up to my jealous nature a lot this year, and I'm content to say that sometimes the best I can do is know it's my issue and remove myself gracefully from the situation. I can wish it weren't so until the cows come home, but I am what I am.

Patty -- my tiny turtle, tremendous deer, and other very strange terms of address -- continues to be this utterly awesome thing in my life and our lives together just got better and better. We learned how to resolve stresses better, how to help each other cope better with outside issues, and had more fun. We traveled together, supported each other, bought an awesome new bed and have a long list of stuff to look forward to, even as we're busy preparing for her to leave on another dig (Friday) that will keep her away from home until mid-March.

Among other things, several already mentioned, 2009 is going to see me finish two novel drafts (one solo, one co-written w/ Kali) and hopefully do some more film work. I'm also considering whether I want to poke at stage a bit again for a while and am considering investigating voice work. There will also be a ton of con appearances in various capacities of officialness, largely in the yet to be determined range.

We went to a Chinese place tonight and my fortune said, "Good news is coming your way."