I’d said…

“I hope 2007 was a nifty year for you. I, personally, rank it in the bottom third of my life - but, we know I throw pity parties, so the view could be slightly slanted!”

Perhaps that was a pity party - BUT, please note (and I hope you feel this way as well) I’ve had a pretty damn good life, so perhaps ‘bottom third’ ain’t so bad…

I think the thing that clouds my brain is the fact I sleep alone. Ok, that was lie, Figaro sleeps with me - and that little fugger even wakes me up like a rooster at ‘breakfast time’ daily.

I don’t challenge you - but I ask you to, think back on your 2007 and list the highlights… Yes, you know me - I’m going to share mine.

I met a pretty nifty lady, we dated for quite awhile - and we’ve managed to maintain friendship even though we’re no longer dating. Thanks Kathie - I’m honored to be your friend.

Road trip to watch MU-Nebraska. It was “Gold Rush” and the entire 60-some-thousand crowd wore MU Gold. The game rocked, the camaraderie was great, and the saved views in the brain even greater.

Fun time with my son. I think I’ve mentioned before, I wear soccer cleats in hopes of giving that final little nudge outta the nest - but I joy in the fact I know my son, and he knows me, perhaps like no one else on the planet. There are many that have a misconception of him - but I’m in his court - and I will always be there for him.

My work. I bitch, I moan - but I love what I do and who I do it with. All around the Coast of the US, I have friends in every Ocean Port (Norfolk, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Houston, Long Beach, Oakland and Seattle.) I’m thankful for the old friendships still maintained of those former coworkers - and I love the people I work with daily… and perhaps the best to come from it is “we’re all imperfect” but we’re a fairly decent team.

Getting back into kid’s sports. I allowed what I call situational depression to keep me blocked from things I loved forever and ever. Refereeing First and Second Grade Basketball has been a major leap out of the doorway of depression. Right before my sister passed - I told her “yeah.. I went to the doctor, and he gave me medicine for depression.” Her reply was “YOU Victor?” Which, was a feel good to me - for I don’t think I live depressed… I once termed it to a co-worker as “happy-depression.” I was only on meds for a year, and that was long ago - and Cyn I think you’ll be happy to learn I have “let go” being disparaged about ‘that’ portion of my life prior to situational depression setting in.

Writing. Writing makes me happy. Writing, to me, is THE very best way to talk to one’s self. We’re all, seriously, weirdoes. To me, thoughts that go thru the brain, ‘said’ to yourself - are weird (or can be.) Thinking those thoughts out, having access to backspacing, and putting them “out there” is a joy to me. I recently wrote “M” something like “the blog thingy has allowed me to stand back and surmise… i for sure ain't special.. i do try to live life like I wanna.. and will continue to do that... and as long as I don't harm/hurt others... then I really don't give a ratsass what anyone thinks.” So, writing allows me to get a better handle on who I am. Victor, you’re one weird mo-fo. Uh huh. Am!

Our company had the worst year on record in 2006, and 2007 was no better. It’s a very good company, and they’ve done some incredible things both financially and giftwise in the past - but due to this economic downturn, we haven’t had a pay raise since summer of ‘06. Fuel prices have gone thru the roof since then - thus, every GD thing that gets delivered by something that uses fuel - their costs in turn have skyrocketed….. The point here? I/we (son) made it. (Cyn, one brief respite from ‘let it go’!!!! Whatshername said “you need someone.”… Nanny nanny boo boo thru the year I made it with my buddy Dru Dru (Maynard)!!!

I’ve met a lot of people this year… and I feel lucky for that. I love learning “what’s up there in that brain” all the time - and 2007 afforded me to meet some incredible people - some I haven’t even had the pleasure of meeting in person…

Old friends… be they HS cronies I share a Miller Lite with… College buds I run into and we look at each other and think “holy shit, I remember what you usedta look like.”… Internet friends - many from long ago, some more recently.. Inlaws (ex)… God Bless my inlaws… I’d grown VERY close to them over twenty years - and I’m delighted they haven’t allowed a legality to sever the friendship/family ship between us.

Of course family.. Whilst I don’t see my nieces and their families nearly as much as I should, I feel lucky to be related to them….

See? Bottom third ain’t bad - it was a good year.. And again, I know my age, and I know the importance of every month, week, day, hour, minute - and I promise you this will be on my mind from here until the day I pee my pants and forget my name.

Sorry I got windy, but you’re probably reading this at work anyways, so you got paid for it!

Again - I truly hope you jot down, or at least ‘meditate’ kinda for 15 minutes or so about your 2007. The space here is unlimited, so if it’d help u write it down here - go for it.

I forgot to mention love. I loved in 2007. I will love in 2008. There’s all kindsa love. Loveya, Victurd.